Industrial forever? Narratives, place identity, and the development path of the city of Zeitz, Germany

Abstract There is a growing interest in understanding development processes and opportunities small medium-sized towns that so far did not attract much attention mainstream urban theory. Conventional growth-oriented approaches fail to capture the complexity of local policy-making because they prioritise production factors underrate role discourse place-based identity. This paper aims explore linkages between narratives, place identity, development. As actors try make sense place’s past future, select, contribute to, mobilise various narratives. Multiple narratives feed into are part identity defines frame for possible options. The uses case Zeitz Saxony-Anhalt (Germany) analyse evolution from 1970s until today. concludes that: i) narrative-making linear process; spatial imaginaries complex, dynamic, interconnected with each other; ii) help construct coherent imaginary mutually intertwined policies; iii) interdependent external events strategies requiring multiscalar relational perspective on processes.