19.03.2026 13:00 - 19.03.2026 14:00

online

Convenors:

• Dr. Martina Schorn, Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research
• Dr. Lena Greinke, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Environmental Planning

Shrinking areas are increasingly becoming the focus of spatial planning in Europe. Numerous studies have already examined the development of these areas. Currently, shrinkage is often equated with rural and peripheral areas. However, a more nuanced perspective towards shrinkage and potential solutions to overcome negative demographic trends is needed. Especially the perspectives of youth and young adults has largely been neglected to date.

The aim of the Lunch Talk “Planning the Future for Youth in Europe’s Shrinking Areas” is therefore to bring together scholars from different fields of expertise and reflect on both, the perspectives of shrinking areas and those of young people. The focus is on various topics such as youth participation and youth policies, or strategies to revive shrinking regions. 

Besides that, we want to put a special emphasis on the specific expertise topics of interest and current project outputs of the speakers involved in the Lunch Talk. The invited speakers each represent different perspectives, ensuring a diverse exchange. 

Overall, the Lunch Talk focuses not only on planning in a narrow sense, but includes also strategic perspectives, such as policymaking and participatory approaches, in order to generate diverse results that can be applied in future planning processes.

Lunch Talk speakers

• Associate Prof. Romina Rodela, Södertörn University
• Associate Prof. Dr. Naja Marot, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Landscape Architecture
• Prof. Dr. Annett Steinführer, Thünen Institute of Rural Studies, Braunschweig, and University of Rostock
• Dr. Ria-Maria Adams, Universität Wien, Institut für Kultur- und Sozialanthropologie

Registration

Register here >> ARL Lunch Talk #15 Planning the Future for Youth

 The talk will take place via WebEx; you will receive the participation link in advance.