In the modern world, as states find it increasingly difficult to manage their territories, politically and economically, territory - in a new form understood as the 'city-region' - has re-emerged as an important element in political life. The interests of these city-regions are bound up with a wide range of territorial strategies, including devolution processes and independence referendums, cross-border cooperation, economic renewal and governance efficiency.

This book benchmarks city-regions with respect to their ongoing social innovation processes and a restructuring of the relationship between city-regions and their respective nation-states.