Davids and Goliaths: Regions in the Age of Urbanisation and Digitalisation

Nordic Division of the Regional Studies Association (NoRSA) Conference 2019

Regions are entities consisting of different types of places and spaces. There are cities, towns and rural areas with different potentials and challenges. Regions are also in constant flux due to versatile economic, social and cultural processes both internal and external to them. Megatrends, such as urbanisation and digitalisation, are affecting all kinds of regional places by changing their positions, opportunities and future potential. Some regions turn out to be agile Davids and some transform into powerful Goliaths, but how will this transition happen? How can we reveal the transition process? What this development means for the future of different regions? What kind of development strategies are feasible?

More information about this conference can be found here.

We are pleased to announce the following keynote speakers:

John Harrison, Loughborough University: “Cut throat collaboration”: raising the stakes for cities and regions in the age of urbanisation

Kjell Nilsson, Nordregio: Urbanisation, digitalisation and immigration – three important trends in the Nordic Region

Tuuli Toivonen, University of Helsinki: Open and big data in understanding dynamic cities

The responsible organiser of the NoRSA 2019 conference is University Consortium of Seinäjoki (UCS). The local organising committee consists of the following people:

• Research director Juha Alarinta, University Consortium of Seinäjoki (chairman)
• Senior planning officer Nina Harjunpää, The University Association of South Ostrobothnia
• Professor Ari Hynynen, Tampere University of Technology
• Coordinator Henna Jousmäki, University Consortium of Seinäjoki
• Researcher director Jari Kolehmainen, University of Tampere
• Researcher Heli Kurikka, University of Tampere
• Doctoral student Antti Mäenpää, University of Vaasa
• Research director Sulevi Riukulehto, University of Helsinki
• Project manager Timo Suutari, University of Helsinki
• Education manager Mika Virkkala, Uniarts Helsinki