Territorial Changes and Changing Identities the relation between spatial identities and the up-scaling of local government in the Netherlands Kees Terlouw Political geographer Department of Human Geography & Spatial Planning Utrecht University Netherlands

Outline 1) What is the problem? Identity hinders territorial reforms? 2) How studied? 3) Main findings How local identities are used in two Dutch municipalities? 4) Interpretation Primary and secondary identity

1) What is the problem? Administrative reforms Dutch state Administrative reforms Dutch state –Recent decentralisation of welfare to municipalities –(Coming decentralisation of economic policy to city regions) Upscaling of municipalities Upscaling of municipalities –‘Forced’ amalgamation hindered by ‘local identities’ –‘Voluntary’ co-operation rooted in regional identity Not specific for the Netherlands Not specific for the Netherlands

Katwijk 2006 Goeree- Overflakkee 2013

2) How studied? Local and regional identity discourses Spatial identities: Spatial identities: –Not spatial facts, but social constructs –Identity discourses Constructed, different elements, plural, changeable, contextual Constructed, different elements, plural, changeable, contextual Linked to power of stakeholders Linked to power of stakeholders Method: Method: –Identification of different (4-8) main identity discourses Based on policy documents, reports, media etc. Based on policy documents, reports, media etc. Tested in few explorative interviews Tested in few explorative interviews –Used in interviews with different local groups Administrators, politicians, civil society, neighbourhood councils, population (58 in total) Administrators, politicians, civil society, neighbourhood councils, population (58 in total)

3) Main findings “ Katwijk took the lead in the common struggle of more than twenty years against urbanisation, which is the main threat which hovering over the region. That threatened its identity, its small- scale character, its identifiability. The flower and bulb-growing industry, the commerce, the whole card house would collapse. There is here so much individuality and pride and so on, for which they started to fight more than twenty years ago.” (Interview with regional administrator).

3) Main findings

“The amalgamation of Katwijk, Rijnsburg and Valkenburg in the unitary municipality Katwijk is a step towards independence.” (Municipal vision document)

From thinning regional identity discourse to thickening local identity discourses Table 1: Elements of spatial identity discourses 14 ELEMENTS ASPECTthickthin Spatial form Closed territoryOpen network Organisation InstitutionalisedProject Participants PopulationAdministrators and stakeholders Purpose ManyEconomy Time Defensive (past)Offensive (future)

Katwijk Goeree- Overflakkee

Katwijk Goeree- Overflakkee

From thickening local resistance identity to thinner regional island identity “I think this is just very emotional, against their better judgement. And really when I now look at it I am ashamed … of such emotional utterances.” “it is how things are, yes we are now one. And yes, that has something to do with identity. When the amalgamation was there, everyone wanted to a share in the spoils and try to make the best of it. I appreciate that, and make us special.”

Local businessmen Bank merged in 2006 Region association of local business associations – “Four too small and too weak competing municipalities” Vision documents of Island marketing – Regional products Close links to administration looking for an identity and legitimation (2013) – Local businessmen deputy mayor New Island identity discourse – Shared elements of thick local identities – New thin regional elements Sustainability (products & tourism) Sub-urban living (attracting urban population)

3) Main findings: different local and regional identity discourses in rethinking territoriality Katwijk: from interdependence to independence Regional identity against new town (successful) – Thin network identity – Thick rural identity Local coalition against Leiden – Independence of region – Strengthening of thick local identities Selective regional alignment – Different partners – Leiden Goeree-Overflakkee: from independence to interdependence Thickening local resistance identity (failed) New regional identity discourse of island – Linking shared elements of thick local identities – New thin regional elements

4) Interpretation: Primary & Secondary identities Primary identity discourse is linked to established community (Thicker) – Relatively fixed, traditional and unchanging – Based on characteristics of (local) community Secondary identity discourse is how on deals with differences in primary identities (Thinner) – Differences between groups within community – Differences between communities within political framework (municipality, nation-state, EU)

4) Interpretation: Primary & Secondary identities Amalgamation can undermine established secondary identity of old municipalities – This lifts protective shield of local identities – Uncertainty: local identities appears threatened Can thicken into resistance identity discourse (Goedereede) – New secondary identity discourse can emerge (Goeree- Overflakkee) But cooperation or amalgamation can also protect primary identity against external threats Rethinking territoriality through development of new secondary identity discourses – Interdependence: Competitive, thin, layered, regional identity discourse (Goeree-Overflakkee) – Independence: Distribution based on thick, competing local identity discourses (Katwijk)