European Academy of Land Use and Development / Challenges for Governance Structures in Urban and Regional Development / Fragen zur Steuerung von Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung

The governance structures in urban and regional development have undergoneprocesses of transformation since the medieval period, resulting in them becomingincreasingly decentralised, diversified, and centred about "middle-classvalues". An essential part was played by the initial concepts of land ownershipand planned land use. These were then complemented by additional items fromland taxation to the concepts that began to evolve during the 20th century,including diverse elements such as land economics and social responsibility.This volume concentrates on a diverse range of topics centering on the relationshipsbetween governance and the organization of entities within bothurban and rural areas. The essays indicate that the development of systemsof governance runs parallel to and reflects the indelible print humankind hasmade upon all forms of landscape. Over time various forms of governanceevolved, but in the course of the last century they also became more accountable.Together this resulted in a continual process of evolving boundariesand territories, of political changes, and of the subsequent divisions betweenurban and rural areas as well as urban subdivisions. In addition to this complexmixture of land and spatial planning issues, we are faced today with rapidlychanging demographic profiles across all of Europe - and not the least withthe emerging awareness of how social responsibilities impact this issue.Even though this volume cannot provide all the answers to the many complexproblems, together the essays present a stimulating, interdisciplinary approachthat challenges conventional thoughts in European land and spatial planning.