3rd ERSA-REGIO Academic Lecture 2018
11 June 2018, DG REGIO premises, Brussels, Belgium
Speak
er: Eveline van Leeuwen, Professor in Urban Economics, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Title: The importance of urban-rural interactions for post-2020 EU cohesion policy
Urban-rural interactions have been on the EU-cohesion agenda for many decades now. Often, it is seen as a way to connect successful cities to their lagging rural hinterlands. However, Eveline van Leeuwen will show in her lecture that urban-rural interactions do not result in one-sided, but increasingly in two-sided benefits. And in the light of the challenges for post-2020 cohesion policy, such as the energy transition and the circular economy, the need for urban and rural areas to join forces on an equal base will become even more essential.
In order to develop successful transition strategies and policies, it is important to recognize the social-demographic differences between cities and the countryside. Recent referenda and elections have clearly pointed out the different perceptions of voters of what should be done to reach a sustainable future and the impact this can have on a nation. Not only differences in demographic composition plays a role here, but also differences in values and trust in the local and national government: expectations for the future (growth or decline) and the feeling of being heard by policymakers. Therefore, in this lecture, it will be argued that future policies should be both place-based and people-based and that there is a need for more in-depth studies of similarities and differences of the values and behavior of urban and rural actors.
Discussant: Dr. Frédéric Wallet, Inra – University of Paris Saclay, France
When and where: 11 June 2018, 15:00-17:00; DG REGIO, VIP ROOM, Avenue de Beaulieu 1, Brussels.
Registration is free but mandatory. To obtain the registration link, please send an email to office@ersa.org
See past Lectures’ videos on
ERSA YouTube Channel “Lectures” or visit Inforegio website
