Theme

The organizers invite submission of papers concerning different understanding in various countries of the concept of space of flows based on a foundation of different sciences across multiple disciplines (geography, economy, sociology, regional studies, spatial planning, environmental studies, etc.) as well as on the basis of political documents of varied level. Certainly, as a complementary result of this discussion, articles will be particularly welcome referring to concrete and tangible cases regarding dynamics and structure of territorial capital of European regions, including the results of research projects touching upon the aforesaid subject matter.

In particular, the Warsaw Regional Forum 2017 sessions will be built upon the discussions on the following dilemmas and research questions:

• Infrastructure for flows:
  • What is the impact of transport infrastructure on the scale, structure and directions of population and commodities flow?
  • What is the role of information and communications technology (ITC) infrastructure in the development of information society?
  • What is the relationship between global infrastructure and local development (air and sea ports; overland linkages between Europe and Asia)?
  • In what way is the spatial accessibility changing on a European, national and regional scale?
  • What is the role of transborder infrastructure on the internal and external EU borders?
  • Does the development of public transport and modal changes bring about the new models of everyday mobility?
• Economic flows:
  • What are the recent trends concerning changes in touristic flows in Europe?
  • How the changing composition of trade in goods and services influence the economic development and transformation of regional structures in a globalized world?
  • Advantage or burden – what are the real socio-economic effects of recent migration flows to the EU countries?
  • What are the international patterns of capital flows and their effects on the economies of European countries in the period after global crisis?
  • What should be the “ideal space” for supporting the flow of knowledge and innovations as well as for providing the mechanisms that facilitate transfer of knowledge and technology from the world of science to business and between firms?
  • What is the spatial dimension of internal local economic linkages?
• Inequalities and flows:
  • What are current patterns and recent trajectories of territorial inequalities in European countries?
  • What are the relationships between levels and forms of economic and political governance across European nations and territories?
  • What are the levels of economic development and rates of economic growth, through econometric analysis at various scales?
  • What are the connections and effects between trans-national migration and long-distance commuting?
  • How states design fiscal regimes and public services to mitigate the effects of socio-spatial inequalities?
  • How claims for political autonomy are interwoven with territorial inequalities and whether political autonomy can present a mechanism for addressing issues of spatial justice
• Urban and suburban flows:
  • What are the flows of  population, commodities, services and ideas within the metropolitan areas as well as between metropolitan areas and peripheral areas?
  • What transformations take place in regard to the land-use within the metropolitan areas?
  • What are the mutual functional, communicational and management linkages between different stakeholders operating in the metropolitan areas?
  •  What does the vertical and horizontal cooperation look like between stake holders operating within the metropolitan areas?
  • Do the basic exogenous functions of large urban centers change in time due to varying economic, social and political circumstances?
• Circular economy:
  • How ecosystem services are utilized in the closed economy?
  • Will renewable energy become the important field of closed economy?
  • What will be the role of waste management in the new circumstances?
  • To what extent will the concept of intelligent cities change?
• Spatial planning and territorial governance:
  • What kind of new knowledge we can use in spatial planning?
  • In what way we can coordinate spatial planning while we are more tied then ever?
  • Are the role of formal administrative boundaries  is  getting stronger or weaker (soft spaces)?
  • How to practice the territorial governance in the space of flows and what kind of institution do we need?