Transformative Capacities in Non-core Regions: an Interdisciplinary Synthesis and Integrative Research Agenda

Abstract This paper aims to advance the study of capacities for sustainability transformation in non-core regions, an area that currently remains underexplored. Employing a semi-systematic review of recent literature, the paper in particular examines how spatial perspectives from sustainability transitions research, economic geography, social and solidarity economy studies, and sociological approaches to regional change extend the transformative capacity framework. It then scrutinizes findings related to transformative capacity in non-core regions. Key insights from recent literature include a deeper understanding of the roles of public sector actors, social enterprises, and higher education institutions as agents of change, as well as an emphasis on socially just governance and subjective agency. The review also highlights critical collective processes such as transdisciplinary co-creation, mobilization of extra-regional resources, and the unlearning of outdated narratives. A research agenda to further study transformative capacity of non-core regions is proposed, prioritizing the study of cross-regional linkages for capacity development, the roles of social enterprises in fostering innovation, and strategies for reframing such regions as active contributors to sustainability transformation. Future research should prioritize empirical testing of the transformative capacity framework in a broad range of contexts to refine its applicability and improve its relevance globally.