Political Geography of Cities and Regions Samenvatting / Summary
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Course
Political Geography (GEO23038)
Institution
Universiteit Utrecht (UU)
Book
Routledge Advances in Regional Economics, Science and Policy- Political Geography of Cities and Regions
Samenvatting van het boek Political Geography of Cities and Regions van Kees Terlouw.
Bevat alle hoofdstukken, 1 - 9.
Voor het van Political Geography.
Summary of the book Political Geography of Cities and Regions, Kees Terlouw.
Contains all chapters, 1 - 9.
For the cousrse Political Geograp...
This book questions the idea that cities are inevitably becoming the dominant living environments. It
discusses the varying ways urban regional governance has been justified in different times and places.
The introduction highlights examples of resistance to urban dominance, examines neoliberal policies
to enhance urban competitiveness, and introduces the study areas (Amsterdam and the Ruhr
metropolitan regions in the Netherlands and Germany). It outlines the research methods and how
the subsequent chapters contribute to the analysis.
1.2 Anti-urbanism: from national populism to local resistance identities
The rise of nationalism and populism reflects opposition to global influences and urban elites. The
focus of these movements has shifted from external military threats to concerns about international
institutions eroding national sovereignty. Populists consider global elites and migrants as the enemy,
while they used to target localism, regionalism, and underprivileged socialism. This shift is seen in
politicians' speeches, like Boris Johnson's Brexit campaign speech, where territorial sovereignty,
border control, taxation, and democratic rule are emphasized. The rise of populism has local,
regional, and economic roots, often linked to grievances against the political mainstream. The book
examines this shift as part of an ongoing conflict between relational and territorial perspectives on
governance legitimacy. It emphasizes the historical and geographical context of these conflicts,
particularly their impact on the relationship between cities and surrounding regions.
1.3 Metropolitan regions and the neoliberal dogma of urban competitiveness
This section explores the dominance of the neoliberal ideology in promoting urban competitiveness
in the metropolitan regions of Amsterdam and the Ruhr. It highlights the influence of the relational
perspective in legitimizing these policies. Metropolitan regions, larger than individual cities, consist of
multiple municipalities forming urban networks that don't always align with existing borders. They
are policy-driven networks and not strictly defined geographical territories. The formation of these
regions is based more on choice than geography.
The Metropolitan Region Amsterdam (MR Amsterdam) and the Metropolitan Region Ruhr (MR Ruhr)
provide examples of neoliberal policy agendas. The MR Ruhr's agenda focuses on regional
cooperation and strengthening economic clusters, emphasizing innovation and global
competitiveness. The MR Amsterdam's agenda emphasizes adapting to rapidly changing global
markets, increasing economic diversity, and maintaining a high quality of life. Both agendas are
rooted in neoliberal economic principles that emphasize the role of urban regions in fostering
competitiveness and innovation. The MR Ruhr seeks to address past problems, while the MR
Amsterdam aims to adapt to changing global conditions. The legitimization of these metropolitan
regions is explored further in Chapter 6.
1.4 Studying the legitimation of the governance of cities and regions
This section emphasizes the relevance of studying Amsterdam and Ruhr over different time periods,
the study's methodology, and the book's structure. Comparing these regions helps understand how
the relational and territorial perspectives on legitimacy have changed over time. The book examines
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,the legitimation of urban regional governance in Amsterdam and Ruhr through three historical
periods: early modernity, industrial modernity, and late modernity.
The study considers various scales and local contexts, aiming to explore how legitimacy and identity
are constructed. It doesn't focus on the development of the metropolitan regions themselves but on
how their development reflects changing relational and territorial perspectives.
The book's chapters delve into the historical shifts in the legitimacy of relationships between cities
and regions, with an emphasis on the roles of social agents and specific local situations. The
concluding chapter highlights the cyclical dominance between relational and territorial perspectives
and suggests that declining economic and cultural liberalism may not lead to a return of aggressive
nationalism.
Chapter 2: The relational and territorial perspectives
2.1 Introduction
Historically, differences in outlook between urban and rural population are nothing new. Legal system
used to differ between rural and urban. Now rural controls more than 2/3 of the land, but urban
controls all interpersonal relations through contract and property laws, and market regulations.
Individual commercial freedom spills over into political citizenship rights, which sets them apart from
the rural population.
These formal differences in individual rights have disappeared in the modern territorial state, but
differences in substantive citizenship based on access to institutions and participation in decision-
making processes have remained.
2.2 From small genetic differences to opposing moral systems
Jonathan Haidt (2012) links rural and urban perspectives to distinct types of (genetic) behaviour.
More fearful: unfamiliar as threat. More enterprising: unfamiliar as a chance/opportunity. Both are
important. Different genes result in different life choices and experiences, which tend to enlarge
these different individual predispositions in strength and complexity. The genetic patterns of
behaviour are strengthen by positive or negative feedback loops. These individual differences
between protective and enterprising mindsets become further entrenched when they become
embedded in different life narratives on the past and future.
Individuals use specific norms embedded in collective moral systems to justify their behaviour in their
community. These moral rationalisations do not precede individual life choices, but are used
afterwards to justify them and persuade others of the righteousness of these decisions. They are the
cause and the consequence of individual differences.
Many other social and moral psychologists and political philosophers make similar dichotomies of
emotional responses, attitudes, norms, and moral systems. The violation of these basic norms
triggers distinct types of emotions.
2.3 Jane Jacobs systems of survival
Jane Jacobs (1992): Humanity has developed over the millennia two different systems of survival, one
based on commerce, and one based on territories (animal-like and un-animal-like). Both are needed
for survival based moral principles.
2.3.1 The commercial syndrome of the relational perspective
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,The "commercial syndrome" values voluntary agreements based on honesty and collaboration with
diverse partners, emphasizing short-term, competitive relationships and constant adaptation. It aims
for efficiency, convenience, and innovation, ultimately adopting an optimistic and forward-looking
perspective, using insurances and science-based forecasts for planning.
2.3.2 The guardian syndrome of the territorial perspective
The "guardian syndrome" is characterized by its independence from external influences and its
avoidance of mutually beneficial dealings with outsiders. It relies on power, obedience, discipline,
tradition, hierarchy, and loyalty to maintain order within established territories. Deception may be
used outside the territory for the community's benefit. This syndrome emphasizes tradition,
exclusivity, fortitude, and honor and has a backward-looking perspective that values fatalism over
shaping the future. These characteristics contrast with other syndromes, as summarized in Table 2.3.
2.3.3 The symbiotic and parasitical relations between systems of survival
Commercial syndrome is instrumental for material economic survival and the successful increase in
wealth. The "guardian syndrome" is crucial for political survival and safeguarding society from
threats. It complements the commercial domain, which generates revenue for guardians through
taxes and relies on their regulations. People are adept at adapting to different norms in various roles,
such as being an entrepreneur by day and a politician by night. This flexibility allows individuals to
navigate different normative systems in their daily lives.
There can also be symbiotic linkages between moral systems when some of the norms of one system
are applied to the other domain. Like environmental regulations in the form of enforceable emission
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, norms in industrial standards. Commercial norms can also be applied to some guardian
responsibilities of the territorial state, like providing public goods by commercial companies.
For these linkages between moral systems across domains to be symbiotic and legitimate, it is
important that these are transparent and open to public scrutiny. Corruption and commercial
monopolies are examples of monstrous parasitic hybrids. These illegitimate parasitic hybrids thrive
outside of public view, because they are delegitimised by mobilisation of public opinion. Although
there are also natural monopolies.
The demarcation of the domains in which the different moral systems are legitimate is always
contested and changes over time. The commercial syndrome is prevalent in cities and is crucial for
how its citizens and especially its entrepreneurs function in urban networks. Outside the cities, the
guardian syndrome and the regulation within a state territory are dominant.
These opposing morals systems differ in how they value spaces and changes. David Goodhart (2017):
‘Anywheres’ = care more for society as a whole and ‘Somewheres’ = question the legitimacy of
globalisation. Based on key differences between regional and territorial perspectives. Links general
relational values with individualism. The legitimacy of the governance of cities and region is based on
balancing both moral systems. Different spatial hybrids are legitimised as symbiotic by some and
delegitimised as parasitic by others. This feedback between both perspectives drives many disputes
on spatial governance.
2.4 From morality to identity
The moral systems form the basis of identity discourses on how to evaluate situations and which
actions are justified. Identity discourses are according to Torfing (2009 ): “the more or less
sedimented systems of rules, norms and meaning that condition the construction of social, political
and cultural identity and action” which help us to “make sense of the world and act appropriately”. ”.
Collective identity discourses make sense of what characterises a community in relation to others.
Some characteristics are valued and proudly presented, while characteristics which embarrass are
neglected, or envisaged to change.
There are a wide variety of spatial identity discourses. Conservative: preservation of fixed territories
and traditions, thickened over generations, fear of losing identity. Thicker spatial identity discourses
tend to be backward-looking in time, and inward-looking to an established spatial community.
Thinner spatial identity discourses focus on their relations and their ability to profit from external
opportunities.
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