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At the intersection of economic history and contemporary regional development : insights from a Swedish ‘bruksort’

Pugh, Rhiannon LU orcid ; Veelen, Bregje Van LU ; Lundmark, Mats and Marques, Pedro LU (2024) In European Planning Studies
Abstract

In this paper, we explore contemporary regional development in a historic industrial region. Specifically, we unpack the influences of industrial history and culture, built up over several centuries, on contemporary regional development dynamics and issues. In doing so, we draw on an evolutionary perspective within economic geography and perspectives from deindustrialization studies to understand how the past shapes the present. We combine these with theories of agency to understand how key actors comprehend the industrial heritage of a place, and how this is incorporated into contemporary regional development efforts. We explore this combination of conceptual lenses through an in-depth case study of Karlskoga, in Sweden, one of the... (More)

In this paper, we explore contemporary regional development in a historic industrial region. Specifically, we unpack the influences of industrial history and culture, built up over several centuries, on contemporary regional development dynamics and issues. In doing so, we draw on an evolutionary perspective within economic geography and perspectives from deindustrialization studies to understand how the past shapes the present. We combine these with theories of agency to understand how key actors comprehend the industrial heritage of a place, and how this is incorporated into contemporary regional development efforts. We explore this combination of conceptual lenses through an in-depth case study of Karlskoga, in Sweden, one of the country’s ‘bruksorter’ (mill towns) that grew up around the production of iron and steel, leading to it eventually becoming one of the largest arms manufacturing cities in Europe, home of the well-known Bofors company. However, all has not been plain sailing, and Karlskoga has experienced the challenges of de-population, industrial restructuring, and shocks to the sector upon which the town is reliant. By analysing these mixed fortunes we develop new insights into how regional development is intertwined with structural, institutional, and cultural industrial legacies.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
agency, industrial heritage, path development, peripheral regions, Regional development
in
European Planning Studies
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85193399761
ISSN
0965-4313
DOI
10.1080/09654313.2024.2347932
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8e6f621b-7c6e-4573-833d-df34d37945fd
date added to LUP
2024-06-14 14:57:57
date last changed
2024-06-14 14:58:07
@article{8e6f621b-7c6e-4573-833d-df34d37945fd,
  abstract     = {{<p>In this paper, we explore contemporary regional development in a historic industrial region. Specifically, we unpack the influences of industrial history and culture, built up over several centuries, on contemporary regional development dynamics and issues. In doing so, we draw on an evolutionary perspective within economic geography and perspectives from deindustrialization studies to understand how the past shapes the present. We combine these with theories of agency to understand how key actors comprehend the industrial heritage of a place, and how this is incorporated into contemporary regional development efforts. We explore this combination of conceptual lenses through an in-depth case study of Karlskoga, in Sweden, one of the country’s ‘bruksorter’ (mill towns) that grew up around the production of iron and steel, leading to it eventually becoming one of the largest arms manufacturing cities in Europe, home of the well-known Bofors company. However, all has not been plain sailing, and Karlskoga has experienced the challenges of de-population, industrial restructuring, and shocks to the sector upon which the town is reliant. By analysing these mixed fortunes we develop new insights into how regional development is intertwined with structural, institutional, and cultural industrial legacies.</p>}},
  author       = {{Pugh, Rhiannon and Veelen, Bregje Van and Lundmark, Mats and Marques, Pedro}},
  issn         = {{0965-4313}},
  keywords     = {{agency; industrial heritage; path development; peripheral regions; Regional development}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{European Planning Studies}},
  title        = {{At the intersection of economic history and contemporary regional development : insights from a Swedish ‘bruksort’}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2024.2347932}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/09654313.2024.2347932}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}