Shrink Smart - The Governance of Shrinkage

Katowice Conurbation - Upper Silesian Industrial District / Poland

The Katowice conurbation (GOP) is the biggest urban region in Poland with 2.4 million inhabitants. As a result of the social and economic changes after 1990 the region has lost population. However, population losses are distributed very unevenly in the region – as are governance responses. The study focuses on the process in two neighbouring cities (Bytom and Sosnowiec) who provide different trajectories of urban shrinkage as well as policy responses towards it.


Bytom: refurbished and vacant housing
Sosnowiec: coal mine
Sosnowiec new investment on cleared site
Photos by Annegret Haase

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Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities