Tamara Espiñeira

Turning EU complexity into urban opportunity.

EU and international experience, starting in 2002 including 12 years leading a European network of cities.

EU expert, assessing project proposals and participating in strategic groups. Several awards and recognitions at national and European levels (writings and projects)

PhD in Geography. Thesis under the supervision of Pr. Guy Baudelle (Jean Monnet Chair): European urban diplomacy: a tool-based approach. This work received the International Prize of Agence University Agency and Fondation 2100 as the best “Future Thinking” PhD work.

Associate researcher IGADI – Galician Institute of International Analysis and Documentation and UMR CNRS 6590 Spaces and Societies (ESO).

Qualified as Assistant Professor (MCF)– France’s University Council in Urban Planning- Currently working as Lecturer at Sciences Po Rennes.

Cities have the right to exercise the powers derived (expected?) from their political mandate, their legal existence but, above all, their accountability to citizens. These dimensions, represented by the urban project, could justify, at the international level, a transition from actions of influence and soft power towards active subsidiarity as defined by Calamé (2016). In the case of active subsidiarity, the local authority also exercises its competence at international level without consulting the regional or the national levels and not being limited by devolution schemes. Active subsidiarity thus provokes a natural decentralization, in alignment with the objectives of the urban project and beyond constitutional considerations.

Tamara Espiñeira (2022)