| RSAI Calendar |
| 10/09/2008 08:00 - 10/10/2008 18:00 | |
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WORKING GROUP MEETING Peripherality, Marginality and Border Issues in Northern Europe October 9-10, 2008 RENA, Norway CALL FOR PAPERS! Abstracts now requested by June 15th, 2008 for the first workshop (send to Organiser - see below). Please include contact details. Practical details on travel and accommodation will be distributed on arrival of abstract and registration. Background While there has been much research and attention paid to the regions in the core of Europe - and especially to cities, city-regions, old industrial areas, border regions and to some of their underlying characteristics - such as clusters, agglomeration phenomena generally, regional innovation systems, the specific features of peripheral and marginal regions have been relatively neglected. This Working Group Meeting seeks to address this by initiating a discussion and collecting contributions - of both a theoretical and practical nature - on peripheral, marginal and border regions. Through this, it is planned to set up the agenda for significant cooperation in the coming years. Many researchers within and outside of the RSA are located in non-core areas of Europe and face obstacles and challenges in applying locally the theories and strategies appropriate to the centre. The need is confirmed by considering the literature underpinning peripherality and by anecdotal evidence collected from RSA and other conferences across the continent and in the Northern hemisphere. There is an opportunity for those interested in the particular issues of peripheral regions and marginality to have more effective and dedicated networks. In the context of competitiveness and centralisation, each enlargement of the EU has also included but also generated more peripheral regions. This makes an effort to bring together actors in this field and stimulate activities on this basis a worthwhile endeavour. Following the launch of the Working Group at the international RSA conference in Prague in May this spring, the first formal meeting is being convened in Rena in Norway. The organisers will set the context for the Group with an introductory scoping paper which will map out the existing literature and approaches adopted across disciplines, times and territories. For the rest of the workshop, abstracts are now being invited specifically on Rural mobility and infrastructure but also more generally on concepts of peripherality and marginality. Rather than descriptive pieces, we are especially interested in theoretical and other non-descriptive papers which address these dimensions of Northern European regions from first principles. Under RSA workshop rules, we can only offer some support to fund a limited number of research students and other early career academics, please ask for details. We are, however, still waiting for the result of an application to Nordforsk where further financing could be forthcoming. Until further notice (eventual sponsoring) we will on admission charge € 100 to cover all food and refreshments and other organisational details during the conference excluding accomodation. The Department of the University College of Hedmark, in Rena, is located in an area which has all the markings of a periphery. Hotel and other facilities are limited and travelling details need careful consideration. Programme October 9-10, 2008, Rena, Norway Theme 1: Keynote scoping paper: Methods, concepts and future scientific priorities. There will be a special focus on the potential and prerequisites of comparativity (Peripheries and Marginalities) based on a mapping exercise of current work and interest in the field by RSA and other researchers. With different national backgrounds, cultures and disciplines, these aspects of cooperation need a preliminary exploration and analysis. Theme 2: Rural mobility and infrastructure. Taking the lead from the annual conference of the Regional Studies Association and elaborating more specifically on the dimension of periphery and marginality issues. Theme 3: Conceptualising peripherality and marginality in Northern Europe General non-descriptive papers which explore these dimensions and underpinnings of the regions of the north. Themes for the future: Part of the discussion at the first Working Group Meeting (WGM1) will be directed at creating a common set of issues that should be of interest in the future development of the network. Suggestions on these issues will be developed in preparation for this meeting and submissions from any interested group will be kindly received. Organiser Peter de Souza Senior Research Fellow Economics Institute University College of Hedmark ÖSIR Postboks 104 NO-2451 Rena Norway +47 62430511 +47 62430500 peter.desouza@hihm.no +47 70 5244030 Co-Organiser Michael Danson Professor European Studies University of the West of Scotland Paisley Scotland PA1 2BE +44 141 848 3369 +44 141 848 3618 michael.danson@uws.ac.uk +44 7963013707 |
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| Contact | |
| contact person: | Peter de Souza |
| E-mail: | This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |