Felicity Wray

Neither here nor there or always here and there? Antipodean reflections on economic geography

This paper emerged from discussions held over a two-day symposium hosted by the University of Western Sydney and the Institute of Australian Geographers in December 2011. Drawing on contemporary themes in economic geography around postcolonial theory and a concern with the histories of the sub-discipline, the symposium sought to triangulate these discourses using Raewyn Connell’s (2006, 2007a, 2007b) concept of ‘Southern Theory’ as a means of beginning a process of critical reflection about the types of economic geographies that are produced from and in the ‘Antipodes’. After introducing these debates and presenting a critical reflection on how Connell’s Southern Theory potentially provides a useful means of bringing them into conversation, the paper presents five considerations from geographers who have made significant contributions to contemporary economic geography understandings, drawing on, in various ways, their Antipodean positionality. The paper assesses to what extent are Antipodean economic geography knowledges: (i) unique and embedded in specific conditions and events, (ii) inexorably tied to other economic geographical knowledges produced elsewhere and (iii) how Antipodean economic geography knowledges have been exported and assembled within and beyond the discipline of geography.

Planning regional development in Australia: questions of mobility and borders

Radically changing ideas and practices around mobility and borders have made the question regarding how best to approach and plan regional development in Australia more complex. Using the conceptual tools offered by the ‘mobility turn’ and ‘relational regions’, this paper assesses the usefulness of place-based development (PBD) approaches in addressing contemporary planning challenges of mobility and borders. Through a case study of the Latrobe Valleys ‘Industry and Employment Roadmap’, this paper concludes that PBD approaches to regional planning offer a means of recognising: (1) both mobility and place in processes of regional development; and (2) the fluid nature of borders in these processes.

The English Science Cities: A New Phase in Science-based Urban Strategy

Six English cities were designated by the UK Government as science cities in 2004 and 2005, with the intention that local consortia develop strategies for the realisation of this vision. Previous definitions of science cities are explored to show how the concept has evolved over time, with the English initiative placed within a global context to show how it adapts previous models to the specific needs of the UK and fits with academic debates on the local governance of science and the role of innovation in urban and regional development. The six cases are briefly examined as to their aims and the nature of their governance and approach and potential benefits of the initiative are outlined to show how it may contribute to a new perspective on the role of cities in science and economic development in the UK.

The Connectivity of the Creative Industries in North East England – The Problems of Physical and Relational Distance

The creative industries are seen as a key part of economic development policy for national and regional policymakers. This research adopts a relational approach to examine the spatialities and networks of connections that workers in the North East of Englands creative industries forge and maintain over space. Based on a questionnaire survey and interviews, our findings reveal a set of industries that are isolated from the major hubs of creativity outside the region and display a regionally bounded set of working and engagement practices. Numerous reasons underpinning this isolation are outlined, which are generated, in part, by both physical and relational distance to other agents in similar sectors. We also examine a group of highly mobile creative workers whose working practices and previous experience outside the North East allows them to overcome barriers faced by their counterparts. The paper concludes by calling for further comparative research to better understand the connectivity of regional creative industries that also avoids privileging London as the only source of discursive and financial influence. A series of recommendations for policy makers tasked with fostering the creative industries is outlined.

Venture capital and investor readiness in a post-crisis and state-rescaling context: Revisiting the North East of England

This paper supplies a historical and geographically rooted account of how three separate but ongoing processes (state-rescaling, recessionary conditions and SME business support reforms) were perceived to be intersecting and manifesting themselves at the juncture of venture capital and investment readiness provision in the North East of England primarily from the perspective of local fund managers in December 2012. The paper demonstrates how these myriad processes played out in both predictable and unusual ways in a region often constructed as lagging and not known for its buoyant levels of venture capital activity. In particular, the paper provides empirical insights into the uncertainties created by the Coalition government during the transition from Regional Development Agencies to Local Enterprise Partnerships while also going beyond investor narratives to highlight how the empirical findings connect to broader debates in local and regional development. Here the way in which venture capital policy speaks to the Coalition aspirations of rebalancing the economy, decentralisation and localism in both complementary and contradictory ways are emphasised. As is how the North East (but also other Northern regions) is embedded in multi-scalar relationships by virtue of its connections to EU funding streams, and in particular equity funding through the JEREMIE programme, thus raising interesting questions about the future direction of UK venture capital policy.

Defending Antipodean economic geography

In response to the commentaries, we reflect on the pitfalls and opportunities that come with identifying and naming ‘Antipodean economic geographies’ and in particular emphasise the practical aspects of this decision. We also critically reflect on suggestions that we have brought such knowledges into a set of market relations, citing how the recently published International Benchmarking Review of UK Human Geography gives added salience to the intentions of our original paper. Finally, we note the useful ground clearing that these commentaries make for future debates around the politics and whereness of economic geographical knowledge production in new global contexts.

Translating comparative economy into material practice

Peck’s (2012) paper on ‘island life’ is replete with ingredients that reflect ‘gold standard’ thinking in economic geography, making it hard to take issue with the messages and observations it espouses. Nonetheless, this response raises a series of questions and concerns about how this important dialogue can be animated and translated into material practice. For example, what would a positive intellectual project around comparative economy look like, and what material difference could it potentially make? Likewise, who should be the actors that are involved in these projects and who should benefit from these collaborative projects beyond the academy? Also questioned is whether or not comparative economy and close critical scrutiny of the ‘market’ is the lynchpin to prompt greater interdisciplinary collaborations between economic geographers and economists, given the notion that this is a seemingly cyclical buoy that economic geographers have been around before.