Digitalization in sparsely populated areas: between place-based practices and the smart region agenda

Based on evidence of a growing number of regions in Europe at risk of becoming sparsely populated, this article argues that further policy attention should be drawn to sparsely populated areas. We present experiences from case studies in the UK and Sweden asking how digitalization supported local actors in providing tools to promote collaborative planning for their communities. The article propounds the European added value of these experiences by raising the awareness of regional policymakers about future solutions for territorial planning and governance linked with the ‘sparselization’ of Europe, which we deem is the ‘other side’ of the continent’s continuing urbanization.