Managing Population Decline in Europe's Urban and Rural Areas (SpringerBriefs in Population Studies)

This book explores the challenges population decline presents for Europe’s urban and rural areas. It features recent demographic data and trends not only for Europe as a whole, but also for selected countries, and compares growth and shrinkage from a historical as well as a theoretical perspective. In addition, the book critically reviews relevant notions from geography, sociology, and public administration. It also identifies good practices across Europe. Throughout, theories are complemented with concrete examples and proposals are made on how to tackle demographic shrinkage in European cities and villages, from attempts to attract new residents to the countryside to innovative ways to guarantee public services. In the end, the authors conclude that solving the challenges caused by population decline require novel ways of thinking and provide answers to such future-oriented questions as: how to ensure the quality of life in an environment that is inhabited by fewer and older people, what investments are needed, and which actors should be involved. __Managing Population Decline in Europe’s Urban and Rural Areas__ offers detailed coverage of an underestimated and complex governance issue that asks for solutions in which citizens have to play an important role. It concludes that shrinkage requires a rethink of the specific tasks and roles of government and presents a way forward based on initiatives currently underway throughout Europe. The book will be a valuable resource for population policy makers as well as students and researchers interested in human geography, urban planning, rural development, European studies, public administration, and other social sciences. Acknowledgments 6 Contents 7 About the Authors 9 1 Introduction: Population Decline 10 1.1 Population Decline, a New Approach 10 1.2 A Preview on the Rest of the Book 12 2 Demographic Changes 15 2.1 Population Decline and Low Fertility 15 2.2 Population Decline and Ageing 17 2.3 Global and European Trends 18 2.4 Case Study: The Dutch Situation 22 3 Growth and Decline 26 3.1 Growth in the Nineteenth Century 26 3.2 Uncontrolled Development, Planning, and Decline 28 3.3 Population Decline: From Scarcity to Surplus 30 3.4 Bridging and Concentration 32 3.5 Planning Without Plans 33 4 The Geography of Population Decline 35 4.1 Mobility Between City and Countryside 35 4.2 From Rural Migration to Boomerang Migration 38 4.3 Exogenous or Endogenous Development? 39 4.4 Fragmentation of Expanding Worlds 41 4.5 The Silent Revolution in the Countryside 43 5 Policy Reactions on Population Decline 44 5.1 Trivialising: The Numbers Are Incorrect 44 5.2 Countering: We Are Not Going to Let that Happen 46 5.3 Managing: Learning How to Deal with It 47 5.4 Utilising: More for Fewer People 49 5.5 Towards a Decline Policy of Managing 50 6 Population Decline and Society 52 6.1 Explanations for Population Decline 53 6.2 Population Decline and Social Capital 54 6.3 Institutions and Networks 56 6.4 Government, Market, and Citizens 57 6.5 Population Decline: Hard and Soft Sides 60 7 Population Decline and Quality 62 7.1 Population Decline and Physical Quality 63 7.2 Population Decline and Ecological Quality 64 7.3 Population Decline and Economic Quality 65 7.4 Population Decline and Social Quality 67 7.5 Population Decline and Cultural Quality 68 7.6 Population Decline and Political Quality 70 8 Creative with Population Decline 73 8.1 The Region of Daily Life 73 8.2 Farewell to Narrow-Minded Politics! 76 8.3 Liveable Without Facilities 77 8.4 A Re-use of Human and Social Capital 79 8.5 Transition and System Innovation 82 9 Managing Population Decline Well 83 9.1 Six Statements on Population Decline 83 9.2 Population Decline, a New Way of Thinking 85 References 86 Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction: Population Decline....Pages 1-5 Demographic Changes....Pages 7-17 Growth and Decline....Pages 19-27 The Geography of Population Decline....Pages 29-37 Policy Reactions on Population Decline....Pages 39-46 Population Decline and Society....Pages 47-56 Population Decline and Quality....Pages 57-67 Creative with Population Decline....Pages 69-78 Managing Population Decline Well....Pages 79-81 Back Matter....Pages 83-88