Divergent paths of socio‑economic development in the old industrial region of Katowice, Poland Cover Image

Trajektorie rozwoju społeczno‑ekonomicznego w poprzemysłowym obszarze metropolitalnym
Divergent paths of socio‑economic development in the old industrial region of Katowice, Poland

Author(s): Krzysztof Gwosdz, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, Agnieszka Sobala-Gwosdz, Małgorzata Suchacka
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Sociology, Social development, Social differentiation, Rural and urban sociology, Economic development
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: socio‑economic paths of development; social and spatial inequalities; old industrial region

Summary/Abstract: The main purpose of the paper is to assess trends in local and regional socio‑economic development in a postindustrial metropolitan region undergoing fundamental change of its development trajectory. The study area consists of the Katowice urban region — the second largest metropolitan region in Poland after Warsaw. The Katowice urban region has been one of Poland’s two main problem areas characterized by environmental, social, and economic problems of national importance. The heavily industrial region experienced a substantial social and economic transformation after Poland became a democratic nation in 1989. Positive processes of socio‑economic development occur selectively across the discussed urban region and large differences in the trajectory of local socio‑economic development constitute significant challenges for the whole metropolitan region. The authors argue that the period of fundamental change of the socio‑economic trajectory in a fragmented system of management and under the extreme neoliberal model of development (as is in the case of the Katowice conurbation after 1989) will lead to the polarization and growing inequalities within the region.

  • Issue Year: 9/2018
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 120-137
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Polish