London: from city-state to city region?

Abstract

This book analyzes devolution as it affects the English Regions, working from the perspective of uneven development, and drawing on the rich tradition of regional geography. Currently, London is the power centre ruling over the other English regions. The first part of the book looks at how this regional structure has arisen, and the theories that can be used to analyze it. The contributors discuss the nature of regional problems and governance, the institutions involved in regional governance and regional approaches to economic development. The second part of the book devotes a chapter to each English region, examining each region’s unique characteristics, and the opportunities created for it by devolution. By looking carefully at the regions, this part of the book sheds light on the question of whether Regional governance benefits the regions, or simply rescales governance to introduce another layer of bureaucracy.