Policy Briefing, March 2025
Authors: Danny MacKinnon, Maryame Amarouche, Vincent Béal, Nicolas Cauchi-Duval, Rachel Franklin, Nadir Kinossian, Thilo Lang, Mehdi Le Petit-Guerin, Tim Leibert, Nora Nafaa, Andy Pike, Max Rousseau, Jeroen Royer, Serhii Svynarets, John Tomaney & Sanne Velthuis
For over a decade, concern has mounted about places in Europe and North America that have been ‘left behind’ by the growth and prosperity experienced in more economically dynamic regions. This briefing paper summarises the findings from the ‘Beyond Left Behind Places’ project. Filling a gap in the policy debate, this study included qualitative research with residents of economically ‘left behind’ regions in France, Germany and the UK to gather their experiences and perceptions.
The qualitative research was focused on six case studies areas, two in each country. It aimed to give agency and voice to people living in ‘left behind’ areas and draw on their experiences and priorities to inform the development of locally tailored policy responses. The case studies were designed to explore residents’ employment activities and access to services, alongside their perceptions of their areas and of recent place-based policies.
Based on our findings, we outline a set of directions and recommendations on policies ‘for’ and ‘with’ ‘left behind places.These are based on an inclusive, largely bottom-up approach tailored to local circumstances and needs, while recognising the importance of broader forces and trends.1 Accordingly, this approach seeks to not only benefit ‘left behind places’ (LBPs), but also work in conjunction with local residents, businesses and communities to improve opportunities and life chances in these areas.
What are ‘left behind places’? The term ‘left behind places’ has in recent years emerged as a way to describe places negatively affected by austerity, globalisation, and technological change. We use it as a shorthand for places experiencing decline or stagnation on economic, demographic and social dimensions, relative to more dynamic and prosperous places. ‘Left behindness’ can therefore be understood as a multidimensional condition that affects a variety of places, ranging from former industrial districts to outlying towns and some rural regions.
Read more in the full policy briefing here.