Redefining marginality on Italian Apennines: an approach to reconsider the notion of basic needs in low density territories.

Abstract

The concept of basic needs and essential services evolves according to sociocultural parameters. Therefore, defining marginality based on the distance from a predefined set of services, institutionally considered essential for life, may lead to an unfocused representation of marginal and more fragile areas.
 This work focuses on a territory located on the Apennine of the Province of Piacenza, northern Italy. These mountainous areas are characterized by significant shrinking processes, ageing population, low income and educational rate, unemployment, and by work/study-related mobility practices over long distances and at high speed, revealing low levels of attractivity and significant dependence on more dynamic areas of the region. Moreover, according to the National Italian Strategy for Inner Areas, they have been identified as inner areas because of the high distance from main services.
 Starting from quantitative research based on availability, location, and accessibility to a set of services considered essential, the present work aims to reconsider and integrate this desk-based approach with an on-site qualitative survey, thanks to interviews with inhabitants and persons with special knowledge of the territory as well as participant observation.
 The hypothesis is that, particularly in low density and peripheral areas, a mixed-methods research methodology that includes the accounts of populations and local stakeholders may help to extend the knowledge of their actual needs and their willingness to travel, thus reconsidering their accessibility to what they perceive as essential services and, consequently, redefining the notion of marginal and fragile territories.

“Wanna Be Provoked”: Inner Peripheries Generators of Social Innovation in the Italian Apennine

“…The SNAI is a governmental place-based policy that targets a number of pilot peripheral areas at the national level. Pilot areas are chosen on the basis of a set of indicators that mostly refer to their physical distance from centers providing a range of essential services (education, health, and mobility) [60]. The main objective of the strategy is to contrast territorial marginalization and demographic shrinkage by improving the quantity and quality of the welfare provision and promoting local development initiatives in combination with the European Structural Investment Funds managed by Italian regional governments [32,61].…”

Territorial marginality: causes, methods and policies.

“…We explore the conditions that cause or define marginality, the dimensions that should structure a definition, suitable quantitative and qualitative indicators to classify marginal territories, and the features of territorial policies and strategies to address them. The papers explore different meanings of marginality using diverse research methods: quantitative approaches address the use of cultural heritage, population ageing, the lack of infrastructures and the limitations of existing policy approaches (Rossitti, Torrieri 2022, Vecchio 2022, Orellana Ossandón et al 2023, Kercuku et al 2023; mixed-method approaches combine statistical indicators with qualitative methods to explore landscape features and workspaces in marginal areas (Flipo et al 2022, Porreca et al 2023; finally, qualitative approaches analyse causes and impact of marginality in everyday life (Vendemmia, Lanza 2022).…”

“…The works analyse geographical and territorial contexts, including European and South-American countries. Rossitti, Torrieri (2022) and Vendemmia, Lanza (2022) investigate marginality in Italian inner areas, looking at two different Apennine contexts: Campania region in the South and Emilia Romagna in the North of the country; instead, Kercuku et al (2023) focus on in-between territories, that is, those areas that are not considered either traditionally marginal or central. Flipo et al (2022) provide an analysis of marginal territories in France.…”