Conceptualizing sub-national regional cooperation

Regional cooperation is best understood through a geographical lens, where the region itself plays an active role beyond just being a container for agreements. The Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia exemplifies this with its bottom-up process that led to a regional trademark, showcasing how diverse local actors and socio-economic conditions shape cooperation. This case highlights the limitations of rigid jurisdictional boundaries and preexisting categories like inter-municipal cooperation or metropolitan areas. The study, based on 19 semi-structured interviews, emphasizes the need for flexible, context-dependent approaches to regional cooperation.

Morales, D. (2020). Conceptualizing sub-national regional cooperation. Regions and Cohesion, 10(1), 61–87. https://doi.org/10.3167/reco.2020.100105