Articoli taggati con ‘sustainable development’
Non-hype instruments for territorial development
As occurs in almost every branch of human activity, our sector is often influenced by trends that condition the work of academicians and practitioners. Today as yesterday, we assist to the explosion of tools whose impact could affect both the cultural and economic development of territories. Yesterday it was the case of festivals, today is what occurs with Blockchain and smart contracts. Nevertheless, following these fashions we leave behind tools or assets that could be very helpful in the construction of a territorial policy for a culture-based development. This number of Tafter Journal is dedicated to two instruments, highly differentiated, that nowadays are not as cool as big-data or the AI applications, but that could concretely concur to the diversification of territorial cultural offer contributing, at the same time, to the specialization of cultural and economic production of a region or a city. Who’s involved in day-by-day working on territory knows that are plenty of resources (as much as obstacles and difficulties) that need to be managed: historic buildings, contemporary production, cultural associations, natural heritage and so on. Properly, our role is indeed to underline further opportunities that could extend that set of assets, and show how these new (or old) tools work or they could do.
Reflections on the use of the territorial data and GIS in tourism: the Italian case
This paper focuses mainly on issues related to digital tourism with connection to the italian context, in an attempt to show the potentiality offered by the GIS for the development of the tourism sector. For this reason, it will be reported exemplifying cases, of which features and purposes will be highlighted. The digitisation represents a new challenge for the tourist offer in Italy. Some studies and proposals promoted by TD Lab (2014) and by the association ItaliaDecide (2014) have highlighted the need for innovation in the italian tourism sector. The digitisation of tourist services therefore offers the opportunity to reaffirm the competitiveness of an industry with enormous potentiality and resources, but that shows signs of criticality and stagnation. Before examining aspects closely related to digital, it will focus on the concept of tourism and its recent developments. The latter in fact, depend on the growing segmentation of demand, pivoted on the search for new experiences and authentic by the tourist. From this perspective it is seen how the tourist promotion is closely connected with the practices of cultural enhancement and marketing strategies, linked to digital communication.
Megacities: Urban Form, Governance, and Sustainability
Recently we can see several changes in our society but one of the most important is the transformation of human settlement systems. It is important to consider that for the first time in the history of the human, more than half the world’s population is urban. The megacities are the effect of this […]
The Governance of Metropolitan Areas in Italy: a Plan to Enhance Competitiveness
This paper aims to underline the need for a “metropolitan governance” in Italy with particular emphasis on the central area of Veneto region. Following on from a recent work by the authors Corò e Dalla Torre (2015) the “metropolitan issue” is analysed on two different levels: the first level of analysis examines the area’s need for metropolitan governance to increase competitiveness with benefits for workers, companies and citizens. The second level of analysis outlines topics which should be taken into consideration by an agenda for metropolitan governance. 1. Introduction: the difficulties of enacting a metropolitan reform The metropolitan issue is not a new concept in Italy. It has been hotly debated since the 1960s; indeed, the government has proposed laws but all have been systematically neglected. Yet, it is not an insignificant matter: the metropolitan issue is a phenomenon perceived both at academic and administrative level, and above all it is experienced first-hand by workers, entrepreneurs, students and consumers. It is witnessed on a daily basis within an area defined by the network of relationships which go beyond municipalities and regional boundaries. If the existence of a metropolitan area is a real phenomenon, the implementation of its organisation – at least in Italy – is not rational. The need for metropolitan governance has arisen from the awareness of an increasing inefficiency as a result of the misalignment between the expansion of physical and socio-economic structures on one hand with the expansion of political and institutional structures on the other. This disharmony increases the cost of living for citizens and companies by snatching precious resources allocated to investments and expenditures. Despite this endless debate, there has always been a conspicuous lack of any actual attempt to implement metropolitan governance. Among the causes of this absence of attempts is the lack of political willingness to change the Italian institutional structure, which involves not only the metropolitan cities but also the wider phenomenon of fragmentation affecting the municipalities in these regions.
It happens in Turin. From Cascina Roccafranca to the “Case del Quartiere Network”
In the last 20 years Turin has gone through several radical transformations and changes. When we talk about that we can’t forget its passage from “industrial town” to “post-industrial town”, breaking away from its past. From automotive to baby-parking and from heavy metallurgic plants to organic and “from farm to fork” food-stores. But that’s not all. Empty spaces, left by a decaying industry fabric, have inspired requalification initiatives and a social, educative, cultural enterprise everywhere in the city. In this context stems the need for re-appropriating and re-dwelling, through the involvement of the whole town community So, those ready to fill, empty spaces themselves become, in a perspective of recycling and re-use, the perfect container for inclusion, increased participation and for offering possibilities, events and moments of social aggregation. Here was the most fertile “humus” to create new special structures: the Case del Quartiere (Houses of Neighbourhood). Common spaces, multipurpose cultural hubs, social laboratory – all at the same times. In an House it is possible to propose events, to organize or attend a workshop or an artistic atelier, to discuss about common themes or simply use services provided. They are friendly places, where a person is not only a guest, or a resident, but above all is a citizen.
Does Culture makes us happier – and healthier?
People’s happiness and wellbeing are undoubtedly at the center of today’s modern life – we could even dare to say that our generation is obsessed with the pursuit of happiness, with finding the perfect balance between our inner desires and the lives that we actually live. Nevertheless, we know very little about what truly makes a human being happy. We read tons of self-help books, we go to courses, and we talk to counselors. But the truth is – we very rarely dig deeper into the scientific causes behind human happiness and wellbeing. We may even be surprised to know that, in fact, there are very solid scientific causes. And among those causes, culture lists as one of the main ones. In order to better understand this, we need first to define what we mean by wellbeing and by culture.
Cultural responsibility. Small steps to restore anthropology in economic behaviour. Interviews and best practices
Cultural responsibility (CR) links the terms “culture” and “responsibility”. This connection calls for a respectful attitude towards different cultural expressions and intercultural dialogue, in a society characterized by globalization and the spread of knowledge-based economy and cultural and creative industries. CR is linked to Corporate Social Responsibility as cultural development of the individual and communities has to be the primary goal of any economic behaviour. This attitude stimulates the building of an inclusive social context where cultural democracy, equal opportunities to access culture, participation and representation occur for all the individuals.
