Analysing regional development and policy: a structural-realist approach

Abstract

This paper overviews the models analysing regional development. It evaluates their analytical and policy relevance, and recommends for a structural-realist approach to spatial development analysis. Section 2 overviews Territorial Innovation Models that theorise local and regional development from a New Regionalism point of view, and explains why they fall short of 'realist' regional development analysis. Section 3 pleas for return to 'old' institutionalist and structuralist traditions ad-rem to distinguishing the analytical from the strategy and policy perspectives. Section 4 makes methodological recommendations, on contemporary spatial development analysis, with cognisance of structural-institutional, scalar and cultural dimensions of development processes and strategies.