Contemporary Social Science

Capability and capacity building in place leadership: identity, inclusion and change

Aims and Scope

As Europe and the wider world struggle to cope with the ‘polycrisis’ of climate, instability and conflict, the importance of progressive and developmental place leadership is brought into sharper focus. This Special Issue sets out to draw together knowledge and understanding about place-based identities and to discuss how place leadership can build capacity and develop capability to support opportunities for political stability and inclusive and sustainable economic growth locally and regionally, with a focus on partnership working.

In particular, the Special Issue seeks to provide an opportunity for participants to present and discuss evidence-based examples of leadership at local, regional and national levels that cross and transcend borders.

We invite submissions addressing on the following questions and themes, amongst others:

• What do place-based identities mean?
• How have they changed in relation to local, regional and national dynamics?
• Where are the connections and contradictions between place-based identity and place-leadership?
• How can people be engaged for collective action to create change at a range of geographical levels?
• How is it possible to build confidence, capability and capacity in place?
• How can national and sub-national leadership best combine to support policy innovation in place?
• How is and how should place leadership change in response to local policy at the local, regional and national level?
• What skills are key for place leaders to navigate the political and emotional challenges of place-based partnership working?

Papers submitted to this special collection should make substantive contributions to relevant scholarly debates, and show relevance to broader intellectual debates that resonate with wider social science research.

This special issue provides a special opportunity for authors to contribute, via their article, to a better understanding of how place leadership can build capacity and develop capability to support opportunities for political stability and inclusive and sustainable economic growth locally and regionally, particularly through partnership working. We are keen to receive submissions that cross and transcend disciplinary boundaries and address concerns around leadership, governance, local policy, regional economic development and communities.