Assessing regional capabilities-oriented approaches for European just and sustainable transitions

ABSTRACT

Given the uneven distribution of regional benefits and losses across Europe, the article assesses the potential of stronger justice and capabilities-oriented approaches to development. Critically reflecting on dominant spatial narratives, the research builds on a qualitative content analysis of selected past and present policy frameworks for European cohesion, territorial and environmental action. Applying a framing analysis approach, the analysis demonstrates that the strategies frame sustainable territorial development strongly along competitiveness-targeting, distributive and coordination-oriented categories. However, a relational, spatial justice and capacity-building focus is on the rise. Concluding that shifting objectives from performance towards more learning-oriented goals bears the potential to serve stronger spatially just and sustainable regional dynamics, it argues for change of focus towards regional processes.

KEYWORDS:

• spatial justice
• European territorial cohesion
• sustainable transitions
• regional capabilities
• relational planning

JEL:

• R11

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank Eduardo Medeiros for his time and effort that made the special issue possible. Further, I thank my supervisor, Jürgen Schmude, and colleagues for their support of my work. My special thanks are extended to Marie Aschenbrenner for her valuable input along the process. Also, I thank the anonymous reviewers for their feedback that helped to improve this contribution.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.