The aim of this conference, “Cities and networks in Europe : what territorial integration?” is to look at the dominant representations that at present underpin the issues of territorial organisation and planning in Europe . Towns, cities and networks are often envisaged, both in scientific research and in operational debate, as inevitably driving territorial development. Study conducted over the last few years has made it possible to develop several functional urban models that have interesting features. However, because they are always positioned within logic of competition in interpreting territorial dynamics, the models are restricted to a hierarchy of poles in which only processes of wealth generation are taken into account. Polycentrism, viewed as an alternative to metropolisation and the centre-periphery model, could carry the seeds of a change in perspective. But interpretations to date are still incomplete and biased.

The main challenge of this conference is to show why it is worthwhile revisiting some rather too static representations of territorial systems. The aim is to promote the emergence and the consolidation of new, critical ways of looking at the issues of territorial dynamics: how they are to be managed, how they should be viewed, putting emphasis both on theoretical and conceptual viewpoints, and on empirical and implementational approaches. This conference, because it is at once addressed to researchers and to decision-makers in territorial planning, is aimed at highlighting the need to share views and conclusions reached in the sphere of fundamental research with those reached in the operational spheres of territorial development. By favouring a reflective rather than normative approach, the conference should make it possible to map out the most promising lines of research and development strategies for the future.