In this chapter, we present the contemporary challenges of Cohesion PolicyCohesion Policy in the context of increasing spatial disparities in socio-economic development, particularly under the growing pressure of developmental shocks. Against this backdrop, we define our understanding of inner peripheriesInner peripheries—an understanding that motivated our research endeavor and guided the approach we took and how we organized the findings. We define and systematize the research objective, further specifying it as hypotheses that are verified throughout the various stages of the analysis. We also present our methodological approach, outlining the underlying assumptions, justifying the research structure, and specifying the research methods. Finally, to facilitate the reader’s understanding and enable quick access to the most relevant content, we provide a concise overview of the individual chapters of this monograph.