How bad is it? Variation in perceptions of regional economic conditions

Amuitz Garmendia Madariaga

Regional Studies, 2021 (doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2020.1869201).

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Abstract:

Drawing from recent theories of economic accountability that stress the contextual nature of attributed responsibility, this paper explores how variation in regional authority influences the interplay between objective regional economic conditions and perceived regional economic performance. The study uses a virtually unexplored set of surveys about public opinion in European Union regions in a broad sample of politically decentralized European democracies. The results demonstrate that while higher levels of self-rule increase the weight citizens place on economic outcomes when building their regional evaluations, higher levels of shared rule reduce it.

Citation:

Garmendia Madariaga, Amuitz (2021). How bad is it? Variation in perceptions of regional economic conditions. Regional Studies, 55(6), 1140–1153.