Johannes Lidmo

Abstract

In some European countries, sub-national regions are important geographical arenas for spatial planning. However, in Sweden, statutory regional planning is rather limited and the regional level is often described as having a weak position in the spatial planning system. In this article, we investigate territorial governance practices in two Swedish regions, with a focus on their interaction with the EU and the national level, and with the local level, as well as how these regions function as organisations and arenas for coordination of different policy fields. The study is based on semi-structured expert interviews and document analysis. The results show that spatial planning is practised both through statutory planning and soft planning approaches, and that these practices in different ways coordinate sectoral policies i.e. transport infrastructure and regional development. Both cases also illustrate difficulties not only of external coordination between different institutions and policy fields but also internally within organisations. It is also highlighted that spatial planning at the regional level focuses on coordinating actors and policy fields but that spatial planning is also an instrument to implement regional policies. In conclusion, it is argued that the organisation and territorial governance practices within a given institutional arrangement and the perception of spatial planning are crucial in determining how regions might function as multi-level coordination actors and policy arenas within spatial planning.

Keywords: multi-level coordination, policy fields, regions, spatial planning, territorial governance

Lukas Smas [ukas.smas@humangeo.su.se], Department of Human Geography, Stockholm University
Johannes Lidmo [johannes.lidmo@nordregio.org], Nordregio

Citation

APA: Smas, L., & Lidmo, J. (2018). Organising regions: spatial planning and territorial governance practices in two Swedish regions. Europa XXI, 35, 21-36. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2018.35.2
MLA: Smas, Lukas, and Lidmo, Johannes. "Organising regions: spatial planning and territorial governance practices in two Swedish regions". Europa XXI, vol. 35, 2018, pp. 21-36. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2018.35.2
Chicago: Smas, Lukas, and Lidmo, Johannes. "Organising regions: spatial planning and territorial governance practices in two Swedish regions". Europa XXI 35 (2018): 21-36. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2018.35.2
Harvard: Smas, L., & Lidmo, J. 2018. "Organising regions: spatial planning and territorial governance practices in two Swedish regions". Europa XXI, vol. 35, pp. 21-36. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2018.35.2