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Political geographies of region work

Gulbrandsen, Kristin Smette LU (2024)
Abstract
Regionalisation processes and regionalist contestation have been the subjects of long-standing debates on state rescaling and political geographies of discontent. Similar dynamics are also present in Norway, where a recent regional reform has faced opposition along centre-periphery lines. These phenomena raise questions about how different actors discursively enact the institutionalisation and/or counter-institutionalisation of regions. Against this backdrop, this thesis explores the contested merger between Troms and Finnmark counties in North Norway and its related political geographies, and further develops the notion of region work; that is, the discursive representations and practices involved in regionalisation processes. To do this,... (More)
Regionalisation processes and regionalist contestation have been the subjects of long-standing debates on state rescaling and political geographies of discontent. Similar dynamics are also present in Norway, where a recent regional reform has faced opposition along centre-periphery lines. These phenomena raise questions about how different actors discursively enact the institutionalisation and/or counter-institutionalisation of regions. Against this backdrop, this thesis explores the contested merger between Troms and Finnmark counties in North Norway and its related political geographies, and further develops the notion of region work; that is, the discursive representations and practices involved in regionalisation processes. To do this, the thesis empirically analyses four organisational actors – the Solberg Government and the interest groups For Finnmark, Pasientfokus, and Kystopprøret – using a critical discourse analysis approach. It does so in order to examine region work central to the implementation of the regional reform, organised resistance to it among regional elites, and regional contestation beyond the reform. In advancing the notion of region work, the thesis develops a conceptual typology for analysing the discursive enactment of regions through institutional activism, institutional advocacy, systematic activism, and everyday practice. The thesis also provides insight into how political struggles over regions may come about and unfold by highlighting how regions, beyond their symbolic nature, offer political, institutional, and material stakes of contestation and resources for articulating counter-discourses. Emerging from this analysis, the thesis proposes that the notion of regional counter-institutionalisation, denoting region work in opposition to dominant or hegemonic representations of a region, can have wider theoretical and conceptual significance for how regionalisation processes and the political struggle over regions are approached analytically. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Regionaliseringsprosesser og politisk regionalisme har over lengre tid blitt sentrale temaer i akademiske debatter om nasjonalstaters re-skalering og den såkalte misnøyens geografi. Lignende dynamikker er også til stede i Norge, hvor regionreformen som ble gjennomført i 2020 møtte motstand langs sentrum-periferi-linjer. Slike fenomener stiller spørsmål om hvordan ulike aktører bidrar til regioners institusjonalisering og/eller mot-institusjonalisering gjennom sin diskursive praksis. Med dette som bakgrunn utforsker denne avhandlingen den omstridte fylkessammenslåingen av Troms og Finnmark og dens relaterte politiske geografi. Samtidig videreutvikler avhandlingen begrepet regionarbeid; det vil si, de diskursive representasjonene og... (More)
Regionaliseringsprosesser og politisk regionalisme har over lengre tid blitt sentrale temaer i akademiske debatter om nasjonalstaters re-skalering og den såkalte misnøyens geografi. Lignende dynamikker er også til stede i Norge, hvor regionreformen som ble gjennomført i 2020 møtte motstand langs sentrum-periferi-linjer. Slike fenomener stiller spørsmål om hvordan ulike aktører bidrar til regioners institusjonalisering og/eller mot-institusjonalisering gjennom sin diskursive praksis. Med dette som bakgrunn utforsker denne avhandlingen den omstridte fylkessammenslåingen av Troms og Finnmark og dens relaterte politiske geografi. Samtidig videreutvikler avhandlingen begrepet regionarbeid; det vil si, de diskursive representasjonene og praksisene som sammen bidrar til gjennomføringen av regionaliseringsprosesser. Med dette som formål analyserer avhandlingen fire organisatoriske aktører – Solberg-regjeringen og interesseorganisasjonene For Finnmark, Pasientfokus og Kystopprøret – ved hjelp av kritisk diskursanalyse. Hensikten med dette er å empirisk undersøke regionarbeidet som sto sentralt i gjennomføringen av regionreformen, den organiserte motstanden mot reformen blant regionale eliter, og eksempler på regional aktivisme utover reformen i seg selv. Ved å videreutvikle begrepet regionarbeid presenterer avhandlingen en konseptuell typologi for å analysere den diskursive institusjonaliseringen av regioner gjennom institusjonell aktivisme, institusjonell påvirkning, systematisk aktivisme og hverdagspraksis. Avhandlingen gir også innsikt i hvordan regioner, i tillegg til sin symbolske natur, tilbyr politiske, institusjonelle og materielle goder samt ressurser som kan brukes til å artikulere mot-diskurser. På bakgrunn av denne analysen foreslår avhandlingen at begrepet regional mot-institusjonalisering, som betegner regionarbeid i opposisjon til dominante regionale diskurser, kan ha teoretisk og konseptuell betydning for hvordan regionaliseringsprosesser og regionale maktkamper tilnærmes analytisk. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Professor Paasi, Anssi, University of Oulu, Finland
organization
alternative title
Regionarbeidets politiske geografier
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Regions, Regionalisation, Political geography, Norway, Regioner, Regionalisering, Politisk geografi, Norge
pages
246 pages
publisher
Lund University
defense location
Världen (sal 111), Sölvegatan 10, Lund
defense date
2024-03-08 13:15:00
ISBN
978-91-8039-930-2
978-91-8039-931-9
project
Between Political Regionalism and the Politics of Regionalisation: Identity and Protest in Finnmark
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8550bf41-7a5b-414b-bfdd-b92e0aeca4a0
date added to LUP
2024-01-29 17:31:35
date last changed
2024-02-09 10:59:07
@phdthesis{8550bf41-7a5b-414b-bfdd-b92e0aeca4a0,
  abstract     = {{Regionalisation processes and regionalist contestation have been the subjects of long-standing debates on state rescaling and political geographies of discontent. Similar dynamics are also present in Norway, where a recent regional reform has faced opposition along centre-periphery lines. These phenomena raise questions about how different actors discursively enact the institutionalisation and/or counter-institutionalisation of regions. Against this backdrop, this thesis explores the contested merger between Troms and Finnmark counties in North Norway and its related political geographies, and further develops the notion of region work; that is, the discursive representations and practices involved in regionalisation processes. To do this, the thesis empirically analyses four organisational actors – the Solberg Government and the interest groups For Finnmark, Pasientfokus, and Kystopprøret – using a critical discourse analysis approach. It does so in order to examine region work central to the implementation of the regional reform, organised resistance to it among regional elites, and regional contestation beyond the reform. In advancing the notion of region work, the thesis develops a conceptual typology for analysing the discursive enactment of regions through institutional activism, institutional advocacy, systematic activism, and everyday practice. The thesis also provides insight into how political struggles over regions may come about and unfold by highlighting how regions, beyond their symbolic nature, offer political, institutional, and material stakes of contestation and resources for articulating counter-discourses. Emerging from this analysis, the thesis proposes that the notion of regional counter-institutionalisation, denoting region work in opposition to dominant or hegemonic representations of a region, can have wider theoretical and conceptual significance for how regionalisation processes and the political struggle over regions are approached analytically.}},
  author       = {{Gulbrandsen, Kristin Smette}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-8039-930-2}},
  keywords     = {{Regions; Regionalisation; Political geography; Norway; Regioner; Regionalisering; Politisk geografi; Norge}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Lund University}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Political geographies of region work}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/170421001/Political_geographies_of_region_work_-_KSG.pdf}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}