Emerging functions of the wellbeing concept in regional development scholarship: A review. Issue 115 (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fudge, Maree; Ogier, Emily; Alexander, Karen A.
• Is Part Of: Environmental science & policy. Issue 115(2021)
• Page Start: 143
• Page End: 150
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Industry development -- Common pool resources -- Wellbeing -- Regional development -- Policy; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Sciences de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Environmental policy; Environmental sciences; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.70561
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2020.10.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-9011

Abstract

Highlights: Wellbeing 'turn' influencing regional development. The concepts are differently constituted. Nuanced and mixed methods approach is required. Abstract: Wellbeing has become important in regional development policy as decision-makers grapple with delivering public goods from industry exploitation of resource commons. We asked how these differently constituted concepts–'regional development' and 'wellbeing' – are handled in the literature. We identified four findings: i) an increasing focus on holistic sustainable development in regional development; ii) different approaches for pre-development planning and post-development impact assessment; iii) four key wellbeing components most common in regional development; iv) emergence of mixed methods approaches to investigating wellbeing and regional development. We conclude that synthesising wellbeing and regional development within a carefully designed interdisciplinary approach is required.