Decentralization and Development: Territorial Dimension and Spatial Disparities Mitigation

Dear Colleagues,

Decentralization is an important political, social, economic, and territorial issue that directly affects various relations within a society; however, the focus in the scholarly literature is mainly on the administrative and political aspects that tackle authority transfer and the fiscal effects of decentralization. This Special Issue, on the other hand, is dedicated to the territorial dimensions of decentralization and its effects on equitable development. Territorial restructuring is a key issue related to decentralization that induces concepts of separation and diversity, which are more responsive to local needs and the mitigation of spatial disparities. This shifts the concept of decentralization closer to the context of “localism” and community-based approaches in development strategies by fostering spatial integration and development.

Consequently, this Special Issue aims to understand the relationship between decentralization and spatial development through the evaluation of the relevant frameworks, methods, approaches, and policy tools, and comparison of different administrative models and local government features. Therefore, in alignment with the scope of the journal Land, the aim is to emphasize the interplay between territorial restructuring and spatial planning, regional disparities and development challenges, and policy implications, with a focus on spatial processes and the spatial expression of decentralization.

This Special Issue seeks to gather together papers (original research articles and review papers) that will provide deeper insights into the territorial aspect of decentralization, as well as underpinning and challenging this phenomenon at the sub-national, local, and sub-local levels. The topics should be related to territorial reform; spatial integration at the sub-local level; the mitigation of regional disparities; participatory approaches to decision-making at the sub-municipal level; the deconcentration of public services and modalities for bringing services closer to citizens; respecting diversity and local characteristics through community-based approaches; poverty mitigation in rural areas; and the impact of urban and rural planning on decentralization and local development. Integrating the spatial into other aspects and studies of decentralization is particularly important in order to equitable spatial and social development and to better inform spatial planning decisions involving multiple interactions between different stakeholders. We welcome the submission of papers that explore processes and experiences pertaining to the following themes:

• Local Government Reorganization—the government system, local assets, and geographical bias—fostering territorial integration and cohesion;
• Decentralized Spatial Planning—toward a place-based approach and more sensitive strategies—blurring urban–rural disparities;
• Phenomenon Reviving—territorial aspects of decentralization—the past, present, and future;
• Territorial Reform—amalgamation or fragmentation at the local and sub-local scales;
• Participatory Development—community-based approaches to policymaking;
• Rethinking Territorial Decentralization—spatial integration under demographic challenges.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Dr. Marija Drobnjaković
Dr. Milena Panić
Dr. Eduarda Marques Da Costa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• decentralization
• spatial disparities
• local development
• territorial reform
• rural areas integration
• local and sub-local governing
• community participation