Abstract
One of the main consequences of the impacts of the past economic and financial crisis, which began in 2007–2008, has been the increase in inequalities between countries, regions, and territories of the EU. In the rural sphere, these disparities are not only observed in an urban–rural dichotomy, but are also evident between rural–rural territories. In this context, it is relevant to develop research based on the concept of territorial cohesion aimed at overcoming the development challenges faced by different types of rural territories. This paper addresses the empirical analysis of territorial cohesion in the rural areas of Andalusia (Spain), one of the European regions most affected by the economic crisis. To this effect, a methodology was designed that measures the level of territorial cohesion of different types of rural territories and identifies the factors that influence this cohesion in each case. The results show that factors such as employment and innovation, economic diversification, availability of natural resources and environmental quality, or information and communication technologies (ICTs) contribute to territorial cohesion in rural areas.
Highlights
The promotion of economic, social, and territorial cohesion has been one of the main pillars on which the construction of the European Union (EU) rests
Despite the past and present efforts of EU policies to achieve territorial cohesion and the achievements in this regard that have been made in different stages and time contexts [4,5,6,7,8], the reality is that European territories suffer from many important territorial imbalances at various scales and of very different types [9]
This research has made progress in the conceptualization of territorial cohesion, but, above all, in the design of a methodological proposal that allows an empirical approach to be taken to its evaluation and measurement, as well as to the analysis of the factors that affect it
Summary
The promotion of economic, social, and territorial cohesion has been one of the main pillars on which the construction of the European Union (EU) rests. This general principle has been expressed over the years through the objectives and priorities that have guided the Union’s successive strategic guidelines in each programming period [1]. Previous research has concluded that periods of economic prosperity stimulate regional convergence dynamics, while situations of crisis or recession lead to divergent territorial processes [12,13,14,15]. The trajectory followed by the region of Andalusia during the economic crisis (with unemployment rates tripling) is a clear example of this, where disparities can be observed in comparison with other Spanish and European regions, and internally between their territories
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