The double disadvantage of rural place-based policies

Stine Lien, Ulla Higdem · 2025 · Fennia

Summary. Rural regions face a double disadvantage under current place-based policies: they lack the agglomeration economies and institutional capabilities that urban areas possess. This scoping review of 2008–2022 literature shows that place-based policies, particularly the urban-centric smart specialisation model, fail to address rural needs. The authors argue that effective rural policy must move beyond urban templates, strengthen rural institutions, accept that growth isn't essential, and develop genuinely tailored strategies recognizing peripheral regions as valuable assets.

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Lien, S., & Higdem, U.. (2025). The double disadvantage of rural place-based policies. Fennia. https://doi.org/10.11143/fennia.147442

@article{lien-2025-double-disadvantage-rural-place-based,
  title   = {The double disadvantage of rural place-based policies},
  author  = {Stine Lien and Ulla Higdem},
  journal = {Fennia},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.11143/fennia.147442},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.11143/fennia.147442}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - The double disadvantage of rural place-based policies
AU  - Stine Lien
AU  - Ulla Higdem
JO  - Fennia
PY  - 2025
DO  - 10.11143/fennia.147442
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11143/fennia.147442
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Details

DOI: 10.11143/fennia.147442
Countries: United States
Regions: North America
Categories: policy, regional-innovation-systems
Added: 2026-04-28