Mismanaged space: planning and policymaking in the context of depopulation in Ivanovskaya oblast

Since the second half of the twentieth century, cities and regions worldwide have experienced depopulation due to the global economic and social transformation. Aging and natural population decline have become characteristic for Russia already in the late-Soviet period. In addition, the transition from state socialism to neoliberal capitalism with a change in rationality of economic development and governance has led to an intensification of internal migration flows. Against this background, the aim of the current lies in a comparative analysis of the main trends in the transformation of the regional settlement system and the response to these transformations proposed by the regional and municipal planning and policy in Russia. The research is carried out based on the example of Ivanovskaya oblast. By analyzing statistical and remote sensing data, the study highlights the general negative demographic trends in the region, intra-regional differences in these trends, as well as the results of their impact on the transformation of the settlement pattern. Content analysis of normative documents allows revealing features of official policymaking and planning agenda at regional and municipal levels, which determine territorial development in the context of depopulation. Based on the results of the content analysis, the following conclusions are drawn. First, there seem to be an incomplete or simplified understanding of dynamics, causes, and consequences of depopulation both at the regional and municipal levels. Second, coordination between different levels of governance in managing depopulation appears to be insufficient. Third, regional authorities do not seem to “accept” the current demographic situation as the basic condition for forming long-term scenario of the region’s development.