Coping with deindustrialization in the global North and South

Deindustrialization is central to the renewed concern with the social and spatial inequalities and political-economic discontent evident in so-called left behind places in the global North since the 2008 global financial crisis. Yet coping with deindustrialization and its impacts is now a more internationalized concern, extending geographically across the global South. Urban and regional studies remain fragmented and compartmentalized in conceptual, theoretical and geographical terms, constraining attempts to develop and deepen understanding, explanation and policy formulation for deindustrialization internationally. Seeking to foster engagement, dialogue and mutual learning, this paper outlines a geographical political economy approach to economic evolution and focus on geographically differentiated pathways and institutions, suggests areas for cross-national policy learning and identifies future research directions. While rooted in and coming from a particular geographical and temporal setting, geographical political economy makes a substantive contribution to explaining and responding to deindustrialization in the global North and South.

Automated summary

This paper examines the social, spatial, and political-economic inequalities resulting from deindustrialization in the global North and South. It highlights the fragmentation and limitations of urban and regional studies in understanding and addressing this issue. By using a geographical political economy approach, the paper suggests strategies for policy learning and future research directions.