The start meeting should create a basic level of interdisciplinary connections on which can be built during the subsequent workshops. On the afternoon of Tuesday 25 April we will start with a discussion on key notes delivered by, amongst others, our local host John Tomaney, UCL; Natasha Vall, Teesside University on regions and historical reasoning; as well as Joan R. Rosés, LSE who will speak about long-term economic development in regions. In the morning and early-afternoon of 26 April 2017 we will continue with 6 to 8 individual papers from researchers in several stages of their career. We hope to schedule at least one or more PhD-students which we can offer travel bursaries.

We especially (but not exclusively) invite:
- Economic geographers, human geographers, political scientists economists and sociologists who include historical perspectives in their work
- Economic historians, political historians, urban historians working on urban and regional development and researchers who focus on territorial policy history
We are looking for examples of research approaches and case-studies that helps us to get insight in the ontological and methodological similarities and differences between historical and regional studies. Many historians tend to work inductively, whereas regional studies are mostly theory driven. Nevertheless, there are numerous similarities between research approaches which will be presented and debated in the start meeting of the RSA research Network on Regional Economic and Policy History.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
We invite colleagues to participate with a contributions for the morning/early-afternoon session on 26 April 2017. Please send an abstract of about 250 words and a short bio with full contact details before 10 March 2017 to the key contact name of the network: Marijn Molema: m.molema@fryske-akademy.nl

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
- Those who submitted an abstract will be informed before 17 March
- Participation in the event is free of charge.
- Refreshments and beverages will be provided and the participants will be invited for a dinner on Tuesday 25 April
- Thanks to the financial support from the RSA we will be able to offer several travel bursaries for attending the workshop. If you wish to apply for a bursary or if you have any questions regarding your eligibility, please contact the key contact name of the network (see above). Please note that bursaries can only be offered to participants who are members of the RSA and fulfil one of the following eligibility criteria:
- are student or early career members of RSA,
- are associate (retired) members of RSA,
- are RSA member working in a Band B, C or D country (see http://www.regionslastudies.org)