Abstract

This chapter seeks to interrogate the transformation of regions, in order to tease out the sometimes paradoxical relationship between various approaches to conceptualising space. It aims to connect discussions on different kinds of regions and regionalisms, considering both deinstitutionalisation and institutionalisation processes. The chapter analyses the two regions to demonstrate the links, gaps and fissures between different approaches to regions and regionalisms, are the municipality of Nurmo in western Finland and the supranational Barents Euro Arctic region in the northernmost Europe. Looking at Nurmo and Barents, it is easy to see a paradox: at the same time as old, meaningful regions that people identify with are being deinstitutionalised, new regions that are top down and insignificant to most, except perhaps regional elites, are being established. Accordingly, old regionalism, territoriality and regional identity, built upon the idea of boundedness, are often placed in contrast to ideas of relational thinking in current planning ethos, which emphasises competitiveness and economies of scale.