Territories that refuse to fade away: Insights from the Províncias of Northern Portugal and the Comarcas of Galicia (Spain)
In this article we explore the interaction between the spatialities of the state and the spatial imaginaries by investigating the manifestation of territories beyond institutional practices. We want to understand the relevance of territories that, despite not being integrated into the political-adm...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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European Association of Geographers
2023-10-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Geography |
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| Online Access: | https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/471 |
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| author | Inês Gusman Alejandro Otero-Varela |
| author_facet | Inês Gusman Alejandro Otero-Varela |
| author_sort | Inês Gusman |
| collection | DOAJ |
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In this article we explore the interaction between the spatialities of the state and the spatial imaginaries by investigating the manifestation of territories beyond institutional practices. We want to understand the relevance of territories that, despite not being integrated into the political-administrative structure of the state, refuse to fade away. We examine deactivated supra-municipal divisions of two neighborhood states: the províncias of the Northern Portugal and the comarcas of Galicia (Spain). Both cases are examined through a combination of geohistorical analysis of the administrative organization of the states, alongside a revision of tangible and intangible practices of local stakeholders in which these territories persist. The exploration of geographical naming is a significant aspect of the analysis. The results indicate that both províncias and comarcas are currently mobilized by stakeholders with many purposes and assumed varied shapes to assert their existence from the bottom up. These are claimed as the suitable divisions of territory and used to contest the spatialities imposed by the state. The inclusion of the imaginaries associated with these territories on formal regional planning practices would lead to a future where the territorial diversity of the countries is acknowledged, and the endogenous characteristics embraced.
Highlights:
• Social relevance of deactivated territories and the reasons why they remain significant
• Diverse material and immaterial practices that shape the existence of non-institutionalized territories
• Acknowledgement of their socio-spatial value for enhancing planning and cooperation in governance
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5d52f48269594fc4acf93c9369edb57e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1792-1341 2410-7433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | European Association of Geographers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Geography |
| spelling | doaj-art-5d52f48269594fc4acf93c9369edb57e2025-08-20T02:51:19ZengEuropean Association of GeographersEuropean Journal of Geography1792-13412410-74332023-10-0114410.48088/ejg.i.gus.14.4.001.012482Territories that refuse to fade away: Insights from the Províncias of Northern Portugal and the Comarcas of Galicia (Spain)Inês Gusman0Alejandro Otero-Varela 1Department of Geography, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and Social Sciences Institute, Uni-versity of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal Department of Geography, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain In this article we explore the interaction between the spatialities of the state and the spatial imaginaries by investigating the manifestation of territories beyond institutional practices. We want to understand the relevance of territories that, despite not being integrated into the political-administrative structure of the state, refuse to fade away. We examine deactivated supra-municipal divisions of two neighborhood states: the províncias of the Northern Portugal and the comarcas of Galicia (Spain). Both cases are examined through a combination of geohistorical analysis of the administrative organization of the states, alongside a revision of tangible and intangible practices of local stakeholders in which these territories persist. The exploration of geographical naming is a significant aspect of the analysis. The results indicate that both províncias and comarcas are currently mobilized by stakeholders with many purposes and assumed varied shapes to assert their existence from the bottom up. These are claimed as the suitable divisions of territory and used to contest the spatialities imposed by the state. The inclusion of the imaginaries associated with these territories on formal regional planning practices would lead to a future where the territorial diversity of the countries is acknowledged, and the endogenous characteristics embraced. Highlights: • Social relevance of deactivated territories and the reasons why they remain significant • Diverse material and immaterial practices that shape the existence of non-institutionalized territories • Acknowledgement of their socio-spatial value for enhancing planning and cooperation in governance https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/471institutionalization of territoriesspatial imaginariesNorthern PortugalGaliciaterritorialities |
| spellingShingle | Inês Gusman Alejandro Otero-Varela Territories that refuse to fade away: Insights from the Províncias of Northern Portugal and the Comarcas of Galicia (Spain) European Journal of Geography institutionalization of territories spatial imaginaries Northern Portugal Galicia territorialities |
| title | Territories that refuse to fade away: Insights from the Províncias of Northern Portugal and the Comarcas of Galicia (Spain) |
| title_full | Territories that refuse to fade away: Insights from the Províncias of Northern Portugal and the Comarcas of Galicia (Spain) |
| title_fullStr | Territories that refuse to fade away: Insights from the Províncias of Northern Portugal and the Comarcas of Galicia (Spain) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Territories that refuse to fade away: Insights from the Províncias of Northern Portugal and the Comarcas of Galicia (Spain) |
| title_short | Territories that refuse to fade away: Insights from the Províncias of Northern Portugal and the Comarcas of Galicia (Spain) |
| title_sort | territories that refuse to fade away insights from the provincias of northern portugal and the comarcas of galicia spain |
| topic | institutionalization of territories spatial imaginaries Northern Portugal Galicia territorialities |
| url | https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/471 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT inesgusman territoriesthatrefusetofadeawayinsightsfromtheprovinciasofnorthernportugalandthecomarcasofgaliciaspain AT alejandrooterovarela territoriesthatrefusetofadeawayinsightsfromtheprovinciasofnorthernportugalandthecomarcasofgaliciaspain |