This article, published in the Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, interrogates the assumption that infrastructure spending automatically revitalizes “left behind” regions. While federal investments like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act promise transformation, the authors argue that infrastructure often deepens rather than mitigates peripherality by reinforcing extractive value flows, bypassing local needs, creating fiscal liabilities, and embedding uneven power dynamics. Their framework identifies four risks: (1) locking peripheral economies into dependency and unequal exchange, (2) disinvesting from social welfare needs, (3) financing mechanisms that trap local governments, and (4) scalar politics that privilege outside interests over community values. The analysis resonates strongly with Aspen CSG’s equity-first lens—showing that place-based investments must intentionally prioritize local autonomy, social infrastructure, and long-term resilience if they are to close, rather than widen, regional divides.
Built Infrastructure and Regional Development
