Cities, hinterlands and disconnected urban-rural development: Perspectives from sparsely populated areas

This article introduces the special issue ‘Rural hinterland development in sparsely populated areas (SPAs): new challenges and opportunities arising from urbanisation within periphery’. It problematises relationships between growing cities SPAs, such as those commonly found Arctic, Outback similar remote resource peripheries of developed countries. Many SPAs are rapidly urbanising, with polarised becoming an ever-increasing concern for regional planners policy-makers. contributes to debates about impact that urban growth city-centric strategies might have on prospects small distant settlements hinterland. We first discuss why different other rural contexts when it comes urban-rural interactions introduce idea disconnectedness a defining feature SPAs. then review papers this collection, which include perspectives northern Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Scotland, Alaska, Australia, position them according their contributions theory, policy practice. The assumptions will automatically generate spillover or backwash effects emphasises need consider diverse mobility flows part interactions. also raises attention micro-scale hinterland, housing, services, amenities increasingly concentrating few towns. final discussion outlines important research into more effective partnership building how embrace targeted development.