Introduction: new horizons in regional studies

This issue marks the beginning of Regional Studies 49th volume. As we begin this new chapter in the journal’s history our inheritance will ensure Regional Studies retains its distinctive purpose, but these are new times, indeed they are changing times (TUROK et al., 2014). The 48th volume of Regional Studies saw profound intellectual developments, important journal developments (a new, more geographically dispersed, editorial team; a new Executive Editor; a first Early Career Editor; an increased impact factor), and as the Journal of the Regional Studies Association notable extensions to the activities of the wider regional studies community (e.g. the launch of Regional Studies, Regional Science as an open access journal; the opening of a new China Division of the RSA; the publication of two joint RSA-Regional Studies Virtual Issuesi). 2014 also saw notable territorial developments (increased submissions from, readership by people in, and research focusing on, Asia, Latin America and other parts of the Global South), political and policy developments (e.g. the no vote in the Scottish independence referendum), and methodological developments (e.g. continued improvements in accessing ‘big data’) present (re)new(ed) opportunities and challenges for Regional Studies. As the saying goes, the times are clearly a changing for Regional Studies and it was with this in mind that last year, under the editorship of Gordon MacLeod, the journal relaunched what hitherto had been entitled the Critical Surveys section as Urban and Regional Horizons (MACLEOD, 2014). Twelve months on and with five papers published under the new title we begin by reflecting on what makes this section and these articles distinct, before introducing the papers in this issue.