Left behind places' has become the leitmotif of geographical inequalities since the 2008 crisis. Yet, the term's origins, definition and implications are poorly specified and risk obscuring the differentiated problems and pathways of different kinds of areas. This paper explicates the geographical etymology and spatial imaginary of 'left behind places'. It argues that the appellation and its spatial expression have modified how geographical inequalities are understood and addressed by recovering a more relational understanding of multiple 'left behind' conditions, widening the analytical frame beyond only economic concerns, and opening up interpretations of the 'development' of 'left behind places' and their predicaments and prospects. While renewing interest in fundamental urban and regional concerns, what needs to endure from the ascendance of the 'left behind places' label is the terminology and spatial imaginary of reducing geographical inequalities and enhancing social and spatial justice. KEYWORDS left behind places; geographical etymology; spatial imaginary; geographical inequalities; urban and regional studies; spatial justice JEL R11, R58 HISTORY
Over the past ten years or so, concern has mounted about places in the Global North that have been ‘left behind’ by the growth and prosperity experienced in superstar cities and other wealthy regions. This briefing paper summarises the findings from the first stage of the ‘Beyond Left Behind Places’ project, which involved quantitative analysis of changes experienced by regions across the EU15 over the past four decades and draws out key policy implications.
This paper presents a cluster analysis of structural economic change within NUTS3 regions in the EU15. Based on regional changes in the employment shares of broad sectors since 1980, as well as the degree of initial and current specialisation in each sector, regions are allocated to one of eight clusters via a k-means clustering approach. These clusters are then interpreted in light of current debates about ‘left behind places’. We find that there are several clusters of regions that have experienced less favourable structural change over the past four decades, each with their own set of characteristics.
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