Governance and Leadership in Shrinking Cities Strategies for Managing Urban Decline Routledge Advances in Regional Economics, Science and Policy Series

The aim of this publication is to look in depth at depopulation - a trend that is affecting an increasing number of cities worldwide. It has recently become a critical issue with a range of detrimental social, economic, spatial, and financial consequences. However, attempts by central and local governments to combat depopulation have yet to yield satisfactory results. Compelling evidence suggests that one of the reasons for this state of affairs is that the role of local (urban) leadership in devising solutions, mobilizing resources, and creating networks to address the problem has been underestimated. Moreover, according to the authors of this monograph, there is a significant positive correlation between urban leadership and the ability to effectively respond to and counteract the negative effects of depopulation. Without an understanding of the impact of urban leadership on the ability to address the negative consequences of urban depopulation, it is impossible to pursue effective public policies in this regard.

This book presents a novel approach to explaining the ability of cities to combat depopulation through the prism of urban leadership quality. It compares domestic empirical research findings with international case studies, and offers a comprehensive review of valuable practices to counter urban shrinkage and depopulation, from both academic and practical perspectives. Further, the book provides a new interpretation of the processes associated with these trends.

The magnitude of the phenomenon in question, the negative spatial, economic, and social consequences, as well as the relatively low effectiveness of policies aimed at its mitigation, will make this book an invaluable guide for researchers, and students from a wide range of disciplines including urban studies, economics, public management, leadership studies, local government, climate change and energy transition and urban movements. The audience will also comprise of policymakers and urban experts such as sociologists, planners, social geographers, economists, and architects.

Part I: Leadership in cities at risk of depopulation: a theoretical perspective 1. Depopulation: a theoretical perspective 2. Urban leadership: a theoretical perspective 3. Shrinking cities: a theoretical perspective 5. Urban resilience: a theoretical perspective Part II: Strategies and tactics in response to depopulation: International lessons learned 5. Japanese cities in the face of depopulation 6. Dutch cities in the face of depopulation 7. German cities in the face of depopulation 8. American cities in the face of depopulation Part III: Depopulation as a policy problem 9. Depopulation as a long-term policy problem 10. Depopulation and agenda setting 11. Summary and conclusions

Stanisław Mazur is Rector of the Krakow University of Economics and Head of the Department of Public Policy.