Details zur Publikation

Kategorie Textpublikation
Referenztyp Zeitschriften
DOI 10.1080/04353684.2021.1884498
Volltext Akzeptiertes Manuskript
Titel (primär) Contextualizing small towns – trends of demographic spatial development in Germany 1961–2018
Autor Wolff, M.; Haase, A.; Leibert, T.
Quelle Geografiska Annaler Series B-Human Geography
Erscheinungsjahr 2021
Department SUSOZ
Band/Volume 103
Heft 3
Seite von 196
Seite bis 217
Sprache englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Contextualizing_small_towns_trends_of_demographic_spatial_development_in_Germany_1961_2018/13911323
Keywords Small town; Germany; spatial development; demographic change; analytical approach
Abstract For the past ten years, the growth debate has been urban-centric, at least in Germany, while rural areas have been largely associated with depopulation. Despite their importance, small towns fall into a systematic perception gap in scientific and planning discourses. Against this background, this paper applies a threefold conceptualization of scalar relations paying analytical attention to (1) population trajectories, (2) the relation of spatial proximity and development, and (3) the influence of international migration on population development. Covering the period 1961–2018, this paper shows that despite a current demographic respite due to increased international migration, many small towns will continue to face the long-term consequences of population decline. This is accompanied by an increasing spatial differentiation of population growth rates. The relation between proximity to large centres and population growth is weakening, giving rise to other factors, e.g. residential amenities and competition between small and medium-sized towns. Based on this quantitative assessment, we conclude that small towns are the most dynamic settlement type in Germany and, at the same time, extremely heterogeneous in terms of trajectories and underlying driving factors. We also discuss conceptual aspects regarding process-understanding, terms, categories, and tools to analytically grasp the complexity of small towns.
dauerhafte UFZ-Verlinkung https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=24290
Wolff, M., Haase, A., Leibert, T. (2021):
Contextualizing small towns – trends of demographic spatial development in Germany 1961–2018
Geogr. Ann. Ser. B-Human Geogr. 103 (3), 196 - 217 10.1080/04353684.2021.1884498