by Germán Adell
This paper seeks to find out if these different models of regional development share assumptions, viewpoints or values. Which are the policy implications for each of them? Are they only descriptive models or they can be translated into policy recommendations? In fact while all models seem to share at least one broad assumption concerning the evenness and equilibrium of development through the territory, this assumption needs to be challenged in light of new paradigms such as increased mobility, space-time compression and the multi-spatial context of the everyday household life.
This literature review consists basically in a thorough desk-based research of available material linked to the subject. The more recent literature is examined, basically from the 1990s onwards, unless otherwise demanded by cross linked references and the development of the theoretical discussion. All major scientific journals concerning both urban and rural sectors have been systematically reviewed. The under-representation of a specific topic in the material was interpreted - apart from involuntary errors or omissions - as a lack of interest coming from an editorial bias. In this sense, the relative under-representation of urban related topics in the “rural” literature was noted, while the opposite is not the case.
In section 2 the peri-urban discussion is introduced, historically situating the various concepts that have been coined to deal with the fringes where “city and countryside meet” and reviewing the traditional assumptions concerning the peri-urban concept.
Section 3 examines different regional development paradigms where the rural - urban relationship has been central. They constitute the theoretical background against which new conceptual developments, presented in section 4, are differentiated.
Sections 5 reviews some relevant and recent case studies dealing with the changing nature of the rural - urban interaction. Section 5 concludes by presenting the most extreme theoretical positions that mark nowadays the conceptual landscape, using them as epistemological landmarks to reveal the diversity of a still changing field.
This literature review consists basically in a thorough desk-based research of available material linked to the subject. The more recent literature is examined, basically from the 1990s onwards, unless otherwise demanded by cross linked references and the development of the theoretical discussion. All major scientific journals concerning both urban and rural sectors have been systematically reviewed. The under-representation of a specific topic in the material was interpreted - apart from involuntary errors or omissions - as a lack of interest coming from an editorial bias. In this sense, the relative under-representation of urban related topics in the “rural” literature was noted, while the opposite is not the case.
In section 2 the peri-urban discussion is introduced, historically situating the various concepts that have been coined to deal with the fringes where “city and countryside meet” and reviewing the traditional assumptions concerning the peri-urban concept.
Section 3 examines different regional development paradigms where the rural - urban relationship has been central. They constitute the theoretical background against which new conceptual developments, presented in section 4, are differentiated.
Sections 5 reviews some relevant and recent case studies dealing with the changing nature of the rural - urban interaction. Section 5 concludes by presenting the most extreme theoretical positions that mark nowadays the conceptual landscape, using them as epistemological landmarks to reveal the diversity of a still changing field.
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