ABSTRACT
Chapter 4, entitled ‘Varieties of localism’, highlights the contrast between ‘old’ and ‘new’ localism, particularly within the UK. ‘Old’ localism is principally about established local governance. Theories of local governance emphasize either its place within a broader system of state rule or its role as a focus for local identity. Some countries have a well-developed pattern of neighbourhood governance, and there is increasing interest in governance at the community level. This is a key feature of Green political theory and of citizen initiatives such as the Transition Movement. Such initiatives challenge conventional discourses of neighbourhoods as backwaters of ignorance and parochialism, or as post-industrial wastelands left behind in the wake of globalization. Digital technologies have significantly transformed the way in which local communities relate to established power geometries. Localities can now bypass existing power hierarchies and connect with each other across physical space. This enables them to exercise greater influence on world affairs. The shifting nature of contemporary localism is reflected in the recent history of the Cornwall/Isles of Scilly sub-region. Though conscious of its distinctive identity and of its desire to be an autonomous political player, Cornwall is constrained by having to operate within the UK’s top-down governance culture.
