Plenary Sessions - Keynote Lectures
Update 11 August, 2020Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Welcome and Introduction Speeches
25 August, 09.15 (CET Time)
Prof. André Torre - ERSA President, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE AgroParisTech, France
Prof. Roberta Capello - Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Opening Session & Keynote Lecture
25 August, 09.15 - 10.45 (CET Time)
Chair: Prof. André Torre, ERSA President, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE AgroParisTech, France
Chair: Prof. André Torre, ERSA President, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE AgroParisTech, France
Professor Simin Davoudi - Newcastle University, UK
Regional Imaginaries and the 'Europe of the Regions' Project
Ever since the birds-eye view of Chicago adorned the cover of Burnham’s 1909 Plan for the city, regional space has been subject to multiple and competing imaginaries, each jostling for the position of dominance in politics of scalar fixing. I argue that despite this diversity, the economic imaginary of the region has prevailed in both the EU and nation states, albeit with two distinct rationalities: the cohesion-oriented welfare state rationality, and the competitiveness-oriented neoliberal rationality. I further argue that imagining regions as neoliberal economic spaces has been a key factor in the widening of spatial inequalities within and between European countries, and in the limited success of the ‘Europe of the regions’ project.
Regional Imaginaries and the 'Europe of the Regions' Project
Ever since the birds-eye view of Chicago adorned the cover of Burnham’s 1909 Plan for the city, regional space has been subject to multiple and competing imaginaries, each jostling for the position of dominance in politics of scalar fixing. I argue that despite this diversity, the economic imaginary of the region has prevailed in both the EU and nation states, albeit with two distinct rationalities: the cohesion-oriented welfare state rationality, and the competitiveness-oriented neoliberal rationality. I further argue that imagining regions as neoliberal economic spaces has been a key factor in the widening of spatial inequalities within and between European countries, and in the limited success of the ‘Europe of the regions’ project.
Keynote Lecture 2
25 August, 15.45 - 16.45
Chair: Dr Georg Lun, IER-Institute for Economic Research of the Chamber of Commerce of Bolzano/Bozen
Professor Daniel M. Sturm - London School of Economics, United Kingdom
The Making of the Modern Metropolis: Evidence from London
The Making of the Modern Metropolis: Evidence from London
Using newly-constructed spatially-disaggregated data for London from 1801-1921, we show that the invention of the steam railway led to the first large-scale separation of workplace and residence. We show that a class of quantitative urban models is remarkably successful in explaining this reorganization of economic activity. We structurally estimate one of the models within this class and find substantial agglomeration forces in both production and residence. In counterfactuals, we find that removing the entire railway network reduces the population and the value of land and buildings in London by up to 51.5 and 53.3 percent respectively, and decreases net commuting into the historical center of London by more than 300,000 workers.
-Joint work with Stephan Heblich and Steve
Redding-
Wednesday, 26 August 2020
Keynote Lectures 3 & 4
26 August, 09.15 - 10.45 (CET Time)
Chair: Prof. Jouke van Dijk, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Doctor Mafini Dosso - European Commission JRC, Spain
26 August, 09.15 - 10.45 (CET Time)
Chair: Prof. Jouke van Dijk, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Doctor Mafini Dosso - European Commission JRC, Spain
Designing Smart Specialisation Strategies with
Sub-Saharan Africa
Increasing spatial disparities and inequalities of opportunities constitute key challenges in the development paths of Sub-Saharan African economies. The Smart Specialisation international cooperation provides a platform for sharing knowledge and practices on science, technology and innovation (STI) roadmaps for sustainable development. The presentation builds upon the ongoing JRC’s exploratory scientific activities and cooperation with African institutions and organisations. With a chronological perspective, it sheds light on the joint science and policy efforts to encourage the development of place-based STI strategies, consistently with the African continental and national plans for industrial and territorial development. A few research avenues are suggested in line with the conceptual and methodological requirements for “Designing Smart Specialisation Strategies with sub-Saharan Africa”.
Increasing spatial disparities and inequalities of opportunities constitute key challenges in the development paths of Sub-Saharan African economies. The Smart Specialisation international cooperation provides a platform for sharing knowledge and practices on science, technology and innovation (STI) roadmaps for sustainable development. The presentation builds upon the ongoing JRC’s exploratory scientific activities and cooperation with African institutions and organisations. With a chronological perspective, it sheds light on the joint science and policy efforts to encourage the development of place-based STI strategies, consistently with the African continental and national plans for industrial and territorial development. A few research avenues are suggested in line with the conceptual and methodological requirements for “Designing Smart Specialisation Strategies with sub-Saharan Africa”.
Professor Pierre-Alexandre Balland - Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Cities in a Post-Corona World
Cities are a global magnet to talent, capital, and knowledge. The success of cities has been so spectacular that it has propelled a worrying spatial divide within almost every country. Cities are also the most resilient social systems that humans have ever created. They have dwarfed the longevity of countries and corporations, and have bounced back from pandemics, to natural disasters, to economic crises. Is this time different? Will the coronavirus crisis put a halt to the home-run of cities? Or will the societal transitions triggered by this crisis (particularly in the digital sector) be another leg to the success of cities in the 21st century? In this talk, Pierre-Alexandre Balland will build on research on complex systems and economic geography to offer an outlook for cities in a post-corona world.
Cities in a Post-Corona World
Cities are a global magnet to talent, capital, and knowledge. The success of cities has been so spectacular that it has propelled a worrying spatial divide within almost every country. Cities are also the most resilient social systems that humans have ever created. They have dwarfed the longevity of countries and corporations, and have bounced back from pandemics, to natural disasters, to economic crises. Is this time different? Will the coronavirus crisis put a halt to the home-run of cities? Or will the societal transitions triggered by this crisis (particularly in the digital sector) be another leg to the success of cities in the 21st century? In this talk, Pierre-Alexandre Balland will build on research on complex systems and economic geography to offer an outlook for cities in a post-corona world.
Thursday, 27 August 2020
Keynote Lectures 5 & 6
27 August, 09.15 - 10.45 (CET Time)
Chair: Prof. Roberta Capello, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Professor Hans Westlund - KTH Royal Institut of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden
Post-urban regions after the pandemic: cyclical vs. irreversible forces in spatial development
After a long period of globalization and reduced border barriers we are currently witnessing increasing nationalism and other reactions against free trade and international mobility. The pandemic has drastically reinforced restrictions in mobility both between and within countries. But, under the pressure of protectionism and nationalism, will it be possible to return to “the normal”?
Post-urban regions after the pandemic: cyclical vs. irreversible forces in spatial development
After a long period of globalization and reduced border barriers we are currently witnessing increasing nationalism and other reactions against free trade and international mobility. The pandemic has drastically reinforced restrictions in mobility both between and within countries. But, under the pressure of protectionism and nationalism, will it be possible to return to “the normal”?
While openness vs. closure can be considered a long term cyclical phenomenon, another spatial feature seems to be a more permanent trend: the growth of multi-nuclei city-regions, which embrace large areas of countryside – and as they neither are solely urban nor solely rural regions they can be labelled “post-urban regions”. Across the world, these regions have become hubs between the world market and national markets. If the global forces are restricted, what will this mean for the grand city-regions that we usually think are the future of the world?
Professor Raquel Ortega-Argilés - University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
On today's regional development challenges: growth, inclusion and sustainability
Recent studies have shown that regional inequality is not necessarily associated with higher economic growth. On the other hand, there are arguments which would suggest that more equal economies display higher levels of resilience to shocks and greater inclusivity and sustainability. In this talk, and with the notion of the penalty of bottlenecks, I argue that it is possible to develop a more systemic understanding of regional development which better takes account of the relationships between inequality, resilience and growth.
On today's regional development challenges: growth, inclusion and sustainability
Recent studies have shown that regional inequality is not necessarily associated with higher economic growth. On the other hand, there are arguments which would suggest that more equal economies display higher levels of resilience to shocks and greater inclusivity and sustainability. In this talk, and with the notion of the penalty of bottlenecks, I argue that it is possible to develop a more systemic understanding of regional development which better takes account of the relationships between inequality, resilience and growth.
Closing Session & 'ERSA Prize Winner 2020' Keynote Lecture
27 August, 15.45 - 17.30 (CET Time)
Chair: Prof. André Torre, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE AgroParisTech, Paris
ProfessorAlessandra Faggian- Gran Sasso Science Institute, l'Aquila, Italy
Resilience and Inner Areas: is Covid19 an opportunity or a threat? Some preliminary reflections
Abstract to be posted shortly
Resilience and Inner Areas: is Covid19 an opportunity or a threat? Some preliminary reflections
Abstract to be posted shortly