ER 3

Project: Theoretical and conceptual thoughts around the ways of adaptation, formation of strategies and potentials for new developments

ER 3: Alena Pfoser (Host: IfL)

Description: Processes of spatial polarization and peripheralisation are usually studied from a macro-perspective and conceived as external structural forces that impact on places. During my 10-months fellowship I focused on local responses, contestations and potentials in peripheralised areas that are usually left aside in such approaches.

As a first step I developed a working paper in which I reviewed existing literature on businesses, social enterprises and households in peripheral and rural areas. I argued for the importance of accounting for local agency while at the same time pointing to three limitations in existing studies: a) the privileging of successful examples (sampling), b) the failure to address why strategies are successful or not, and c) the danger of replacing structural approaches with approaches privileging local agency, resulting in a localization of peripheralisation.

I am currently working on a journal article which develops some of these ideas in relation to my PhD research.