Exploring the role of territorial actors in cross-border regions

Abstract

ABSTRACTExploring the role of territorial actors in cross-border regions. Territory, Politics, Governance. This paper introduces a strategic-relational approach to the analysis of subnational meta-governance in cross-border regions. The proposed approach aims to overcome two weaknesses in the literature on cross-border cooperation. Studies on cross-border regions leave little room for the strategic role of subnational authorities. Moreover, they typically examine strategy or structure in isolation. The strategic-relational heuristic allows for the investigation of the conscious mobilization, forming and shaping of cross-border spaces by subnational actors. It also relates the strategies employed at various levels to the differential opportunities and constraints the context poses. Using the macro-regional strategy for the Alpine space as an example, the paper demonstrates that subnational authorities are not just empowered by cross-border cooperation, but actively shape it as an opportunity structure. The creation, geographical dimension, thematic priorities, governance mechanism and related spatial aspects of territory, place, scale and network appear as key objects of meta-governance. Specifically, the paper argues for a consideration of the mutual interaction between strategy and structure in multi-level cross-border contexts.