ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to provide a deeper understanding of the concept of territorial cohesion by tracing its roots in two influential but different planning cultures and traditions of France and Germany and by positioning it in the wider debate about the European social model. It suggests that the concept can be interpreted as the spatial manifestation of the European model. Hence, it adds a spatial justice dimension to European spatial policy. The chapter then discusses the pan-European application of territorial cohesion as a spatial concept, suggesting that this is likely to be fragmented and diverse, given the diversity of the national planning systems and their underlying social philosophies and cultural values, However, this is not to deny the significance of the ‘softer processes’ of transnational collaborative practices in creating a degree of harmonisation in this area.
