In the shadow of a French national narrative which demonises and rejects local specificities, highly differentiated territorial political spaces have been created, shaped by identity, decentralisation, and public policy. This book analyses regional power in France and paints a picture of a controversial central state undergoing fundamental changes.

List of Maps List of Tables Introduction: Regions and the Dynamics of Political Space PART I: THE REGION AS A SPACE OF MOBILISATION 1. Regionalism And The Construction Of Identity 2. Regionalism And Political Competition PART II: THE REGION AS FUNCTIONAL SPACE 3. Regionalisation And Policies Of Territorial Justice 4. Regionalisation And Territorial State Reforms PART III: THE REGION AS SPACE OF GOVERNANCE 5. Regional Space And European Governance 6. Regions And Territorial Governance Conclusion: Regional Power And Territorial Differentiation Bibliography

Romain Pasquier is a CNRS Research Professor (Directeur de recherche) at the 'Centre de recherche sur l'action politique en Europe', Institute of Political Studies, University of Rennes, France. His field of research deals with territorial governance, regionalism and State reform in Europe.