ERSA 2026, Sofia

CBD Special Sessions & more

ERSA 2026 in Sofia was a memorable and highly successful event for the Culture Based Development (CBD) community. Two dedicated CBD Special Sessions attracted strong interest and lively discussion:

• S10: Culture-Based Development in the Regions of India

• S11:  The CBD Tiebout-Hirschman-Rothschild Model & Ultra-Right Voting

Deepest thanks to all presenters and attendees for making these sessions intellectually vibrant and truly memorable. And stay tuned: we are delighted to soon announce the official publication of the REGION Special Issue, Culture-Based Development in the Regions of India, a lasting scholarly legacy of the conversations initiated in Session S10.

A special highlight of the congress was the announcement of the 2026 CBD Award, which was presented to Professor Corrado Benassi. Among his many contributions to the development of the CBD paradigm, Professor Benassi served as the critical proofreader of the foundational CBD book, Culture Based Development: Modelling Cultural Bias in Economic Choice (Edward Elgar, 2025), which offers in summary the founding principles of Culture Based Development.

Beyond the academic achievements, ERSA 2026 was a deeply emotional homecoming. Surrounded by long-standing friends and colleagues from the Regional Science community, gathering together in the heart of my beautiful hometown Sofia reminded me yet again that scholarship is built not only on ideas and research, but also on friendship and shared journeys.

The congress created cherished memories that will remain with us for years to come. As we look ahead, we do so with gratitude for the ERSA community and with the hope that one day we will all return together to hospitable Sofia and its warm-hearted hosts once again.