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 crystallised 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. This is then deployed to evaluate two major episodes in the construction of the putative ‘Oxford-Cambridge Arc’ in southern England.
Valler, David Jonas, Andrew E.G.Robinson, Laura
School of the Built Environment
Year of publication: 2021Date of RADAR deposit: 2020-11-09