Evaluating regional spatial imaginaries: the Oxford–Cambridge Arc

Abstract

The process of imagination is central to region formation, underpinning the spatial definition and territorial bounding of areas, the development of spatial identity and institutional capacity, and the cultivation of social relations and networks. While recent academic contributions have crystallized certain theoretical dimensions, attempts to evaluate the nature and efficacy of regional spatial imaginaries remain ad hoc. In this paper we derive a general evaluative frame and six associated criteria against which particular regional spatial imaginaries can be appraised. These are then deployed to evaluate two major episodes in the construction of the putative ‘Oxford–Cambridge Arc’ in southern England.