Towards a typology of local development policies and programmes

Abstract

The main aim of this article is to provide a viable classification of local development policies and programmes by spelling out the essential elements of the local development approach (LDA) as they emerge from the literature, namely the existence of a territorial focus, the mobilisation of local actors and the attempt to reach policy integration. Subsequently, and for each element, we will specify which its most relevant dimension is in order to identify some typical configurations that emerge in real world policies and programmes. This will allow building up a framework in which any specific instance of LDA initiative can be located. From the normative point of view, the main conclusion is that the territorial focus and the mobilisation of local actors appear to be the necessary conditions for effective policy integration, the third element of LDA.