By: Tagai, G. (2019) This paper aims at assessing the role of services of general…
RELOCAL Working Paper Series 3 – Paper on Assessing spatial justice practices in innovation ecosystem: The endeavour of the Alexander Innovation Zone in Thessaloniki
By: Topaloglou, L. (2019)
The concept of spatial justice indicates a fair and equitable distribution in space of socially valued resources and the opportunities. On this basis, this paper examines the case study of the Alexander Innovation Zone (AIZ), of the Metropolitan Area of Thessaloniki, in Greece, focusing on specific locality, within wider territorial and policy context. What is attempted is to test place-based regional policies dealt with innovation ecosystems, through the lens of spatial justice, investigating whether a focus on localities would be better able to deliver the demands of spatial justice. The hypothesis to be tested is that equity in socially valued resources and opportunities can be achieved through place-based strategies. Based upon empirical material collected in 2018, within the framework of RELOCAL project (H2020, www.relocal.eu), this contribution attempt to shed some light in the aforementioned research hypothesis.