Cross-jurisdictional Governance Practices and Implications from the Rescaling Perspective: The Case of Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region in Germany
Abstract：
The Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region (MRN), which is regarded as a model of German regional governance, features nearly 70 years of cross-state governance practices. Its experience can provide implications for the regional governance across provinces and cities in China. This paper reviews regional governance experience from the perspective of rescaling and focuses on an empirical case, MRN. Literature and interviews with key actors are drawn to support the analysis of the participating actors, governing instruments, and coordinating mechanisms in its rescaling process. The analysis results show that: (1) in terms of participants, the cross-jurisdictional governance in MRN has achieved diversified participants led by public sector; (2) in terms of governance instruments, a regional integration plan with legal status has been developed, which is well integrated into the German federal planning system and, together with market and administrative means, ensures the subsequent development of related projects (e.g., regional transportation, blue-green infrastructure, and urban-rural housing supply); (3) in terms of governance mechanism, a two-tier “strategic-operational”networked governance framework has been built, which fully stimulates the dynamism of administrative and market actors. In addition, we also discuss the governance of comparable regions in China in the light of the existing German experience and summarize the policy implications concerning the clarification of the rights and responsibilities of participants, the integration into the planning system, and the reconstruction of the governance network.