Significant geopolitical shifts and deindustrialisation in the last decades have left a deep social, economical and political mark on the industrial heartlands in the US, Germany and other European countries. As a result, inequalities have deepened, support for right-wing populists has risen, and the middle class has been hollowed out. New industrial policy concepts and legislation, most notable the Inflation Reduction Act in the US, seek to counteract these trends. Yet, despite this shift in economy policymaking, support for the far right is unbroken. This session aims to discuss potential policies and strategies that can pave the way for a promising and hopeful narrative about industrial heartlands as regions with economic and political potential - as regions that matter and that are built more inclusively and resilient, for younger and older generations, for marginalised groups and those who are concerned with the decline of former industries.