Pub Date : 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.rspp.2026.100285
Andree Ehlert
Demographic change has profoundly influenced economic and societal developments in industrialised nations, driven by declining fertility, rising life expectancy, and migration dynamics. While national trends are well-documented, regional demographic variations remain underexplored, particularly in Germany, where demographic and economic divides are pronounced. This study investigates demographic heterogeneity across 400 German NUTS-3 regions, focusing on fertility, mortality, and migration, while also incorporating socioeconomic covariates. Using panel data from 1995 to 2022, it applies descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis to identify six demographic clusters and five distinct development trajectories. The findings reveal the complexity of regional demographic dynamics, challenging conventional East-West and urban-rural distinctions. By highlighting structural conditions and distinct regional patterns, the study provides an empirical foundation for region-specific policy measures and fosters a deeper understanding of demographic developments in Germany and beyond.
{"title":"Regional demographic dynamics in Germany: A cluster-based analysis","authors":"Andree Ehlert","doi":"10.1016/j.rspp.2026.100285","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rspp.2026.100285","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Demographic change has profoundly influenced economic and societal developments in industrialised nations, driven by declining fertility, rising life expectancy, and migration dynamics. While national trends are well-documented, regional demographic variations remain underexplored, particularly in Germany, where demographic and economic divides are pronounced. This study investigates demographic heterogeneity across 400 German NUTS-3 regions, focusing on fertility, mortality, and migration, while also incorporating socioeconomic covariates. Using panel data from 1995 to 2022, it applies descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis to identify six demographic clusters and five distinct development trajectories. The findings reveal the complexity of regional demographic dynamics, challenging conventional East-West and urban-rural distinctions. By highlighting structural conditions and distinct regional patterns, the study provides an empirical foundation for region-specific policy measures and fosters a deeper understanding of demographic developments in Germany and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45520,"journal":{"name":"Regional Science Policy and Practice","volume":"18 4","pages":"Article 100285"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wildlife tourism (WT) in communal conservancies presents a critical opportunity for sustainable rural development in Namibia, yet its success hinges on equitable benefit-sharing and addressing local challenges. This study explores stakeholder perceptions of WT in three conservancies within the Mudumu North Complex (MNC) in Namibia's Zambezi region. Using a mixed-methods approach, we integrated household surveys (n = 356 stratified by conservancy) with focus group discussions (n = 6) and key informant interviews (n = 22). Data were analysed through Spearman’s correlation (socio-demographic influences) and thematic analysis (qualitative insights), framed by the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) and Social-Ecological Systems (SES) theory. Results reveal high overall awareness and generally positive perceptions of WT, especially in Mashi, where diversified tourism activities, including both ecotourism and trophy hunting, have provided substantial socio-economic benefits. However, Kwandu and Kyaramacan, reliant on trophy hunting and marginalised by restrictive policies, exhibited lower awareness and fewer economic opportunities. HWC was a critical concern, with inadequate compensation undermining conservation legitimacy. Socio-demographic factors significantly influenced attitudes, with income and education correlating strongly with WT support. The study highlights systemic inequities, including elite capture and spatial disparities in benefit distribution and advocates for spatially explicit policies, including hybrid benefit-sharing (30 % direct household payments), mobile-verified HWC compensation, and decentralised tourism infrastructure. These measures address core-periphery inequities while aligning WT with the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework’s equity goals.
{"title":"Exploring stakeholder perceptions of wildlife tourism in the Mudumu North Complex, Zambezi region, Namibia: Implications for sustainable community-based conservation","authors":"M.N. Shimhanda , P.K. Mogomotsi , L.P. Rutina , O.T. Thakadu","doi":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wildlife tourism (WT) in communal conservancies presents a critical opportunity for sustainable rural development in Namibia, yet its success hinges on equitable benefit-sharing and addressing local challenges. This study explores stakeholder perceptions of WT in three conservancies within the Mudumu North Complex (MNC) in Namibia's Zambezi region. Using a mixed-methods approach, we integrated household surveys (n = 356 stratified by conservancy) with focus group discussions (n = 6) and key informant interviews (n = 22). Data were analysed through Spearman’s correlation (socio-demographic influences) and thematic analysis (qualitative insights), framed by the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) and Social-Ecological Systems (SES) theory. Results reveal high overall awareness and generally positive perceptions of WT, especially in Mashi, where diversified tourism activities, including both ecotourism and trophy hunting, have provided substantial socio-economic benefits. However, Kwandu and Kyaramacan, reliant on trophy hunting and marginalised by restrictive policies, exhibited lower awareness and fewer economic opportunities. HWC was a critical concern, with inadequate compensation undermining conservation legitimacy. Socio-demographic factors significantly influenced attitudes, with income and education correlating strongly with WT support. The study highlights systemic inequities, including elite capture and spatial disparities in benefit distribution and advocates for spatially explicit policies, including hybrid benefit-sharing (30 % direct household payments), mobile-verified HWC compensation, and decentralised tourism infrastructure. These measures address core-periphery inequities while aligning WT with the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework’s equity goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45520,"journal":{"name":"Regional Science Policy and Practice","volume":"18 2","pages":"Article 100268"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146090230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100269
Giacomo Arena , Daniele Bregoli , Ricardo Ferreira , Marco Ciro Liscio , Paolo Sospiro
This paper explores the estimation of interregional trade as a lens through which to assess the broader dynamics of economic integration, with a particular emphasis on the persistent "border effect" in the European Union (EU). Although regional integration is intended to foster seamless economic flows through policy convergence and infrastructural alignment, empirical evidence reveals significant barriers to cross-border trade. These frictions (both tangible and intangible) challenge the assumption of a borderless economy within integrated regions. Through a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA methodology, the study examines the evolution of trade estimation techniques, focusing on the gravity model as the dominant analytical framework. The review highlights key methodological innovations, including hybrid gravity-input-output models, RAS calibration, and spatial econometrics, as well as sectoral and regional applications that expose asymmetries in trade flows. By synthesizing findings from peer-reviewed sources and academic research, the paper reveals the multidimensional nature of border effects and the uneven outcomes of integration policies. The analysis is complemented by references to grey literature, mainly policy documents, allowing to set the societal relevance of the research. It concludes that while gravity models remain central to trade analysis, their future relevance depends on incorporating behavioural, infrastructural, governance and political dimensions. This work contributes to ongoing academic and policy debates by advocating for a more nuanced, interdisciplinary approach to understanding economic integration in an increasingly fragmented yet interconnected world.
{"title":"Interregional trade estimation as a case for economic integration","authors":"Giacomo Arena , Daniele Bregoli , Ricardo Ferreira , Marco Ciro Liscio , Paolo Sospiro","doi":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100269","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100269","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper explores the estimation of interregional trade as a lens through which to assess the broader dynamics of economic integration, with a particular emphasis on the persistent \"border effect\" in the European Union (EU). Although regional integration is intended to foster seamless economic flows through policy convergence and infrastructural alignment, empirical evidence reveals significant barriers to cross-border trade. These frictions (both tangible and intangible) challenge the assumption of a borderless economy within integrated regions. Through a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA methodology, the study examines the evolution of trade estimation techniques, focusing on the gravity model as the dominant analytical framework. The review highlights key methodological innovations, including hybrid gravity-input-output models, RAS calibration, and spatial econometrics, as well as sectoral and regional applications that expose asymmetries in trade flows. By synthesizing findings from peer-reviewed sources and academic research, the paper reveals the multidimensional nature of border effects and the uneven outcomes of integration policies. The analysis is complemented by references to grey literature, mainly policy documents, allowing to set the societal relevance of the research. It concludes that while gravity models remain central to trade analysis, their future relevance depends on incorporating behavioural, infrastructural, governance and political dimensions. This work contributes to ongoing academic and policy debates by advocating for a more nuanced, interdisciplinary approach to understanding economic integration in an increasingly fragmented yet interconnected world.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45520,"journal":{"name":"Regional Science Policy and Practice","volume":"18 2","pages":"Article 100269"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146090303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-25DOI: 10.1016/j.rspp.2026.100282
Taras Finikov , Igor Lyman , Yana Suchikova
This article analyzes the cases of relocation of three Ukrainian universities within Zaporizhzhia Oblast following the onset of the full-scale war. Drawing on thematic analysis of interviews with university leadership, the study highlights how spatial decisions, local support networks, grassroots initiatives, and the preservation of institutional autonomy collectively shaped a unique model of regional repositioning—one that contrasts with the conventional logic of evacuation. The findings demonstrate that intra-regional relocation was not merely a logistical move but a form of symbolic resistance, institutional continuity, and humanitarian integration. The article highlights the significance of acknowledging decentralized adaptation practices, reaffirms the university's role as a platform for social cohesion, and introduces the concept of "flexible regional relocation" as a potentially universal framework for higher education systems in crisis settings.
{"title":"When roots cling to the soil: Intra-regional relocation of universities as a strategy for educational resilience in wartime","authors":"Taras Finikov , Igor Lyman , Yana Suchikova","doi":"10.1016/j.rspp.2026.100282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rspp.2026.100282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article analyzes the cases of relocation of three Ukrainian universities within Zaporizhzhia Oblast following the onset of the full-scale war. Drawing on thematic analysis of interviews with university leadership, the study highlights how spatial decisions, local support networks, grassroots initiatives, and the preservation of institutional autonomy collectively shaped a unique model of regional repositioning—one that contrasts with the conventional logic of evacuation. The findings demonstrate that intra-regional relocation was not merely a logistical move but a form of symbolic resistance, institutional continuity, and humanitarian integration. The article highlights the significance of acknowledging decentralized adaptation practices, reaffirms the university's role as a platform for social cohesion, and introduces the concept of \"flexible regional relocation\" as a potentially universal framework for higher education systems in crisis settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45520,"journal":{"name":"Regional Science Policy and Practice","volume":"18 3","pages":"Article 100282"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146078795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.rspp.2026.100283
Manuel Garramone , Marco Scaioni
As global concerns about public health and environmental sustainability continue to grow, urban planners are developing strategies to promote active and public transportation as alternatives to private car use. Reducing car dependency can offer significant benefits, including lower carbon emissions and less traffic congestion. In this context, the ‘15-minute city’ is gaining momentum as an urban planning concept designed to optimise the population’s daily mobility: the model aims to ensure that essential urban functions and facilities are reachable within a 15-minute walk or cycling. Starting with a bibliometric analysis and a literature overview about the ‘15-minute city’ topic, the paper applies this framework to Desio, a medium-sized municipality in the Milan metropolitan area, Italy. Most analysed studies focused on large metropolitan cities, while this research wants to investigate how the paradigm can be adapted in a commuter-oriented urban context, where local accessibility and regional mobility coexist. A network-based accessibility analysis was used to assess the spatial relationships between the distribution of population, split by age groups, and essential services (educational, health, and social facilities). Results reveal spatial mismatches between demographic concentrations and service accessibility, particularly in peripheral and edge neighbourhoods and among elderly residents. This study expands on how the ‘15-minute city’ framework could work in medium-sized towns, and stresses the need for multi-scalar governance, social equity, and inclusive planning strategies to achieve human-centred urban environments.
{"title":"Adapting the ‘15-minute city’ concept to medium-sized urban contexts: A case study in Desio, Italy","authors":"Manuel Garramone , Marco Scaioni","doi":"10.1016/j.rspp.2026.100283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rspp.2026.100283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As global concerns about public health and environmental sustainability continue to grow, urban planners are developing strategies to promote active and public transportation as alternatives to private car use. Reducing car dependency can offer significant benefits, including lower carbon emissions and less traffic congestion. In this context, the ‘15-minute city’ is gaining momentum as an urban planning concept designed to optimise the population’s daily mobility: the model aims to ensure that essential urban functions and facilities are reachable within a 15-minute walk or cycling. Starting with a bibliometric analysis and a literature overview about the ‘15-minute city’ topic, the paper applies this framework to Desio, a medium-sized municipality in the Milan metropolitan area, Italy. Most analysed studies focused on large metropolitan cities, while this research wants to investigate how the paradigm can be adapted in a commuter-oriented urban context, where local accessibility and regional mobility coexist. A network-based accessibility analysis was used to assess the spatial relationships between the distribution of population, split by age groups, and essential services (educational, health, and social facilities). Results reveal spatial mismatches between demographic concentrations and service accessibility, particularly in peripheral and edge neighbourhoods and among elderly residents. This study expands on how the ‘15-minute city’ framework could work in medium-sized towns, and stresses the need for multi-scalar governance, social equity, and inclusive planning strategies to achieve human-centred urban environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45520,"journal":{"name":"Regional Science Policy and Practice","volume":"18 3","pages":"Article 100283"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146078953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-02DOI: 10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100277
Mahmoud Arbouch
This paper assesses the national and regional impacts of the Marrakech–Fès highway project in Morocco using a Spatial Computable General Equilibrium (SCGE) model combined with GIS-based road network data. The analysis captures how improved connectivity alters economic performance and emissions patterns across space and time. Results show that while overall economic gains are modest, the benefits are unevenly distributed—favoring provinces along the highway corridor and adjacent inland regions. These areas experience enhanced accessibility, stronger integration into national markets, and sustained growth over time. However, the environmental effects diverge short-term efficiency gains lead to lower emissions, while long-run economic expansion increases carbon intensity in high-growth regions. The project contributes to slight reductions in regional income disparities but does not significantly reduce spatial inequalities in emissions. The findings highlight the need for infrastructure policies that are not only growth-enhancing but also environmentally sustainable, particularly in emerging logistics hubs and transition regions.
{"title":"Assessing the economic and environmental impacts of improved accessibility: A spatial CGE approach to the Marrakech-Fès highway project in Morocco","authors":"Mahmoud Arbouch","doi":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100277","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100277","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper assesses the national and regional impacts of the Marrakech–Fès highway project in Morocco using a Spatial Computable General Equilibrium (SCGE) model combined with GIS-based road network data. The analysis captures how improved connectivity alters economic performance and emissions patterns across space and time. Results show that while overall economic gains are modest, the benefits are unevenly distributed—favoring provinces along the highway corridor and adjacent inland regions. These areas experience enhanced accessibility, stronger integration into national markets, and sustained growth over time. However, the environmental effects diverge short-term efficiency gains lead to lower emissions, while long-run economic expansion increases carbon intensity in high-growth regions. The project contributes to slight reductions in regional income disparities but does not significantly reduce spatial inequalities in emissions. The findings highlight the need for infrastructure policies that are not only growth-enhancing but also environmentally sustainable, particularly in emerging logistics hubs and transition regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45520,"journal":{"name":"Regional Science Policy and Practice","volume":"18 3","pages":"Article 100277"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-31DOI: 10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100279
Niklas Elert , Magnus Henrekson
Welfare services such as healthcare, elderly care, and education are key to ensuring quality of life generally, and vital for rural communities across urbanizing countries. While these sectors are largely tax-financed, several countries have established quasi-markets to achieve competition through private entry to unleash entrepreneurship, efficiency, and service provision innovation. The reforms notwithstanding, productivity improvements are modest, and the situation seems particularly bad in some rural communities. We argue that quasi-markets can only live up to expectations if the local institutional framework considers sectoral and local conditions. While competition and the profit motive are necessary conditions for local quasi-market entrepreneurship and innovation, they are not sufficient but require a set of complementary institutions that are epistemic in nature. These epistemic institutions enable users to make informed choices while simultaneously incentivizing entrepreneurs to compete and innovate along the dimensions that users value. Moreover, if the catchment area includes densely populated areas, rural communities may attract users from communities where costs are higher, thus creating new comparative advantages locally. As an illustration, we analyze the Swedish quasi-market for nursing homes for the elderly.
{"title":"Revitalizing rural communities through institutional reform of quasi-markets","authors":"Niklas Elert , Magnus Henrekson","doi":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100279","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100279","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Welfare services such as healthcare, elderly care, and education are key to ensuring quality of life generally, and vital for rural communities across urbanizing countries. While these sectors are largely tax-financed, several countries have established quasi-markets to achieve competition through private entry to unleash entrepreneurship, efficiency, and service provision innovation. The reforms notwithstanding, productivity improvements are modest, and the situation seems particularly bad in some rural communities. We argue that quasi-markets can only live up to expectations if the local institutional framework considers sectoral and local conditions. While competition and the profit motive are necessary conditions for local quasi-market entrepreneurship and innovation, they are not sufficient but require a set of complementary institutions that are epistemic in nature. These epistemic institutions enable users to make informed choices while simultaneously incentivizing entrepreneurs to compete and innovate along the dimensions that users value. Moreover, if the catchment area includes densely populated areas, rural communities may attract users from communities where costs are higher, thus creating new comparative advantages locally. As an illustration, we analyze the Swedish quasi-market for nursing homes for the elderly.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45520,"journal":{"name":"Regional Science Policy and Practice","volume":"18 3","pages":"Article 100279"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145908848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-30DOI: 10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100278
Balázs Páger , Zoltán Gál
This study investigates the relationship between the presence of foreign-owned companies and the rates of new firm entries in Hungarian districts. Building on previous findings on the relationship between new firms and foreign direct investment, we seek to analyse the role of foreign-owned companies in entrepreneurial activity at the sub-regional level. Using a panel dataset from 2011 to 2019, we investigate the relationship between changes in employment within foreign-owned companies and the firm entry rate in various districts. The results indicate a negative relationship between the presence of foreign-owned companies and the overall rates of firm entry. This trend is also observed in the manufacturing sectors, although with less significance. In those districts where the presence of foreign-owned companies is lower, the rates of new firm entries are higher. Furthermore, the negative relationship between foreign-owned companies and general firm entry rates may persist even with time lags. Therefore, there may be a trade-off between employment at a foreign-owned company and pursuing entrepreneurship.
{"title":"The relationship between the presence of foreign-owned companies and entrepreneurial activity: The case of the Hungarian districts","authors":"Balázs Páger , Zoltán Gál","doi":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the relationship between the presence of foreign-owned companies and the rates of new firm entries in Hungarian districts. Building on previous findings on the relationship between new firms and foreign direct investment, we seek to analyse the role of foreign-owned companies in entrepreneurial activity at the sub-regional level. Using a panel dataset from 2011 to 2019, we investigate the relationship between changes in employment within foreign-owned companies and the firm entry rate in various districts. The results indicate a negative relationship between the presence of foreign-owned companies and the overall rates of firm entry. This trend is also observed in the manufacturing sectors, although with less significance. In those districts where the presence of foreign-owned companies is lower, the rates of new firm entries are higher. Furthermore, the negative relationship between foreign-owned companies and general firm entry rates may persist even with time lags. Therefore, there may be a trade-off between employment at a foreign-owned company and pursuing entrepreneurship.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45520,"journal":{"name":"Regional Science Policy and Practice","volume":"18 3","pages":"Article 100278"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study challenges the conventional assumption that polycentric urban development inherently reduces spatial inequalities. Focusing on the Tehran Metropolitan Region between 2010 and 2020, it demonstrates that housing affordability crises can actively generate—rather than mitigate—polycentric structures. Using satellite-derived built-up data (GHSL) and 572,198 housing transactions, the analysis reveals a marked increase in morphological polycentricity, as indicated by a flattening of the rank-size slope (from −1.558–1.343). Simultaneously, core urban areas experienced severe erosion in affordability, with the purchasing power of median-income households declining by 40–59 % in premium districts. This affordability pressure drove disproportionate peripheral expansion, with low-cost counties experiencing an average built-up growth of 76 %, compared to just 4.8 % in the high-priced Tehran. A spatial threshold analysis (5 m²/year of purchasing power) shows a sharp contraction in affordable zones—from 19 to 9 districts—tracing a center-to-periphery displacement pattern. Notably, Tehran and Shemiranat emerge as a continuous exclusionary zone, replicating inequality dynamics across administrative boundaries. These findings invert prevailing policy orthodoxy by showing that polycentricity can result from spatial exclusion, rather than serving as a corrective to it. Without coordinated measures to preserve affordability, decentralized urban growth may deepen—rather than resolve—spatial inequities. The study offers important implications for Global South megacities grappling with similar affordability crises and fragmented regional governance.
{"title":"Regional polycentricity and spatial disparities: Panacea or outcome? Evidence from the Tehran metropolitan region, Iran","authors":"Sadegh Saeidishirvan, Hashem Dadashpoor, Mojtaba Refieian","doi":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100276","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study challenges the conventional assumption that polycentric urban development inherently reduces spatial inequalities. Focusing on the Tehran Metropolitan Region between 2010 and 2020, it demonstrates that housing affordability crises can actively generate—rather than mitigate—polycentric structures. Using satellite-derived built-up data (GHSL) and 572,198 housing transactions, the analysis reveals a marked increase in morphological polycentricity, as indicated by a flattening of the rank-size slope (from −1.558–1.343). Simultaneously, core urban areas experienced severe erosion in affordability, with the purchasing power of median-income households declining by 40–59 % in premium districts. This affordability pressure drove disproportionate peripheral expansion, with low-cost counties experiencing an average built-up growth of 76 %, compared to just 4.8 % in the high-priced Tehran. A spatial threshold analysis (5 m²/year of purchasing power) shows a sharp contraction in affordable zones—from 19 to 9 districts—tracing a center-to-periphery displacement pattern. Notably, Tehran and Shemiranat emerge as a continuous exclusionary zone, replicating inequality dynamics across administrative boundaries. These findings invert prevailing policy orthodoxy by showing that polycentricity can result from spatial exclusion, rather than serving as a corrective to it. Without coordinated measures to preserve affordability, decentralized urban growth may deepen—rather than resolve—spatial inequities. The study offers important implications for Global South megacities grappling with similar affordability crises and fragmented regional governance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45520,"journal":{"name":"Regional Science Policy and Practice","volume":"18 2","pages":"Article 100276"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100274
Amitrajeet A. Batabyal
{"title":"","authors":"Amitrajeet A. Batabyal","doi":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100274","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45520,"journal":{"name":"Regional Science Policy and Practice","volume":"18 2","pages":"Article 100274"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145750248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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