Garri Raagmaa

Shifts in regional development of Estonia during the transition

Abstract The social and political developments of the last two centuries within the territory of the Republic of Estonia have shaped the present regional distribution of population and economy. Of all the social processes, special attention has to be drawn to the post‐World War II transition from an agricultural to an industrial society. This brought about intensive urbanization and led to the regional differences. At present, the process of transition to an information society exercises influence on social patterns. Of the political factors that have shaped the development of regional processes in Estonia, the politics of Russia (former Soviet Union) was the most influential. Estonia has been both directly involved and a separate political entity. Already for the second time the economy of the Republic of Estonia has had to reorient from the eastern markets to the western. This has also brought about sharp changes in the administration and development of the border regions, some of which have become back...

Europeanization and De-Europeanization of Estonian Regional Policy

Abstract Over the last two decades, the role of the EU can be considered highly important in advancing institutional reforms and overall development in Estonia. The article focuses on Estonian regional policy (RP) and analyses whether it has gone through Europeanization (i.e. convergence with EU regulations and values, or followed its own development path). The institutional cycle model of territorial governance is used for establishing the analytical framework. The research was largely carried out as a second-person action research and used interviews over the period of 1990–2011. The article concludes that Estonian RP shows considerable dynamics as public and political support to RP, administrative structures and policy tools have changed. Europeanization of Estonian RP was most visible in 1994–1998, when an institutional framework was created, in parallel with intensive learning from the West. Overall, in 1999–2004 the application of EU cohesion policy tools took place with significant convergence. After joining the EU in 2004, national RP programmes were reduced, the institutional framework was frozen and a selective application of EU rules and the use of EU cohesion policy measures for achieving some personal political agendas started, driving Estonian RP away from common European values.

The Future of Collective Farms' Built Social Infrastructure: Choosing Between Central Place and Network Theories

Abstract The aim of this paper is to discuss local and regional planning and development practices in a post‐socialist country such as Estonia. Two approaches — central places and network theories — are used as a conceptual basis. According to the first hypothesis, planning and development of social infrastructure (e.g. schools, sports halls) has remained based on the central place theory — as an outdated planning approach — in Estonia. The second hypothesis argues that while, on the one hand, the application of the network paradigm and increased cooperation between local communities would considerably save public resources, on the other hand, because of the path dependency of Soviet centralized planning and development practices, the networking and lobbying takes place vertically rather than horizontally. This restricts both administrative cooperation and networking on the local and regional levels. The paper consists of three parts. The first part describes the turn in Western planning theory: the shift from normative top‐down planning to a bottom‐up approach and networking. The second part analyses critically the Soviet and post‐Soviet planning theory and practices: the planning and development culture created during the Soviet era. Finally we present a case study of a community planning procedure in the Suure‐Jaani locality — a good example of the influence of historical changes in the settlement system and planning culture of the past on current development.

An emerging biomedical business in a low capitalised country

This paper focuses on the description of an emerging biomedical business in an old university town Tartu, Estonia. The case can be considered rather unique as far as new high‐tech industries are normally developed in rich regions with high human and venture capital. Firstly, we identify very basic theoretical and methodological principles for this study. We continue with a general statistical data analysis of biomedical business in Estonia and Tartu. Thirdly, we examine the local business environment. Finally, we follow the institutional set‐up of R&D support structures and the activities of universities in creating new spin‐off companies.

Regional higher education institutions in regional leadership and development

ABSTRACT Regional higher education institutions in regional leadership and development. Regional Studies. This paper analyses the evolution, the embeddedness in regional structures and the contribution to leadership of Estonian regional higher education institutions. The conceptual framework combines institutional and complexity leadership theories to create a typology of regional higher education institutions. The empirical material is based on interviews and survey data. It seems that in order to be successful, regional higher education institutions and their leaders have to act not only as educators but also as proactive institutional entrepreneurs, shaping regional strategies and institutional development as well as national policies.

Preface: The Heritage of Edgar Kant and Johannes Gabriel Granö

The names of Johannes Gabriel Granö and Edgar Kant are well known in geography, especially in landscape studies and economic, urban and regional geography. Their contribution seemed groundbreaking to their contemporaries, but even today many discussions stem from the initial sources of J.G. Granö and E. Kant. Granö and his student Kant hold a special role in the establishment of Estonian geography, which is why the Institute of Geography of the University of Tartu arranged the conference ‘From Native and Landscape Research to Urban and Regional Studies’, which was dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of J.G. Granö and 100th anniversary of the birth of E. Kant on 23–24 August 2002 in Tartu, Estonia. The memorial conference had sixty-eight participants from fourteen countries. Twenty-four papers were presented, a limited number of which are included in the present special volume. The papers were divided into four principal themes: (1) the impact of J.G. Granö and E. Kant in scientific history; (2) anthropo-ecology and landscape studies; (3) urban geography, and (4) central places and networks. The conference has already produced feedback in the form of a collection Origins of Landscape Science. J.G. Granö and a New Pure Geography for a New State , edited by Olavi Granö, published in 2003 1 , which presents a biography of Johannes Gabriel Granö and an overview of his principal works including some papers of the 2002 memorial conference. The present issue supports the above collection and is dedicated primarily to the heritage of Edgar Kant. Edgar Kant was innovative in his time as a scientist, but unfortunately, he remains out of the limelight due to his modest nature and unfavourable social and political situation (war, forced emigration). Perhaps that is the reason why his contemporaries who knew his colourful personality, and the researchers who have been fascinated by his texts which even now contain novel ideas, have kept introducing his ideas in new perspectives. The articles in this issue have been written by superb specialists on Edgar Kant and his heritage, so I will not repeat their content. I will only point out an earlier concept which is covered to a lesser extent in the papers, but which was the centre of Kant’s empirical analysis of the Estonian population and economic changes. 2

Spatial Planning in the Baltic States: Impacts of European Policies

Baltic societies have been transformed rapidly since the beginning of the 1990s, whereas planning institutions and organizational cultures in the Baltic States have only changed rather incrementally despite various national and European pressures for reform. As a consequence, the extent of Europeanization of spatial planning has been limited in the Baltic region, and the effects of cohesion and structural policy measures have been quite modest. This paper focuses on these changes in spatial planning in the Baltic States and is divided into three main parts. The paper begins by describing the historical and cultural context of spatial development in the Baltic States. Second, it discusses processes of Europeanization of spatial planning in the specific context of the Baltic States, and third, it considers whether these processes may be leading to policy convergence in the region.

Empowering People and Enterprises with Strong Cultural and Territorial Identity: A Case Study of Setomaa, Estonia

As put by Dahrendorf (1959): to be successful means to be liked, and to be liked means, in many ways, to be alike. This chapter describes how to use cultural identity as a tool of economic development through the empowerment of local enterprises and people “as reported by Friedmann (Empowerment: The Politics of alternative development. Oxford: Blackwell, 1992)”. Cultural particularities might once have been considered a disadvantage in the modernist standardized world; but cultural assets are now increasingly being viewed as quite the contrary –a source for new regional economies, boosted by the current media-driven world to present difference and alternatives. This case study of Setomaa shows that cultural uniqueness can now be envisioned as a ‘regional advantage’. This innovative approach means that a location ‘on the geographic periphery’ is no more a sign of hopelessness but – in the case of some traditional well preserved amenities – instead is a resource for local enterprises. This is also a challenge to the conventional approach which states that population growth is a lead indicator for regional prosperity: Setomaa is expected to contract in terms of population in the future, however, continued economic development is still possible for the region, due to the focus on leveraging its ‘wealth’ of cultural identity.

Advancing Education for Planning Professionals in Estonia—Between New Qualities and Path-Dependency

The chapter examines the factors and drivers influencing planning-related university programs in Estonia. In recent years, both the planning system and academia have been coping with high levels of societal dynamism and transition associated with the assertion of national independence in 1991, while seeking to overcome path-dependencies and to capture and implement innovative planning approaches. A shift from land use to strategic spatial planning requires the introduction of a new knowledge set in respect to balanced interdisciplinary and specialized directions. Results from a survey of planning practitioners illustrate the need for qualified planners, and upskilling of current practitioners who lack of competencies for contemporary planning approaches. Although in the 2000s, the number of quasi-planning degree programs reached a peak at 20 planning-related programs in six universities, the educational provision in the country lacks diversity and remains mostly limited to programs rooted in environmental and engineering disciplines. An alternative model for a cross-university joint planning program advancing the diversity of current programs, widening the array of subjects and depth of scholarship to enhance future qualities of the planning profession for a small European country could not be implemented thus far. However, as a major positive shift in professional advancement, setting professional codes and certification for spatial planners serves as post-curriculum standardization and harmonization of knowledge and skills, as well strengthening planners’ position in the Estonian planning scene.