LEADER local action groups and inner areas. An Italian case study

In this study we investigate marginality in European rural areas to understand how EU policies for local development can stimulate novel approaches to social innovation and economic growth. The method applied is a Social Network Analysis (SNA) on the call tenders of an Italian Local Action Group managing the LEADER programme in the Piacentino and Parmense Apennine (Emilia-Romagna). The implementation of the Inner Area Strategy in a part of the LEADER territory (11 out of the 59 municipalities of the LEADER area) allows to verify complementarities, interrelations and overlays between the two development policies.