In their latest working paper, Tobias Chilla and Markus Lambracht examine the reasons for the success of regions within the ‚Arbeitsgemeinschaft Alpenländer‘ (Arge Alp). The question is to what extent this success is due to the topography, and to what extent it is in spite of it. Their analysis is based on secondary demographic statistics, comparing areas belonging to the Alpine region as defined by the Alpine Convention with areas outside this region.
The results show that Arge Alp has established itself as a particularly strong subregion of the entire Alpine region, while the question of relief dependency is not easy to answer. It involves arguments relating to amenity migration, economic geographic path dependency and the integration of metropolitan and peri-Alpine spaces.
This article is based largely on a German-language book chapter published for the Arge Alp’s 50th anniversary in 2022. The book includes an edited collection of policy papers and academic reflections. This volume was published in German and Italian, but is not available in English. As the book chapter was an important contribution to the latest publication series on mountain research in the European Alps, we have now translated and updated the arguments to make them accessible to a broader audience.
To cite:
Chilla, T. & M. Lambracht (2025): Arge Alp: a strong region despite or because of the mountains? Working Papers FAU Regional Development No. 7. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32859.84007
Working Paper Series FAU Regional Development:
Working Paper No. 6: Bertram, D., Chilla, T., Hippe, S., Zumbusch, K. & D. Zwicker-Schwarm (2025): Kooperationsprofile deutscher Grenzregionen: Themen, Akteure, Governance – Erkenntnisse des BMBF-Projekts CoBo (Cohesion in Border Regions). Working Papers FAU Regional Development No. 6. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16151.48802
Working Paper No. 5: Chilla, T., Bertram, D. & M. Lambracht (2023): Mapping the Scene: Cartographic sketches linked to the EUSALP cross-cutting priorities – EUSALP Annual Forum organised by the Swiss Presidency. Working Papers FAU Regional Development No. 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16988.16007
Working Paper No. 4: Chilla, T. (2021): The domestic dimension of cross-border governance. Networks and coordination patterns: Networks and coordination patterns. Working Papers FAU Regional Development No. 4. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21676.18564
Working Paper No. 3: Bertram, D., Garkisch, J., Geiger, W., Haack, A., Hellwagner, T., Hippe, S., Lambracht, M., Müller, C. & J. Reizlein (2019): Räumliche Integration: Das Beispiel der bayerischen Grenzregionen zu Österreich und Tschechien. Working Paper No. 3 der AG Regionalentwicklung an der FAU. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21585.25440
Working Paper No. 2: Chilla, T., Sielker, F. & F. Othengrafen (2017): Governance diffusion in Europe – the EGTC tool and its spatial implementation patterns. Working Papers FAU Regional Development No. 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.28865.45927
Working Paper No. 1: Sielker, F. (2016): What could the future role of macro-regional strategies in the EU be? – Four scenarios. Working Papers FAU Regional Development No. 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.22602.29120