Europa XXI (2021) vol. 41

A review of the challenges and strategies of delivering services of general interest in European rural areas

Nathalie Tent, Alexandru Brad, Juliane Klöden, Alistair Adam Hernández, Jörn Bannert, Alice Gebauer

Europa XXI (2021) vol. 41, pp. 77-105 | Full text
doi: https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2021.41.4
citation: Tent, N., Brad, A., Klöden, J., Adam Hernández, A., Bannert, J., & Gebauer, A. (2021). A review of the challenges and strategies of delivering services of general interest in European rural areas. Europa XXI, 41, 77-105. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2021.41.4

Abstract

In many of Europe’s rural regions, sociodemographic changes, the transformation of the labour market, and the advent of digitalisation pose significant challenges in safeguarding services of general interest (SGI). This paper draws on a broad literature review to identify the key challenges and potential adaptation strategies in three SGIs in four European countries. Our analysis explores potentials for redesigning the accessibility of these SGIs, restructuring their human and physical assets, and improving the coordination of their delivery. We argue that in the context of a fading welfare state, there is scope for improving the local coordination of state, private, and civil society actors in delivering SGIs in rural areas.

Keywords: firefighters, medical care, post-school education, rural areas, services of general interest, sociodemographic changes

Nathalie Tent [nathalie.tent@uni-oldenburg.de], Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg
Alexandru Brad [alexandru.brad@thuenen.de], Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries
Juliane Klöden [juliane.kloeden@tu-dresden.de], TU Dresden, Chair of Land Management
Alistair Adam Hernández [adam@arl-net.de], Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association
Jörn Bannert [bannert@gih.uni-hannover.de], Leibniz University Hannover, Geodetic Institute
Alice Gebauer [gebauer@gih.uni-hannover.de], Leibniz University Hannover, Geodetic Institute

Citation

APA: Tent, N., Brad, A., Klöden, J., Adam Hernández, A., Bannert, J., & Gebauer, A. (2021). A review of the challenges and strategies of delivering services of general interest in European rural areas. Europa XXI, 41, 77-105. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2021.41.4

MLA: Tent, Nathalie, et al. "A review of the challenges and strategies of delivering services of general interest in European rural areas". Europa XXI, vol. 41, 2021, pp. 77-105. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2021.41.4

Chicago: Tent, Nathalie, Brad, Alexandru, Klöden, Juliane, Adam Hernández, Alistair, Bannert, Jörn and Gebauer, Alice. "A review of the challenges and strategies of delivering services of general interest in European rural areas". Europa XXI 41 (2021): 77-105. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2021.41.4

Harvard: Tent, N., Brad, A., Klöden, J., Adam Hernández, A., Bannert, J., & Gebauer, A. 2021. "A review of the challenges and strategies of delivering services of general interest in European rural areas". Europa XXI, vol. 41, pp. 77-105. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2021.41.4