Redistributive regionalism Narratives on regionalisation in the Nordic periphery Lisa Hörnström Department of Political Science SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden Umeå 2010 Copyright©Lisa Hörnström ISBN: 978-91-7459-001-2 ISSN: 0349-0831. Research Report 2010:2 Cover: Micaela Adolfsson Printed by: Print & Media, Umeå University, 2007900 Umeå, Sweden 2010 To my grand-father Table of Contents Table of Contents................................................................................................i Abstract............................................................................................................... v Preface............................................................................................................... vii 1. Setting the scene ..............................................................................................................1 1.1 THE NORDIC PERIPHERY..................................................................................... 3 1.2 OUTLINE OF THE STUDY...................................................................................... 6 1.3 DISPOSITION OF THE THESIS............................................................................. 7 2. From centralist redistributive policy to new regionalism ...........................9 2.1 KEY CONCEPTS ....................................................................................................... 10 What is a region?........................................................................................................... 10 Regionalism and regionalisation ................................................................................. 11 2.2 CHANGING ROLE OF REGIONS – A EUROPEAN OUTLOOK ............ 12 Europe of the regions .................................................................................................. 13 Examples of regionalism and regionalisation processes in Western Europe....... 15 2.3 PERSPECTIVES ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE ROLE OF THE REGION .............................................................................. 18 Centralist redistributive policy .................................................................................... 19 New regionalism ........................................................................................................... 21 New regionalism contested ......................................................................................... 24 3. Analytical framework and methodology .......................................................... 27 3.1 CONSTRUCTING IDEAL TYPES ........................................................................ 27 The role of the region .................................................................................................. 29 External relations.......................................................................................................... 32 3.2 METHODOLOGY...................................................................................................... 35 Choice of regions.......................................................................................................... 35 Collection of empirical material.................................................................................. 36 Presentation and interpretation of the empirical material....................................... 40 4. Regional policy and regionalisation reforms in Norway, Finland and Sweden................................................................................ 43 4.1 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................................ 43 Regional institutions..................................................................................................... 43 The state representative in the regions ...................................................................... 46 Institutions on national level....................................................................................... 47 4.2 REGIONAL POLICY................................................................................................. 48 4.3 REFORMS AND CHANGES ................................................................................... 49 Norway – regionalisation with constraints................................................................ 50 Finland – amalgamation of municipalities and state administration reform........ 54 Sweden – long-standing debate on regionalisation.................................................. 56 Similarities and differences between Norway, Finland and Sweden ..................... 59 i 4.4 THE THREE REGIONS ........................................................................................... 61 Troms (Norway)............................................................................................................ 61 Pohjois-Pohjanmaa (Finland)...................................................................................... 64 Västerbotten (Sweden) ................................................................................................. 66 Differences and similarities between the three regions........................................... 68 5. Troms: potential in the northern areas and a joint region in North Norway ............................................................................ 69 5.1 THE ROLE OF THE REGION .............................................................................. 70 Regional institutions ..................................................................................................... 71 The term ‘region’........................................................................................................... 78 Regional identity............................................................................................................ 81 5.2 EXTERNAL RELATIONS........................................................................................ 83 Relation to state level.................................................................................................... 83 Relation to local level.................................................................................................... 86 The region as an international actor........................................................................... 88 5.3 WHICH ARE THE NARRATIVES IN TROMS? ................................................ 90 6. Pohjois-Pohjanmaa: emphasis on cities and co-operation within functional regions............................................................. 97 6.1 THE ROLE OF THE REGION .............................................................................. 98 Regional institutions ..................................................................................................... 99 The term ‘region’.........................................................................................................104 Regional identity..........................................................................................................107 6.2 EXTERNAL RELATIONS .....................................................................................110 Relation to state level..................................................................................................110 Relation to local level..................................................................................................111 The region as an international actor.........................................................................113 6.3 WHICH ARE THE NARRATIVES IN POHJOIS-POHJANMAA?..............116 7. Västerbotten: a stronger “Norrland” and increased regional control over resources .....................................................121 7.1 THE ROLE OF THE REGION ............................................................................122 Regional institutions ...................................................................................................122 The term ‘region’.........................................................................................................130 Regional identity..........................................................................................................133 7.2 EXTERNAL RELATIONS .....................................................................................135 Relation to the state level...........................................................................................135 Relation to local level..................................................................................................137 The region as an international actor.........................................................................139 7.3 WHICH ARE THE NARRATIVES IN VÄSTERBOTTEN?..........................140 ii 8. Redistributive regionalism in the Nordic periphery - comparisons and conclusions...........................................................................147 8.1 COMPARING NARRATIVES IN THE THREE REGIONS......................... 148 Regional institutions – agents of development....................................................... 148 The term region – functionality in focus................................................................. 150 Regional branding and self-confidence.................................................................... 152 Crucial role of the state and the local level ............................................................. 153 The region as an international actor......................................................................... 154 8.2 REDISTRIBUTIVE REGIONALISM