Project description
Spatial development policies for the European Social Model
Public, private and civil society stakeholders vary in endorsing spatial injustice across Europe. Despite current efforts to upgrade regional development policies, the inclusion of place-informed theories remains absent. The EU-funded COHSMO project aims to investigate the socio-economic structures of inequality, urbanisation, and territorial cohesion, and how the latter affects economic growth, spatial justice and democratic capacity. A cross-case analysis and assessment of territorial cohesion within three different cases will be performed, based on a mixed-method and locality-sensitive approach. The project will assess existing spatial development policies at different governance levels and map the impact of different policy instruments. Ultimately, COHSMO aspires to shape the European Social Model through innovative policy recommendations.
Objective
The principal aim of COHSMO is to investigate the relation between socio-economic structures of inequality, urbanization and territorial cohesion, and how territorial cohesion at different European scales affect economic growth, spatial justice and democratic capacities. The way that public, private and civil society stakeholders counter or cushion spatial injustice varies across localities in Europe. In common, is the need to develop the institutional capacities for place-based collaboration and democratically mobilize communities for policy development and adaption. Although location and place have gained attention in European policy and the theoretical thinking informing regional development policies, it is argued in COHSMO that we need to change our orientation in the direction of making place-informed theories and policies instead of applying existing theories and policies on places. This will be done by providing a cross-case analysis and assessment of territorial cohesion within three different cases in each of the seven national partner contexts based on a mixed-method and locality-sensitive approach. The fieldwork will focus firstly on the relation between policy instruments and local experiences of territorial cohesion, and secondly on how “social investment strategies” relate to territorial cohesion and local conditions. Moreover, the project engages in an assessment of spatial development policies at different governance scales to map the impact of different policy instruments in the fight against spatial inequality and spatial injustice. COHSMO is innovative in its differentiated approach to how location matters, and coupled with its conceptual advances COHSMO will develop groundbreaking policy recommendations in relation to sustainable economic growth, spatial justice and democratic capacity. Because they stem from location-sensitive and cross-contextual research, such recommendations will make it possible to develop the European Social Model.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.3.6. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Europe In A Changing World - Inclusive, Innovative And Reflective Societies Main Programme
- H2020-EU.3.6.1.2. - Trusted organisations, practices, services and policies that are necessary to build resilient, inclusive, participatory, open and creative societies in Europe, in particular taking into account migration, integration and demographic change
- H2020-EU.3.6.1.4. - The promotion of sustainable and inclusive environments through innovative spatial and urban planning and design
Call for proposal
H2020-SC6-REV-INEQUAL-2016-2017
See other projects for this callSub call
H2020-SC6-REV-INEQUAL-2016
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
9220 Aalborg
Denmark