WP2

WP2. Regional policy in the Mezzogiorno (M1-15)

Coordinator: University of Reggio Calabria

Focus and objectives

In this WP regional policy strategies, tools, implementation and impacts are compared across two policy ‘regimes’ – the national regional policy period (1950-80) and the EU Cohesion policy period (from the early 1990s on). The analysis addresses Southern Italy in aggregate terms, through the following ‘thematic lenses’:

Macroeconomic contexts, policy design, socioeconomic impacts
Industrial policy: from industrial parks to negotiated programs and innovation policy
Agricultural policy: from land reform to rural development
Tourism: from mass tourism to sustainable tourism
Social infrastructure and services
Social structures and institutions: from the ‘state bourgeoisie’ to the ‘local social blocs’
The governance of territorial transformation: infrastructure, urbanization and planning

The aim of WP2 is to identify the influence of macroeconomic conditions, policy design/resources and governance/implementation processes on socio-economic performance in the two periods (in close relation to WP1).

Activities and milestones

Kick-off workshop (WS0; M1)
Thematic analyses of the Southern trajectory (M1-7)
Intermediate workshop to discuss preliminary findings and key differences between the two periods (WS1; M7)
Writing of thematic reports (M7-13)
Final WP2 workshop (WS2; M13)
Writing of WP2 Report (D3) posted ‘open access’ on the website (M13-15)

NEWS & EVENTS

2024-04-30

Final Project Conference

On June 20 and 21 2024, at the Aula Magna 'Ludovico Quaroni' of the Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, the Final Project Conference 'Policies for Southern Italy in the 21st Century. Lessons learned and future scenarios' was held.

NMP 2024 International Symposium

On May 22, 23 and 24 2024, at the Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, PRIN research units participated in the International Symposium 'Networks, Markets & People. Communities, Institutions and Enterprises towards post-humanism epistemologies and AI challenges' with the Thematic Session 'European Cohesion Policy and Regional Operational Programs in Calabria from 2000 to 2020 between Learning Processes and Structural Constraints'.

Regional Studies Association Winter Conference 2023

On 9 and 10 November 2023, the Winter Conference 2023 of the Regional Studies Association was held at the Great Cumberland Place Hotel in London. PRIN research units participated in the Special Session 'The evolution, implementation, and impact of community-led, place-based and territorially integrated local development programmes in the context of the European Cohesion Policy for less developed regions'.