Local governments and the communication of demographic decline in Sweden and Germany: who, what and why?

Resumen

Several studies have examined how local governments respond to the implications of shrinkage. This article add to this knowledge by focusing on local governmental communication in processes of demographic decline. Hypothetically, local governments can contribute to a greater understanding of the causes and consequences of demographic decline, to greater legitimacy for the political decisions made in response, and to a vivid discussion of what the future could look like in shrinking community. Our results, drawn from a study in Sweden and in Germany, however suggest that local governmental communication is an expertocratic practice used to avoid conflict about future developments.