A recent declaration to establish an Indian global timescale based on Mahakal Standard Time has re-opened debates around decolonisation.

A recent declaration to establish an Indian global timescale based on Mahakal Standard Time, has re-opened debates around decolonisation and the ongoing legacy of the “Macaulay mindset” in Indian…

A recent declaration to establish an Indian global timescale based on Mahakal Standard Time has re-opened debates around decolonisation.

South Africa’s post-apartheid development landscape remains profoundly shaped by its inherited spatial and institutional architecture. Derived from my PhD study, Bell (2025) argues that underdevelopme...

Published in Contemporary Social Science: Journal of the Academy of Social Sciences (Vol. 20, No. 2-3, 2025)

In 2020, a merger of the counties of Troms and Finnmark in northern Norway was implemented as part of a nationwide regional reform. Unlike some mergers that took place at the time, this merger was not...

In recent years, industrial strategy has returned to the centre of political and economic debate. Governments across advanced economies are once again asking how they can shape growth, support innovat...

In recent years, industrial strategy has returned to the centre of political and economic debate. Governments across advanced economies are once again asking how they can shape growth, support innovat...

Policymakers often rely on familiar indicators such as GDP, employment rates, and education levels to assess regional well-being. Yet these metrics tell only part of the story. Human flourishing, enco...

This special issue explores the intersection of the feelings and material conditions influencing 'left-behindness' and the policies designed to address it.

The concept of Quyu (区域) in China Across policy and academic debates, regions are increasingly recognised as key arenas for addressing climate change, demographic shifts, and economic transitions. In ...

The UK government can meet some of its biggest challenges by combining mayoral devolution with its mission-led approach. Empowering local leaders to deliver on national missions will mean giving them ...

The “advantage of backwardness”—the notion that low-income countries can grow faster by borrowing and adapting existing technology—has long been central to the theory of economic convergence. However,...

The Regional Studies Association (RSA) Annual Conference 2025, held in Porto from May 6 to 9, brought together nearly 900 scholars, marking the largest gathering in RSA history. The event showcased di...

In 2024 and early 2025, a large number of Regional Studies Association (RSA) members participated in a series of focus group sessions convened by the RSA to understand the priorities of the regional s...

Athens serves as a vital site of democratic heritage and urban evolution. Over the decades, its society and built environment have undergone a gradual but significant transformation. Like many histori...

The UK has historically failed to learn important lessons from European countries on spatial rebalancing. It has recently acknowledged the need for effective local institutions and a long-term nationa...

Bologna • September 8th – September 12th, 2025

Cities and regions around the world face enormous challenges—environmental degradation, resource scarcity, economic instability, and social inequality. To tackle these issues, we need bold, transforma...

The concept of ‘entrepreneurial ecosystem’ is gaining popularity in regional studies. Under this label, we find various conditions and policies that either support or inhibit local entrepreneurship, e...

The concept of ‘entrepreneurial ecosystem’ is gaining popularity in regional studies. Under this label, we find various conditions and policies that either support or inhibit local entrepreneurship, e...