Regional policy: What type of regional policy for Europe? Theoretical reflections and policy lessons from Sardinia

In promoting European regional development, policymakers tend to pursue either an offensive, future-oriented or a defensive, tradition-preserving type of policy. Backed by theoretical notions and case evidence from an 'ordinary' region, i. e. the Italian island of Sardinia, the following paper argues that European regions could benefit more from a 'connective' type of policy that aims to connect lobal trends with local traditions.