Futures of European welfare models and policies – Seeking actual research questions, and new problem-solving arsenal for European welfare states

The key research question is to discuss and elaborate the potential value added that futures studies could provide for European citizens and political, social and economic institutions. In the article the problems of European welfare policy issues are theoretically described and analysed. In the article broader framework to understand key policy issues of European welfare policy challenges are defined. A general analysis and generic model for European welfare policy is presented. The Authors also present futures oriented methodological approach to analyse and solve new challenges of European welfare policy problems. Key contributions of this article are: (1) Analysis of theoretical basis for construction of welfare models in future environments, (2) the relationship between research questions and topics in welfare policy planning and management, (3) the analysis of the relationship between futures oriented research questions, methodological stages and outcomes in the field of European welfare policy and (4) the concrete methodological proposal how futures research methodology can help to solve future puzzles of European welfare policy.</p

Conceptual export and theory mobilities: exploring the reception and development of the “creative city thesis” in the post-socialist urban realm

This paper addresses the limited contribution of scholarship from within/on the post-socialist urban arena to global urban studies, a phenomenon attributed to the influence of a hegemonic Anglo-American academic complex. We seek to present a more nuanced account by considering scholarship on the “creative city” in a post-socialist context. A numerical analysis of English language publications confirms the lack of impact of scholarship from/on post-socialist areas, though we do identify literature which may be “theory exporting” and emphasize the temporal dimension of the development of scholarship. We then consider the interaction of three global mobilities to present a more nuanced account of this pattern – the “creative city” thesis as globally mobile urban policy, the neoliberalization of universities as a globally mobile restructuring of the context in which these inequalities in knowledge-production are produced, and urban studies theorizing itself as a set of globally mobile concepts and practices. We therefore explore the dynamic interaction of a particular urban phenomenon (“creative city” policy) with academic knowledge production. Adopting this perspective allows us to emphasize other factors such as path dependencies within post-socialist areas and to give due emphasis to agency within the region and how these interact with global processes of neoliberalizing academia

Explaining the change : Creative industries policy from the perspective of social innovation

During the last decades the concept of creative industries (CI) has received increasing attention in policy as well as in theoretical discourse. Many of these discussions are underlined by the keyword ‘change’ : (re)defining the relations between economy and culture and creativity and the place, etc. The shifting role and position of the cities in this context has been especially emphasized. The efforts of trying to get CI to be taken seriously in economic terms led to policy responses that influenced the approach to cultural policy. Besides that we may also notice CI influence in economic, innovation and education policies. All these shifts call for explanation of the changes happening on the policy level. In this article the authors aim at explaining and conceptualising the changes related to CI policies. The authors raise the question about the nature of an intended change which is tried to achieve via CI policies. This means exploring the policy focus and scope, agents to whom the policy is addressed, the organisational structure of support and the measures developed. This article explores Tallinn CI policy in comparison of the CI policies of 11 European metropoles. Tallinn serves a good case for the study as it is a Central and Eastern-European city and thus, a ‘newcomer’ in terms of CI development and has got much less attention. Tallinn presents also a case where the development of CI policy has taken place on top-down principle which raises the question of acceptance of CI policy. As the theoretical framework the authors follow the concept of social innovation that is concerned with explaining the nature of a complex social change and the processes and mechanisms which facilitate the process of adoption of a change. Regarding the empirical data the authors relay on the results of the international study “Creative Metropoles” (2010) where the public policies of CI in eleven European metropoles, including Tallinn, were analysed

Creative industries in the capital cities of the Baltic states :are there innovations in urban policy?

The transformation of urban policy, resulting from 'creative industries' policy developments, is explored in this article, with respect to the Baltic capitals. Policy initiatives in the creative industries in Central and Eastern European cities have predominantly developed through policy transfers from Western Europe, with its long-term market economy experience. How adaptable are such policies for post-socialist cities? Using the concept of social innovation, this article describes mechanisms that facilitate policy acceptance and examines whether and how the development of creative industries has resulted in urban policy renewal in the Baltic capitals.475

Creative industries in the capital cities of the Baltic States: Are there innovations in urban policy?

The transformation of urban policy, resulting from ‘creative industries’ policy developments, is explored in this article, with respect to the Baltic capitals. Policy initiatives in the creative industries in Central and Eastern European cities have predominantly developed through policy transfers from Western Europe, with its long-term market economy experience. How adaptable are such policies for post-socialist cities? Using the concept of social innovation, this article describes mechanisms that facilitate policy acceptance and examines whether and how the development of creative industries has resulted in urban policy renewal in the Baltic capitals