Aspects of contradiction in regional policy: The case of North-East England

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Abstract
Cousins J. M. (1974) Aspects of contradiction in regional policy: The case of North-East England, Reg. Studies 8, 133–144. The traditional sociological approach to regionalism presents regions as forms of social collectivities. In this paper we argue that the discussion of whether regions may be defined in this way is unimportant. Their significance lies firstly in the sets of regional policies which have been employed in Britain since the 1930s specifically isolating regional problems and proposing solutions; and secondly in the emergent regional organizations which have articulated these analyses and prescriptions. However, such policies and organizations cannot be simply interpreted from an evolutionary perspective, nor can it be inferred that their emergence in itself provides proof of a more fundamental continuity of interest within regions. We document the situation in Britain's Northern region, where, despite nominal changes in the constitutions and membership of these bodies, they display over time a similarity of policy prescriptions.

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