This monograph presents a novel typology of relational and territorial perspectives on legitimacy and identity. This typology is then applied to two different political and historical contexts, namely the trajectories of the Amsterdam metropolitan region in the Netherlands and the Ruhr metropolitan region in Germany. The historical discussion spans 500 years, providing valuable depth to the study.
Taken as a whole, the book provides a new perspective within the territorial-relational dichotomy and the geographies of discontent debate. Its key insights are that identity and political legitimacy is embedded in history, and that both relational and territorial perspectives on these issues are time and place dependent.
This book will be stimulating reading for advanced students, researchers and policymakers working in political geography, human geography, regional studies, and broader social and political sciences.
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