Public Policies and Territorial Cohesion (2013-2024): A Systematic Literature Review

Résumé fourni par la source

Although territorial cohesion has become a central principle in European public policy and spatial planning debates, there is limited understanding of how the concept has been framed and operationalised within public policy-oriented academic literature. This research contributes to the systematic mapping and synthesis of how territorial cohesion has been conceptualised in the context of public policies. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) analysed 53 articles identified in the SCOPUS database, published in the last decade. The SLR included a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer and a content analysis using the SHARLY AI tool. Three clusters of approaches to public territorial cohesion policies were identified, which are operationalised in ten categories. From a macro perspective, a conceptual approach and contextualisation within the EU is carried out. At a meso level, the concept applies to national public policies, focusing on categories such as mobility, spatial justice, sustainability and governance. In micro terms, territorial cohesion applies to local governance, favouring territorial diversity, social cohesion and economic development. The article contributes to academic discourse by systematising how territorial cohesion has been associated with public policies across different governance levels and policy domains, clarifying both dominant approaches and areas requiring further conceptual and empirical development.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.