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Decentralization and Development: Territorial Dimension and Spatial Disparities Mitigation

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A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 4232

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marija Drobnjaković

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Guest Editor

Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić”, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: spatial planning; geography of settlements; rural geography; rural areas development; urban-rural relations

Dr. Milena Panić

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Guest Editor

Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić”, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: spatial planning; regional disparities; vulnerability assessment; rural areas development

Dr. Eduarda Marques Da Costa

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Guest Editor

Centre for Geographical Studies, University of Lisbon, R. Branca Edmée Marques, 1600-276 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: spatial planning; regional and urban planning; evaluation of public policies; data collection and monitoring systems; health cities
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Special Issue Information

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

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

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

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

48 pages, 1765 KB

Open AccessArticle

Institutional Readiness for Underground Planning in Serbia: An Analytical Framework for Integration into the Territorial Development System

by Nemanja Šipetić, Olivera Stanković and Danilo Furundžić

Land 2026, 15(6), 979; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15060979 - 3 Jun 2026

Viewed by 126

Abstract

Underground space is increasingly positioned in contemporary urban discourse as a strategic resource for sustainable spatial and territorial development, particularly under conditions of limited surface capacity, growing infrastructural demand, and the need for long-term urban resilience. However, its implementation remains constrained by insufficient institutional, planning, and governance integration. Starting from this problem, this paper assesses the institutional readiness of Serbia’s spatial and urban planning system for the integration of underground planning into the territorial development system. The methodological approach is based on the development of an analytical framework for institutional readiness, structured around three key dimensions: regulatory–institutional, spatial–infrastructural, and governance–coordination. This research is conducted through a qualitative analysis of legislative, strategic, planning, and supplementary sources, using stratified criteria—normative, operational, and integrative levels—which enables a structured, document-based diagnostic assessment of the current state of the system. The results indicate that institutional readiness in Serbia is at a low to medium-low level. Although a partially developed normative framework and certain technical-informational capacities exist, underground space is not clearly recognised as a distinct planning category or as an integrated three-dimensional spatial resource. The spatial–infrastructural dimension reveals the existence of relevant cadastral, geospatial, and infrastructural foundations, but without their sufficient integration into a unified 3D planning and governance system. The key limitation is identified in the governance–coordination dimension, where fragmented competences, uneven local capacities, and the absence of dedicated coordination mechanisms hinder the systematic application of underground planning. The paper concludes that the integration of underground planning in Serbia requires gradual institutional transformation toward an integrated, three-dimensional, and long-term-oriented model of spatial governance. Its contribution lies in formulating an initial diagnostic framework that connects debates on planning systems, institutional fragmentation, spatial data integration, and territorial governance, and may serve as a basis for further research and policy development in the field of integrated territorial development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decentralization and Development: Territorial Dimension and Spatial Disparities Mitigation)

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16 pages, 1440 KB

Open AccessArticle

Closer to Home, More Trusted? Territorial Disparities in Government Trust Across Thai Regions

by Sanyarat Meesuwan and Jenn-Jaw Soong

Land 2026, 15(6), 906; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15060906 - 25 May 2026

Viewed by 267

Abstract

From the Red Shirt heartlands of the North and Northeast to the conservative South and the fragmented middle-class electorate of Bangkok, Thailand’s regional divisions reflect a deeply contested relationship with centralized power. How these divisions shape citizens’ relative trust in local versus central government remains an open empirical question. Drawing on three waves of the Asian Barometer Survey conducted between 2014 and 2022 (pooled N = 3600), this study examines whether territorial location produces differential trust in local relative to central government. The findings are mixed. Regional differences are observable in baseline models, but their explanatory power diminishes once individual-level evaluations of political institutions and economic conditions are taken into account. Rural residents exhibit a smaller trust gap, indicating a weaker relative preference for local over central government, consistent with central welfare transfers sustaining support for the central tier. At the contextual level, higher regional poverty rates are associated with a compression of the trust gap between levels of government. Once poverty is introduced, the overall temporal increase observed by 2022 is no longer statistically significant. Structural economic geography explains much of the aggregate shift. Regional dynamics, however, are not uniform. The Northeast diverges sharply in the final wave, and the pattern holds across model specifications. The shift points to accumulated political alienation rooted in repeated episodes of electoral disenfranchisement. The findings carry direct implications for decentralization policy and territorial development strategy. Where regional trust gaps are driven by fiscal constraints on local government and accumulated political alienation, administrative redesign alone cannot restore citizen confidence in sub-national governance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decentralization and Development: Territorial Dimension and Spatial Disparities Mitigation)

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34 pages, 3787 KB

Open AccessArticle

The BES–GDP Nexus: A Panel Econometric and Machine Learning Analysis of Italian Regions

by Angelo Leogrande, Massimo Arnone, Carlo Drago, Alberto Costantiello and Fabio Anobile

Land 2026, 15(5), 825; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15050825 - 12 May 2026

Viewed by 341

Abstract

The study investigates the interrelationship between the performance of the regional economy in Italy and the multidimensionality of wellbeing, as defined by the ISTAT Benessere Equo e Sostenibile (BES) model. Based on panel data from 19 Italian regions and 2 autonomous provinces—Trentino and Bolzano (2012–2023)—the research aims to explore whether there is a link between regional GDP and the three BES dimensions: Benessere (B), Equità (E), and Sostenibilità (S). The innovative contribution of this paper is not the creation of a novel theoretical model, but a multilayered empirical approach that combines panel data methods, machine learning, and clustering. This approach makes it possible to reveal nonlinearities, complex interactions, and regional heterogeneity in BES–GDP relationships. The analysis of the Benessere dimension based on k-Nearest Neighbors reveals nonlinear dynamics related to health, mobility, security, digital access, and socio-economic conditions. Furthermore, cluster analysis identifies territorial development regimes according to the Benessere dimension. The Equità dimension is estimated using boosting regression and clustering models that emphasize the role of income, poverty risk, healthcare pressure, labour-market participation, youth exclusion, deprivation, and access to essential services. Finally, the Sostenibilità dimension is explored using boosting regression and random forest models to estimate interactions among environmental quality, climate stress, energy transition, innovation, digital skills, service reliability, and regional economic performance. The findings demonstrate a structural connection between well-being, equity, sustainability, and the economic performance of Italian regions. The results also confirm the hypothesis that Italy has multiple development regimes that differ geographically. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decentralization and Development: Territorial Dimension and Spatial Disparities Mitigation)

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18 pages, 365 KB

Open AccessArticle

Bottom-Up Capacity in Territorial Governance: A Comparative Theory of Centralised, Decentralised, Collaborative, and Participatory Models

by Matij Mitrović and Marijana Pantić

Land 2026, 15(5), 789; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15050789 - 7 May 2026

Viewed by 275

Abstract

Persistent territorial disparities across regions suggest that economic and geographic explanations alone cannot account for uneven development outcomes. This paper advances a theoretical framework that conceptualises territorial inequality as a governance-produced outcome, shaped by institutional configurations that distribute power, voice, and decision-making authority across space. The study introduces bottom-up capacity as an analytical criterion to assess how territorial governance models enable or constrain citizen agency, grassroots initiatives, and territorially balanced development. Four ideal-typical governance models—centralised, decentralised, collaborative, and participatory—are comparatively evaluated in terms of their institutional openness, mechanisms of power devolution, and potential to redirect development toward marginalised territories. The paper argues that governance models function as structural filters shaping whose knowledge is recognised, where resources flow, and which territorial priorities are legitimised. By linking governance design to spatial justice and territorial cohesion, the framework provides a novel conceptual lens for understanding the governance roots of spatial inequality and establishes an agenda for future empirical research on bottom-up territorial development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decentralization and Development: Territorial Dimension and Spatial Disparities Mitigation)

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26 pages, 4762 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Disparities and Demographic Vulnerability of Small Settlements in Serbia: A Typological Framework for Place-Based Territorial Governance

by Dragica Gatarić, Bojan Đerčan, Milka Bubalo Živković, Snežana Vujadinović, Neda Živak, Dragica Delić, Miloš Lutovac and Milena Lutovac Đaković

Land 2026, 15(5), 723; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15050723 - 24 Apr 2026

Viewed by 363

Abstract

Small settlements in Serbia are confronted with long-term processes of depopulation, ageing, and migration, characterised by pronounced spatial and structural heterogeneity. This raises questions about the effectiveness of uniform development policies and underscores the need for a differentiated, place-based approach. The aim of this paper is to identify the demographic heterogeneity of small settlements (with fewer than 100 inhabitants) and to analyse its implications for decentralised territorial development. The research is based on the analysis of 1302 settlements in Serbia, using 26 demographic, socio-economic, and geographical indicators. The methodological framework is based on principal component analysis and cluster analysis, complemented by nonparametric tests and logistic regression. The results indicate pronounced population ageing, low labour potential, and a clear spatial polarisation between accessible and peripheral settlements. Four clearly differentiated types of small settlements are identified. It is concluded that demographic heterogeneity represents a key determinant of development capacity, indicating the need for territorially sensitive and differentiated development policies. In this context, decentralisation and tailored development models may contribute to the revitalisation and long-term sustainability of rural areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decentralization and Development: Territorial Dimension and Spatial Disparities Mitigation)

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15 pages, 983 KB

Open AccessArticle

Local Drivers of Municipal Consolidation: County-to-District Conversion in China

by Peiao Tan and Rui Wang

Land 2026, 15(4), 672; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15040672 - 20 Apr 2026

Viewed by 497

Abstract

Municipal consolidation, a widespread form of local government restructuring, has attracted growing scholarly attention worldwide. The majority of research on municipal consolidation investigates impacts instead of motives. Using prefecture- and county-level data from China, this study comprehensively examines the local drivers of county-to-district conversion (CTD) events during the 2010s, a period marked by a significant wave of CTDs. The results show that cities with a developable land shortage, a single district, or a higher economic ranking within a province are more likely to implement CTD. All else equal, counties in closer proximity to the central city, more lagged behind the city in development, or having a higher fiscal revenue per capita are more likely to be consolidated. Together, these factors explain about 40% of the odds of CTD at both the city and county levels. These findings highlight the importance of local incentives and characteristics in shaping jurisdictional changes and provide guidance for mitigating selection bias in future impact evaluations of municipal consolidation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decentralization and Development: Territorial Dimension and Spatial Disparities Mitigation)

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14 pages, 844 KB

Open AccessArticle

Beyond Top-Down Narratives: Thick Mapping and Participatory Spatial Development in Coastal Colombia

by Ana Elena Builes-Vélez, Lina María Escobar-Ocampo and Luz Patricia Rave

Land 2026, 15(3), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15030457 - 13 Mar 2026

Viewed by 458

Abstract

In the face of intensifying climate disruptions, coastal landscapes like Necoclí in Colombia’s Department of Antioquia are sites of both vulnerability and resilience. This paper examines how thick mapping acts as a methodology for decentralized spatial planning and a practice of revolutionary care by amplifying youth voices and fostering situated climate adaptation. Drawing from a participatory mapping process co-developed with young people, we reflect on how community-based approaches can trigger territorial restructuring from the bottom up. Through storytelling, visual documentation, and collective drawing, the mapping process brought to light lived experiences and local ecological knowledge that are often excluded from technocratic spatial integration strategies. These thick maps function as tools for sub-local territorial agency, allowing youth to reconnect with their landscapes while providing municipal administrations with the granular data needed for equitable spatial development. The paper explores how this form of mapping challenges top-down adaptation narratives and enables more inclusive planning for just futures by centering the territorial dimensions of climate risk. Our findings reveal a profound divergence in territorial perception: while older settlers maintain a narrative of loss tied to a lush, forested past, children’s drawings expose an internalized ecological thinning, characterized by the absence of native flora and the threatening proximity of a rising sea. Ultimately, this study demonstrates how thick mapping contributes to socio-ecological transitioning by bridging the gap between national climate policies and the spatial expression of local needs in frontline communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decentralization and Development: Territorial Dimension and Spatial Disparities Mitigation)

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25 pages, 1082 KB

Open AccessArticle

Smart Land Use for Territorial Restructuring: Digital Agriculture as a Tool for Rural Revitalization and Spatial Integration in Cyprus

by Aleksandra Figurek, Aleksandr V. Semenov, Andrey Ronzhin and Elena I. Semenova

Land 2025, 14(12), 2409; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14122409 - 12 Dec 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1128

Abstract

Spatial inequalities and land abandonment remain key obstacles to balanced territorial development in Cyprus. This study analyzes how digital agriculture can act as an instrument of territorial restructuring and spatial integration in rural areas. Using statistical and spatial data on land use, agricultural productivity and the degree of digital application, this research examines the ability of local agricultural communities to revitalize unused land through models of smart spatial management. The findings show that municipalities that implement precision agriculture, digital advisory systems and local water resource management technologies realize greater resilience of rural communities and better spatial connectivity. Digital agriculture is thus recognized as a technological and management tool that connects community-based decision-making with decentralized land management. The paper concludes with a proposal for a framework for “smart territorial restructuring”, emphasizing how digital transitions in agriculture can contribute to reducing rural differences, strengthening localism and aligning with EU goals for inclusive and spatially balanced development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decentralization and Development: Territorial Dimension and Spatial Disparities Mitigation)

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