Wesselo, Gijs (2021) Stories as catalysts for impasse? How politicians in Ooststellingwerf hold on to growth in a region of population decline. Bachelor thesis.
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Abstract
The municipality Ooststellingwerf in Southeast-Friesland is labelled an ‘anticipation region’ by the Dutch national government, meaning that population decline is projected. In the municipal council, this leads to a dilemma: should we limit new housing development to prevent vacancy, or should we stimulate new housing development to counter shrinkage? The research aims to improve the understanding of various political problem perceptions through exploring the stories told in documentary data and conducting interviews with local politicians. Therefore, the presence of stories on population decline, the dominance of stories over time and the way politicians define their problem perception towards shrinkage are scrutinized. The four common policy responses to shrinkage by Hospers (2014) categorize the stories found. A mix of stories linked to trivializing, countering and accepting shrinkage are found, of which the latter two shift in dominance over time. The fourth response, utilizing shrinkage, was virtually absent. Policy recommendations to limit the variability affecting the shrinkage debate in Ooststellingwerf are: (1) agreeing on the value of demographic prognoses; (2) incorporating long-term developments more prominent in decision-making; and (3) presenting the shrinkage scenario as a feasible option. Further research on the effects of shrinkage on rural regions and the role of the COVID-19 crisis is recommended.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
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| Degree programme: | Spatial Planning and Design |
| Supervisor: | Lamker, C.W. |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Jun 2021 12:49 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Jun 2021 12:49 |
| URI: | https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3489 |
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