Pavel Chromý

Regional identity as a driver or a barrier in the process of regional development: A comparison of selected European experience

The article contributes to the ‘new’ European regionalism by discussing the role that regional identity can play in regional development. It is based on the concept of ‘regional identity’ as the keystone of the institutionalization of the region and as consisting of two intertwined and complementary components: the regional consciousness of the inhabitants and the identity of a region. Through the heuristic study of relevant scholarly articles, the authors critically discuss six case studies from European countries dealing with the relationship between regional identity and regional development and published in the first decade of the new millennium. To date, research has examined the role of regional identity as both a successful and unsuccessful driver in regional development. From the case studies, a third possible role of regional identity is identified: regional identity as a barrier to regional development. Further, the article discusses the relationship between these three roles and attempts to identify factors causing the differentiation of the effects of regional identity in the context of regional development.

REGIONAL PRODUCT LABELLING AS PART OF THE REGION FORMATION PROCESS. THE CASE OF CZECHIA

Regional product labelling can be described as a part of ‘alternative food networks’ since both of them share the idea of ‘re-connecting’ spatially and socially separated production and consumption. This article situates the issue of regional products in the broader context of region formation. It aims to the factors essential for the implementation of a labelling scheme in a given region in order to cast light on the relationship between regional labelling and the process of a region’s institutionalisation. By analysing a set of 22 labelling schemes of the Association of Regional Brands we seek to find answers to the following questions: Which regions have been introducing regional labelling schemes and what do they have in common from the geographic point of view?; What is the place of a regional product label in the process of the region’s institutionalisation? Data on individual regions obtained through an analysis of electronic and printed sources was confronted with specialised literature and thematic maps. We studied spatial characteristics as well as features determining a region’s place in the process of institutionalisation. The most striking common features of regions, which are decisive factors in the implementation of a labelling scheme, include the rural character and a certain degree of problem occurrence the motivate regional stakeholders to overcome those difficulties, but do not impede further development. Another important factor is an attractive natural landscape.

SOCIAL METABOLISM OF CZECH AGRICULTURE IN THE PERIOD 1830–2010

This article presents the concept of social metabolism and highlights its use for the analysis of the development of agriculture in Czechia. Similar to the general discipline of geography, social metabolism investigates the interactions between people and nature throughout time and space. In this article, we apply social metabolism methods, such as energy flow analysis (EFA), to investigate the transformation of Czech agriculture during the 1830–2010 period. The article is based on public data, as well as datasets compiled by the authors. The article documents the changes in Czechia’s historical development and its effect on land use and agriculture through the observation of several metabolic key indicators within their historical context. It primarily concentrates on changes in crop and livestock production, land use, and associated demographic and societal developments. We conclude that the strategies of all political regimes in the 19th and most of the 20th century increased the socio-metabolic output of agriculture, despite a very different political and economic background. Only the collapse of the Eastern Block resulted in a restructuring of the agricultural sector that produced a visible change in agricultural energy flows trends.

BARRIERS IN FUNCTIONING OF CZECH GEOPARKS IN THE CONTEXT OF DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES

The article focuses on geoparks as areas with a specific form of local heritage protection. It contributes to a research into two interconnected fields: firstly, the research into local people’s participation in local development; secondly, the research into tourism sustainability. Discussion of foreign publications reveals that in the context of Czechia geoparks are misunderstood concept. This argument is supported by a case study from one part of the National Geopark Železne hory. The field research proved that there are significant barriers to meeting the purpose of geoparks. Two conditions are required in geoparks: the possibility of cooperation among local actors and the ability to be competitive through a diverse offer of services and products. The paper discusses factors affecting the actual state of society and their operation in the local development. The aim of the paper is to identify the obstacles to the development of geoparks as a reflection of the problems in local and regional development. In addition, the article deals with possible instruments for the management of geoparks and their utilization for effective coordination of local development.

The importance of symbols in the region formation process

ABSTRACT The aim in the article is to conceptualize the general foundations of research on the importance of regional symbolism in the process of region and regional identity formation. The article is founded on a critical analysis of works pertaining not only to the field of the new regional geography, but also to the field of regional marketing and/or branding, sociology, and semiology. The authors focus on meanings attributed to symbols and symbolism in literature, and observe which elements are viewed as regional symbols and how these symbols contribute to the process of regional development and institutionalization, especially in the formation of its symbolic shape. They examine the thematic and theoretical grounds, looking at identity, regional identity, and regional institutionalization. Next, regional symbols are defined and classified according to their types and forms, and their importance in the process of regional formation and institutionalization is discussed. The results show that symbols of any type can play an important role in a region’s marketing, and become the key image associated with a region. The authors conclude that regional symbols are a significant feature of the formation of a region and its identity, both outwardly (the external image of a region) and inwardly (concerning the inhabitants’ relationships with their region).