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The Government and Sustainable Local Development Research Group is the result of the union of two previous research groups, the Sustainable Territorial Development Research Group coordinated by Dr. Joaquín Farinós Dasí and the Local Government Research Group and its principal investigator is Dr. Joaquín Martín Cubas.

The new research group addresses issues related to the study of territorial management at local or regional scales, including territorial development planning, public policy analysis, regional and European development policies and regional political geography; with the aim of promoting innovation in the processes of local government and management, thanks to the analysis and study of the structures of local public administrations, local government management and citizen participation.

Two issues are essential when it comes to understanding this group. On the one hand, sustainable development as a way for competitiveness. The elaboration of regional development plans serves to delimit the weaknesses and strengths of a territory and to outline the possible routes or strategic guidelines to be competitive regions. Also, to rescue certain special characteristics of some localities and their strengths to be the basis of a new local development. Likewise, it is key to attend to management and public, since the evaluation of local policies is necessary to propose new models, approaches and techniques that contribute to improve the functioning and management of local entities.
 
Thus, the areas of knowledge addressed include:

  • Territorial Development Planning
  • Analysis of Public Policies
  • Regional Development Policies
  • Regional Political Geography
  • Political Science and Institutions
  • Political life
  • Political Sociology
  • Public administration

The research group is attached to the Institute of Local Development of the University of Valencia (IIDL), a center for research and theoretical and practical specialization in the field of local development, in its broadest sense, made up of researchers from the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) and the Universitat de València, experts in the various themes covered by the concept of sustainable development, a framework for the implementation of local development policies and strategies.

Research at IIDL is structured in four areas. Each of them incorporates in turn, the different aspects and strategies addressed on a thematic level depending on the characteristics and content of research.

Area I: Territorial Governance, Spatial Planning and Environment

Its objectives are to contribute to a better understanding of territorial dynamics and new forms of planning and governance of territorial and sectorial policies at different levels, in order to promote sustainable development. Subareas:

o Regional Economy and Development

o Centre for Analysis, Research and Urban Documentation (CAIDU)

o Systems Planning and Land Use: Methodology. Planning Infrastructure and Equipment. Transport and Mobility. Regional Structure and Transport. Mediterranean Axis

o Innovation Processes, Territorial Externalities, Industrial Districts and Development. Knowledge Networks

o Sustainable Water Management. Desertification, Waste and Pollution. Risk Analysis and Management

o Structure of Government. Public Policies. Strategic Planning and Management of Local and Metropolitan Governments. Territorial Government

Area II: Local Development

Its objectives are to analyse the policies and strategies for sustainable local development, though innovation processes, knowledge networks, regional economy, international cooperation, migratory currents, and human and social capital. Subareas:

o Local Development. Policies and Strategies. Rural Development

o Geographic Information Systems and Territorial Processes

o Demographic Changes, Migratory Currents and Human Capital. Social Capital

o Human Development. Welfare State. System for Personal Autonomy and Dependants

o International Cooperation

o Social Responsibility of Business

Area III: Tourism and Economics Culture

Its objectives are to study the different groups of cultural management and tourism industry to promote the development of territories using culture economics as a discipline that generates said development. Subareas:

o Tourism and Territory

o Culture Economics

Area IV: Social Cohesion

Its objectives are to foster human development with community intervention work in situations of vulnerability and social exclusion. Expanding into the Welfare State and the processes of social participation, consultation and revitalization. Subareas:

o Human Development

o Welfare State. System for Personal Autonomy and Dependants

o Socio-Educational Intervention and Social Participation

o Consultation Processes and Social Revitalization

o Community Intervention on the New Vulnerability and Social Exclusion

o Processes of Inclusion and Personal Development