Uneven development and neo-corporatism in the Greek urban realm

Abstract

This paper portrays the urbanisation and governance profile of Greek cities and explores their capacity to respond to EU calls for enhanced  competitiveness and synergistic policy-making. The distinctiveness of the Greek urban example, it is argued, is not well adjusted to European spatial priorities and neo-corporatist modes of intervention. Two case study cities illustrate the argument: Keratsini-Drapetsona, facing the realities of de-industrialisation, and Iraklion, a city on the island of Crete with dynamic development indicators. The paper concludes by discussing the mode of incorporation of cities in the current National Strategic Reference Framework (2007-2013).