Maria Levints (p)

Tibor Kovács

Recent observations indicate an augmentation in the implementation of participation processes in mobility projects within Germany, which is further legally anchored. However, dynamics associated with citizen participation have the potential to exert a dual impact on the planning process for a sustainable mobility system, both positive and negative. A previous project investigated these dynamics, revealing that the composition of participants can influence the planning outcome and citizens' satisfaction with it. A notable aspect of rail transport is the lack of transparency in the selection of actors during the public participation procedures in planning approval processes. This prompts the following inquiries: 1. How is the selection process for actors in rail infrastructure projects conducted and what is its extent? 2. What impact does this selection have on transport planning?

Based on Ronald S. Burt, the stakeholders involved in individual infrastructure projects are understood in this work as networks that revolve around a person responsible for stakeholder management. An ego-centric network analysis is conducted to reveal the interpersonal networks of the groups involved in the participation process of an individual stakeholder manager. The network survey is based on the Stakeholder Participation Assessment Framework (SPAF), which divides the participation process into two phases. In the initial phase, the "why," "who," "when," "how," and "costs" are analyzed. The survey is structured in a manner that ensures the network recording also reveals the level of social capital of the corresponding network, thereby enabling the classification of the networks to be compared. In the second phase of the SPAF, the effects of the identified participation measures are evaluated. To this end, a survey of stakeholder managers is conducted to assess the impact of networks on transport planning in the rail infrastructure sector. The objective of the analysis is to present the distribution of stakeholders involved in rail infrastructure projects and to evaluate their social capital. The disclosure of participation networks aims to facilitate a comparative analysis, which will be discussed in the context of the effects of network compositions on transport planning. The findings of this paper are intended to contribute to an evidence-based assessment of public participation in the rail transport sector from a planning perspective, with the aim of promoting planning that supports the transport sector towards sustainable transport governance.

Tibor Kovács (p), Szabolcs Mátyás, Mária Vasvári

Elif Bengi Güneş Yerlikaya

The spatial concentration, migration and retention of talent play an increasingly important role in understanding the dynamics of regional development and socio-economic inequalities. The interdisciplinary approach of talent geography draws attention to the fact that the spatial and social environment–the institutional background, community attitudes and development policy guidelines–fundamentally influence the identification, support and empowerment of talent. This issue is particularly critical in the case of peripheral regions, where migration, ageing and lack of resources pose serious challenges to the renewal of human capital.
The study is based on a comparative analysis of talent management practices in three European NUTS3 regions with different socio-economic conditions but similarly peripheral–Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok (Hungary), Altmarkkreis Salzwedel (Germany) and North Ostrobothnia (Finland). The aim of the study is to explore to what extent and in what way talent management is reflected in the educational-cultural institutional system, in social discourse and in local or regional development policy strategies in the regions. The research also seeks to identify good practices that can be adapted for other disadvantaged regions.
The research uses both qualitative document analysis and quantitative statistical analysis. In addition to examining the socio-economic characteristics of the regions–demography, education, income situation, labour market opportunities–the institutional environment and operational logic of talent management were mapped.
According to the results, the Finnish North Ostrobothnia has the most coherent, institutionalized, and long-term functioning talent management system. The strength of the Finnish model is the network cooperation between state, local government, civil society, and educational actors, and the fact that talent management is an integrated part of regional innovation and development strategies. In contrast, in the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel region in eastern Germany, decades of emigration, population aging, and institutional anomalies hinder the systemic embedding of talent support, while in the Hungarian Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county the situation is even worse, as the lack of strategic planning, institutional fragmentation, central dependence, and the strengthening of state re-centralization over the past decade and a half have led to talent management being mostly limited to project-based, short-term, isolated initiatives.
The practical message of the research is that talent management is not only an educational policy issue, but should be an integral part of regional development policy. A complex, network-based approach can help retain and withdraw human resources and strengthen regional value creation. Finnish practice can be a useful compass for Central European regions as well.

Elif Bengi Güneş Yerlikaya (p), Tüzin Baycan

Bianca Biagi

In recent decades, Türkiye has experienced significant surges of both internal and external migration, leading to the emergence of dense irregular settlements. Although these particular regions are crucial for migrants to amass spatial and social capital, they are also influenced by structural disparities and intricate social processes. The accumulation of spatial capital among migrants is directly linked to local spatial arrangements, regional policies, and social capital. Using Istanbul as a case study, which has the highest number of irregular settlements in Türkiye, this study investigates the process by which migrants form social and spatial networks in these regions, where the capacity of regenerating the spatial capital has been remarkable as well.

An in-depth analysis of migrants' spatial capital accumulation processes is conducted with a dataset collected through a narrative approach by means of semi-structured interviews with ten federations of hometown associations. The dynamic structure of NGOs representing hometown associations, their solidarity-based nature, and their large number provided the basis for conducting the study through the federations. Through the thematic analysis, the interactions and spatial arrangements of migrant communities are methodically delineated, emphasizing the structural characteristics of these networks and their capacity to produce spatial capital. The findings obtained using NVivo software were collected and analyzed under certain themes and sub-themes by subsequently using the deductive and inductive methods.

The results demonstrate how migrant communities enhance their social connections, access opportunities, and reconstruct their sense of belonging in urban environments through spatial capital accumulation and solidarity networks, demonstrating their ability to formulate sustainable strategies despite the challenges posed by spatial inequalities in irregular settlements. Also, the findings unequivocally demonstrate the mediating role of citizens' associations and federations in enhancing individuals' social and economic capital. These solidarity structures have bolstered communities' assertions of rights and involvement in decision-making processes within urban environments. The study emphasizes the necessity for enhancing intra-community connections while fostering solidarity networks for greater social integration at the urban level.

Bianca Biagi (p), Marta Meleddu, Ester Rita Lucia Sanna

Maria Levints

Regional Disparities in Environmental Attitudes: The Role of Social Capital in Italy

Environmental policies aim to mitigate negative impacts but often fail to address root causes. Social capital influences environmental behaviour by shaping norms (Kollmuss & Agyeman, 2002). Studies highlight regional disparities in Italy, showing that higher social capital fosters pro-environmental behaviour (Atshan et al., 2020). This study, based on an ad hoc survey, confirms that social capital’s effect varies by region due to cultural and economic differences.