Message from Dr Mazzei
I am a Senior Lecturer at the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health, and a program leader for an MSc in Social Innovation at Glasgow Caledonian University. I have studied political science and sociology at the University of Florence. I hold a Master Degree in Applied Social Research from the University of Manchester and a PhD in human geography from Durham University. My interest in social innovation and the social economy is threefold: understanding the contextual determinants of social enterprise development and performance; understanding the dynamics of local (and regional) economies; and the involvement of voluntary and community organisations in delivery of public services.
Minutes of previous meetings of the Scotland Section of RSA can be found to the right in the documents section.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Event Title: Regional Policy in Scotland after Brexit
Event Type: Research Conference
Location: Court-Senate Suite, Collins Building, Richmond Street, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
Date: Friday 7th February 2020, 9.15-5pm
Conference overview
This conference is taking a fresh, evidence-based look at regional and local development in Scotland and what kind of regional policy responses are required. This includes research evidence on places and interventions where European Structural Funds have been effective. The Conference is being organised by the Scottish Government in partnership with the Regional Studies Association (Scottish Branch), the European Policies Research Centre (University of Strathclyde) and the ESRC Centre on Constitutional Change (University of Edinburgh).
Conference theme
Brexit has significant implications for regional and local development in Scotland, including the loss of European Structural Funds (worth £780 million in 2014-20). The UK Government has stated its intention to create a successor funding instrument, the Shared Prosperity Fund (as well as other new UK economic development policies), but without details on objectives, funding or governance. The Scottish Government is currently consulting on how any replacement for European Structural Funds should operate in Scotland.
In this context, there is an opportunity to reflect on the wider question of territorial development and the future direction of regional policy in Scotland. The current map of regional and local development in Scotland is characterised by persistent, entrenched and highly concentrated socio-economic inequalities, while trends such as globalisation, digitalisation, climate change and the energy transition are likely to have uneven territorial impacts. Existing place-based policies in Scotland include City Deals, Regional Growth Deals, and Regional Economic Partnerships. The question is whether current policy and institutional arrangements are adequate for responding to post-Brexit territorial challenges and how successor funding to European Structural Funds could be best deployed to maximise their added value.
Draft programme
Organisation
The conference will be held at the University of Strathclyde in the Court-Senate Suite, Collins Building, 22 Richmond Street, Glasgow. A map is here. The venue is c.10 minutes’ walk from Queen Street station.
For organisational questions (including accessibility and dietary issues), please contact marie.c.devine@strath.ac.uk.
For questions regarding the programme, please contact Professor John Bachtler (07973 744 807 or john.bachtler@strath.ac.uk) or Professor David Bell (07720440835 or d.n.f.bell@stir.ac.uk).
Registration
Spaces at the conference are limited – please register with marie.c.devine@strath.ac.uk. There is no charge for the conference.
You can see the draft programme here: Regional policy conference – draft programme.
Please note: The Scotland Section is a limited agent for the Regional Studies Association but without any authority to incur financial liability for that Association.