Understanding Geographies of Polarization and Peripheralization ― Perspectives from Central and Eastern Europe and Beyond

Spatial disparities in Central and Eastern Europe have been intensifying for more than two decades, yet little is known about the socio-spatial developments leading to these geographical changes. By putting the concepts of polarization and peripheralization at its centre, this book presents a multifaceted perspective on regional development and the ways we register, survey and conceptualize spatial phenomena, such as the emergence, persistence and transformation of spatial disparities and socio-spatial inequalities.
Understanding Geographies of Polarization and Peripheralization discusses both theoretical and empirical approaches, presenting several compelling case studies from Central and Eastern Europe and beyond. This book provides relevant insights for readers from all parts of the world and is of particular interest for researchers and practitioners, as well as graduate and postdoctoral students, in the fields of Regional Development, Geography, Spatial Planning, European and Area Studies.

Thilo Lang is Head of Department at the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography, Leipzig, Germany. He completed his doctorate in Human Geography at University of Potsdam, Germany and at Durham University, UK. His research interests include peripheralization as a multi-level process, innovation outside of conurbations, regional change, transnational comparative urban and regional studies, and shrinking cities and urban regeneration.

Sebastian Henn is Professor for Economic Geography at Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Germany. Prior to that he worked as researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography in Leipzig, Germany. He earned his doctorate and a Habilitation degree at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. His research interests include development of local economics and urban neighbourhood development, knowledge-based urban and regional development and global corporate networks.

Wladimir Sgibnev is Research Fellow at the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography, Leipzig, Germany. He holds a doctorate in Central Asian Studies from the Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, and his research focuses on urban processes in post-soviet countries.

Kornelia Ehrlich is Research Fellow at the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography, Leipzig, Germany. She completed her doctorate at the Department of European Ethnology at the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. Her research addresses urban, regional and spatial development and the social economy.