The Regional Studies Association Research Network on Transformative Regional Resilience (T2R)
Regions at the age of polycrisis are faced with the dual challenge of being resilient whilst transforming. Our Research Network on Transformative Regional Resilience (T2R) will be at the forefront of developing and disseminating research on resilience and regional transformations.
- Economic shocks and structural changes have become increasingly common, making it essential to understand their lasting impacts on regions.
- The traditional focus on short-term resilience analysis may not adequately address the long-term challenges regions face.
- The need to adapt and diversify regional economies for sustainability and resilience is a pressing concern in the face of evolving global dynamics.
- Economic shocks and structural changes affect regions differently, with urban and rural areas, as well as the Global North and the Global South, facing distinct challenges. Understanding these spatial variations is crucial for tailoring effective policies and strategies to diverse geographical contexts.
Our network takes an evolutionary perspective, going beyond short-term analyses to examine the enduring effects of shocks, which often result in significant structural changes within regions. These changes take many forms such as disrupted local value chains, reduced economic diversity, and intensifying deindustrialization. T2R is dedicated to advocating for a novel approach to conceptualising and operationalizing resilience, recognizing that traditional measures may not fully capture resilience nuances within the context of structural changes driven by shocks. With a multidisciplinary approach, we explore the spatial intricacies of resilience, addressing challenges in both urban and rural regions in the global North and South. Our network empowers regions to adapt, diversify, and thrive in the long term, offering invaluable insights for informed policy decisions and guiding regions toward sustainable, resilient futures.
The primary aims of the Research Network are to advance knowledge and understanding of regional resilience from a critical and multidisciplinary perspective, foster collaboration among academics, students, policymakers and other stakeholders, and bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical applications in regional resilience. To achieve these aims, the Network’s key objectives are the recognition and promotion of collaboration among interested researchers and stakeholders, fostering a dedicated community that is focused on advancing regional resilience.
Encouraging and bringing together such research fills a gap in our existing knowledge by focusing on the often-overlooked, long-term effects of economic shocks and the structural changes they induce. It also emphasises the operationalization of resilience in a context specific manner. The research outcomes aim to inform policy and practice by providing actionable insights for national and local policymakers, planners, and practitioners.
The research network aims to gather together researchers in regional studies, economic geography, and economics by providing valuable insights for academic and intellectual growth, as well as building a solid network of like minded researchers, which eventually might lead to joint research projects. For environments and organisations, including regional development agencies, government bodies, and policy think tanks, the research outcomes will offer evidence-based guidance for effective decision-making and policy formulation to enhance regional economic resilience. Other beneficiaries are regional policymakers, planners, and practitioners who can apply the outcomes from the network to tailor policies to their regions’ unique challenges. The network also aims to provide educational opportunities for students and early-career researchers, fostering the next generation of experts in regional resilience.
We propose the following events & activities for our research network:
| Event Type | Event Title | Event Themes, Research Questions & Goals | Date &
Location |
| Kick-off Webinar | Current Issues in Regional Resilience Research | Our kick-off webinar sets the stage by taking stock of the current state of regional resilience research. We explore key methodologies and insights that have shaped the field, outline ongoing debates, and discuss the open questions that will guide the network’s future efforts. This session paves the way for continued discussions and initiatives within the T2R community. | November 2024
See below for the recording
|
| Special Session
RSA Winter Conference
|
SS Title: Operationalizations of Evolutionary Resilience | How can we redefine and rebuild measures of resilience to better capture its complexities in the context of structural change driven by shocks? This Special Session focuses on innovative approaches to operationalizing resilience, especially from an evolutionary perspective empirically. | November 2024;
London |
| Workshop | Regional Economic Resilience: perspectives for the centre and the periphery | What are the spatial nuances of resilience, and how do they differ between urban and rural regions, in the global south and the global north? The workshop focuses on investigations of the differential impact of economic shocks and resilience strategies in regions from the Global South/economic peripheries and Global North/economic centres, considering disparities in development, resources, and international influences. | December 2024;
Brazil |
| Webinar | Policies for Resilient Regions in the 21st Century | The webinar will focus on examining policies that promote regional economic resilience in the face of various challenges, including economic shocks and structural changes. It will explore innovative strategies and best practices to help regions adapt, recover, and thrive in an ever-changing economic landscape. | May 2025;
Online |
| Special Session
RSA 2025 Conference
|
SS Title: Long-term persistent Effects of Economic Shocks | What are the long-term persistent effects of economic shocks on regional economies? The special session focuses on this question, leaning on the concept of transformative resilience (Trippl et al., 2023 ) and with a focus on significant structural changes that often occur and the spatial variations therein, which acknowledges the unique challenges faced by urban and rural areas.
Call for Papers for our special session at the 2025 RSA Annual Conference (SS08: Economic Resilience, Uncertainty, and Policy: Lessons Learned) https://www.regionalstudies.org/news/2025-rsa-annual-special-sessions/#! |
June 2025;
To be defined |
| Professional Development Webinar | Introduction into Regional Resilience Research | This webinar serves as an introductory gateway to the diverse research landscape of regional economic resilience. Designed for master’s and PhD students, it will provide an overview of key concepts, methodologies, and current research trends in this vital field, offering a solid foundation for those embarking on advanced studies in regional economic resilience. | October 2025; Online |
| Special Session
RSA 2026 Conference
|
The Role of Cross regional interdependencies for Regional Resilience | The aim of this Special Session is to investigate and shed light on the interdependencies that exist between regions, both within and across national borders, recognizing that these connections play a pivotal role in shaping the resilience trajectories of individual regions. | June 2026;
To be defined |
| Concluding Workshop | Outlook: Critical issues for the future of regional resilience research | In the culminating workshop of our network, we will delve into the cutting-edge topics and pressing questions shaping the future of regional resilience studies. This event aims to bring together the experiences throughout the previous network events and promises to offer a forward-looking perspective, where participants will engage with emerging challenges and explore innovative directions for regional resilience research in the years to come. | 2026;
Vienna |
Past Events
RSA Research Network on Transformative Regional Resilience (T2R) Kick Off Event: Current Issues in Regional Resilience Research
20 November 2024
Our kick-off webinar sets the stage by taking stock of the current state of regional resilience research. We explore key methodologies and insights that have shaped the field, outline ongoing debates, and discuss the open questions that will guide the network’s future efforts. This session paves the way for continued discussions and initiatives within the T2R community.
Watch the recording below.