eprintid: 3602
rev_number: 5
eprint_status: archive
userid: 1
dir: disk0/00/00/36/02
datestamp: 2021-07-23 11:52:21
lastmod: 2021-07-23 11:52:21
status_changed: 2021-07-23 11:52:21
type: thesis
metadata_visibility: show
sword_depositor: 1
creators_name: Busschers, Thom
creators_id: S3435423
creators_email: thombusschers1@gmail.com
title: The transition from shrinkage to ‘smart shrinkage’ in the Eemsdelta
ispublished: unpub
full_text_status: public
abstract: Shrinkage is a driver for economic and social bust situations, influencing the liveability within regions. Those ‘shrinking regions’, are  faced with an outmigration of youth, closing  facilities and an ageing population. The ambition of the municipality to minimize the negative effects of shrinkage and keep high levels of liveability, is called smart shrinkage. In contrast to shrinkage,  smart shrinkage aims at creating liveability levels among citizens that are not negatively affected by shrinkage. This thesis investigates the transition from shrinkage towards smart shrinkage by focusing on the importance of citizen participation. The area under study is the municipality of Eemsdelta, located in the north-eastern part of the province of Groningen. In this case study, consisting of interview and questionnaires, citizen participation, governance and institutional capacity building are analysed through the lens of Evolutionary Governance Theory (EGT). EGT creates an overview of the different path-, inter- and goal dependencies within Eemsdelta. By investigating how these dependencies evolved, I aim to contribute to developing possible strategies for the future. The data resulted in guidelines which are visualized in the wheel of shrinkage, that shows from an abstract level towards a place-based strategy, a possible direction to go within the transition towards smart shrinkage. The multi-actor, multi-dimensional and multi-scale characteristics of the transition explain the importance of citizen participation and form the heart of the wheel. A successful transition goes hand in hand with active leadership, trust, ambition and especially cooperation. Citizen participation is thus a cornerstone within this transition.
date: 2021
pages: 45
thesis_type: master
degree_programme: EIP
tutors_name: Vaart, G. van der
tutors_organization: Fac. Ruimtelijke wetenschappen, Basiseenheid Planologie
tutors_email: G.van.der.Vaart@rug.nl
security: validuser
keywords_local: Citizen participation
keywords_local: Smart shrinkage
keywords_local: Evolutionary Governance Theory
keywords_local: Capacity building
keywords_local: Rural
keywords_local: Governance
language_iso: en
agreed_repository: yes
date_issued: 2021-07-22
citation:   Busschers, Thom  (2021) The transition from shrinkage to ‘smart shrinkage’ in the Eemsdelta.  Master thesis.   
document_url: https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/3602/1/FinalThesis_ThomBusschers_s3435423.pdf