Diverse regions: building resilient communities and territories 2014 Regional Studies Association European Conference, Izmir, Turkey, 15–18 June 2014

The 2014 Regional Studies Association European Conference took place in Izmir, Turkey, from June 15-18 under the theme Diverse regions: building resilient communities and territories. Against the consensus that building resilient regions is particularly important in the wake of the global economic crisis, the conference sought to present a timely opportunity to discuss the issues of diversity, variety and resilience to establish the need and nature of future research imperatives, and to address the concerns and challenges confronting policymakers and practitioners. Hosted at the Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey, the three-day conference had a strong emphasis on policy and practice, particularly related to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's agenda for stronger, cleaner and fairer economies and the European Union 2020's call for smart, inclusive, sustainable economies. As a developing, growing and innovative non-capital city, Izmir offers a live laboratory to explore the opportunities brought by diversifying its traditional industries, as well as, how cities and regions can work to re-imagine their place in the world.