Socially Inclusive Urban Transformation After the Great Recession

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the need for a new civic economy model discussing first the causes and the conditions of the urban unbalances in Europe which are likely to persist in the aftermath of the Great Recession. It elaborates on the evolving role of cities within the EU and the mounting challenges for cities suffering from shrinkage and economic decline, considering the increasing aging of the European population. The authors argue that the effectiveness of centrally managed policy instruments to combat these trends is limited. So they make the case for the concept of a new civic economy enabled by a bottom-up, decentralized policy approach and sustained by innovative urban management practices, which they believe can address at least some of the challenges confronting European cities.