Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in this book. This book examines the notion of localism and its multiple meanings in the economic, social, political and environmental domains and highlights the tensions that arise from the localism agenda. It describes localism lies at an institutional-territorial-representational nexus with its own contested and continually changing ontologies, identities and boundaries. The book develops a theoretically grounded critique of the concept of localism and its articulation in the debates about: governance, democracy, citizen participation, place-making, social cohesion, civic capacity and sustainability transition. The motivations for localism range from communitarian intents to liberal and libertarian agendas and are riddled with tensions between progressive and regressive potentials. From a political perspective, localism denotes the decentralised and grass-roots forms of power. It is often used in the context of subsidiarity, devolution and decentralisation of the state's powers, activities and responsibilities downwards to local governments and sideways to the market and civil society.