The institutional thickness of an inner periphery in the cross-border region between Central Bohemia and Eastern Bohemia

Abstract

The paper aims to analyze the “soft” factors of local development and to understand the nature of the socio-economic differences between municipalities in an inner periphery in Bohemia. The partial goals are to explain which internal conditions are conductive to the formation of these ties of cooperation, to reveal which power structures are involved in the ties of cooperation, and to assess the direction of these interactions. The conclusions are formulated and discussed in relation to the concept of institutional thickness. Our research confirmed the key differentiating role of mayors in local interactions and the importance of administrative boundaries – especially boundaries of self-government regions. These boundaries had the effect of constraining the formation of formal and informal relations between actors in territorial development. The research also provides evidence of the continued existence of links between municipalities that were formed during the communist period. The data come from the author’s field survey among the mayors.