This study explores the blurred category of medium-sized cities (MSCs) in France and Europe. It defines a schematic framework for understanding the causes and consequences that lead the historic centers of MSCs to decline and the factors that sustain it. Finally, it shows the political shift that has taken place at national level in France since the 2010s in favor of MSCs and their historic centers. The study illustrates its interpretations via a cross-analysis of four case studies of French medium-sized towns. Firstly, the study defines a specific framework for the term “medium-sized city”. It then analyzes the characteristics of these cities, and in particular compares the trajectories of French ones with those of towns in other Western countries, to show the similarities but above all the particularities of French territorial and political development. The study then explores the causes and forms of the decline of MSCs in France and Europe, through an analysis of both macro-economic dynamics (post-Fordism, metropolization) and local ones (suburbanization). The study shows that a public policy void has led to dramatic local situations for shrinking MSCs, which has contributed significantly to the French territorial divide. The study subsequently focuses on the crisis of historic centers of MSCs. By analyzing the characteristics of this decline (demographic decline, impoverishment, commercial and real estate vacancy), the study develops a schematic framework that explains the multi-scale interrelationships behind the decline of the historic centers of France's MSCs. Finally, the study shows the political breakthrough achieved on a national scale in France since the 2010s, notably with the introduction of the first cross-cutting program explicitly dedicated to the historic centers of MSCs: Action Cœur de Ville. The program provides ad hoc expertise, tools and funding to break out of the vicious circle of decline. At last, the study nuances the program's mode of governance and, above all, its developmentalist approach.
Questo studio esplora la categoria sfocata delle città di medie dimensioni (MSC) in Francia e in Europa. Definisce un quadro schematico per comprendere le cause e le conseguenze che portano i centri storici delle MSC al declino e i fattori che lo sostengono. Infine, mostra il cambiamento politico avvenuto a livello nazionale in Francia a partire dagli anni 2010 a favore dei CSM e dei loro centri storici. Lo studio illustra le sue interpretazioni attraverso un'analisi incrociata di quattro casi studio di città francesi di medie dimensioni. In primo luogo, lo studio definisce un quadro specifico per il termine “città di medie dimensioni”. Quindi analizza le caratteristiche di queste città, e in particolare confronta le traiettorie di quelle francesi con quelle delle città di altri Paesi occidentali, per mostrare le somiglianze ma soprattutto le particolarità dello sviluppo territoriale e politico francese. Lo studio esplora poi le cause e le forme del declino dei CSM in Francia e in Europa, attraverso un'analisi delle dinamiche macroeconomiche (post-fordismo, metropolizzazione) e locali (suburbanizzazione). Lo studio mostra che un vuoto di politiche pubbliche ha portato a situazioni locali drammatiche per la contrazione dei CSM, contribuendo in modo significativo al divario territoriale francese. Lo studio si concentra poi sulla crisi dei centri storici dei CSM. Analizzando le caratteristiche di questo declino (declino demografico, impoverimento, sfitto commerciale e immobiliare), lo studio sviluppa un quadro schematico che spiega le interrelazioni su più scale alla base del declino dei centri storici dei CSM francesi. Infine, lo studio mostra la svolta politica raggiunta su scala nazionale in Francia a partire dagli anni 2010, in particolare con l'introduzione del primo programma trasversale esplicitamente dedicato ai centri storici dei MSC: Action Cœur de Ville. Il programma fornisce competenze, strumenti e finanziamenti ad hoc per uscire dal circolo vizioso del declino. Infine, lo studio mette in luce la modalità di governance del programma e, soprattutto, il suo approccio sviluppista.
Decline of historic centers of medium-sized cities in France: a framework study to develop ad hoc policies
AHSSAINI, RAPHAËL
2023/2024
Abstract
This study explores the blurred category of medium-sized cities (MSCs) in France and Europe. It defines a schematic framework for understanding the causes and consequences that lead the historic centers of MSCs to decline and the factors that sustain it. Finally, it shows the political shift that has taken place at national level in France since the 2010s in favor of MSCs and their historic centers. The study illustrates its interpretations via a cross-analysis of four case studies of French medium-sized towns. Firstly, the study defines a specific framework for the term “medium-sized city”. It then analyzes the characteristics of these cities, and in particular compares the trajectories of French ones with those of towns in other Western countries, to show the similarities but above all the particularities of French territorial and political development. The study then explores the causes and forms of the decline of MSCs in France and Europe, through an analysis of both macro-economic dynamics (post-Fordism, metropolization) and local ones (suburbanization). The study shows that a public policy void has led to dramatic local situations for shrinking MSCs, which has contributed significantly to the French territorial divide. The study subsequently focuses on the crisis of historic centers of MSCs. By analyzing the characteristics of this decline (demographic decline, impoverishment, commercial and real estate vacancy), the study develops a schematic framework that explains the multi-scale interrelationships behind the decline of the historic centers of France's MSCs. Finally, the study shows the political breakthrough achieved on a national scale in France since the 2010s, notably with the introduction of the first cross-cutting program explicitly dedicated to the historic centers of MSCs: Action Cœur de Ville. The program provides ad hoc expertise, tools and funding to break out of the vicious circle of decline. At last, the study nuances the program's mode of governance and, above all, its developmentalist approach.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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AHSSAINI Raphael_Master Thesis.pdf
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/227618