Cultural Heritage and Territorial Identity: Synergies and Development Impact on European Regions

193 Pages·2022·3.787 MB·English

by  Elisa Panzera

Advances in Spatial Science
Elisa Panzera
Cultural
Heritage and
Territorial
Identity
Synergies and Development Impact
on European Regions
Advances in Spatial Science
The Regional Science Series
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ManfredM.Fischer,ViennaUniversityofEconomicsandBusiness,Wien,Austria
Jean-ClaudeThill,UniversityofNorthCarolina,Charlotte,NC,USA
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Elisa Panzera
Cultural Heritage
and Territorial Identity
Synergies and Development Impact on
European Regions
ElisaPanzera
PolitecnicodiMilano
Milan,Italy
ISSN1430-9602 ISSN2197-9375 (electronic)
AdvancesinSpatialScience
ISBN978-3-030-94467-4 ISBN978-3-030-94468-1 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94468-1
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Foreword
Cultureiswidelyrecognizedasafundamentalcomponentoftheidentityofnations,
countriesandplaces.Culturalheritagetherefore—consideredasthesetofalllegacies
ofanartisticorcultural,materialorimmaterialnaturethathavesurviveduptothe
present day, a storage of collective memories—represents a crucial specificity and
a factor of diversity and distinction in all countries, especially those with a long
andrichhistoricalevolution,andbecameasourceofprideforthepopulationsthat
hosteditandasourceofinterestandpassion(sometimesexcessive!)forforeigners.
Interestingly enough, the ESDP—the European Spatial Development Perspective
producedin1999afteralongpoliticalandculturalinteractionamongtheMinistries
oftheUnion’scountriesinvolved—beginsandendswithareferencetotheEuropean
culturalheritage:itstypical“variety”,itslinkwith“regionalidentities”,itsrolein
“enrichingthecitizens’qualityoflife”.
Andthisculturalvarietyissupposedtobe“potentiallyoneofthemostsignificant
developmentfactorsfortheEU”,inlinewiththenewdimensionofEuropeanpolicy
launchedbytheESDP,namely“theTerritory”.Thiscrucialmessagehasbeenwidely
sharedbythesubsequentpolicydebate,thecultural,researchandscientificelabora-
tionandtheconsequentpolicyactions,attheEuropeanandatthenationallevel,not
justinEurope.Butithasbeenlargelyinterpretedinasinglemainsense,econom-
ically important but conceptually poor: a development factor working through the
activationoftourism,understoodasacomprehensivefilière,encompassinginterna-
tionaldemand,directservicessupplyandaplethoraofinvestmentprocesses,from
transportinfrastructuretorealestateandconstruction.
Thenoveltyofthemessagewasunderstoodmuchlater,whenthemultipledimen-
sions of the role of cultural heritage were explored in depth by scholars and inter-
nationalinstitutions—theCouncilofEurope,theEuropeanCommission,theOECD
andUNESCO—andcomprehensivelypresentedintermsofbenefitsandimpactsby
the Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe, 2015 Report, co-funded by the Culture
ProgrammeoftheEuropeanCommission.Thelinkwiththecreationofasenseof
awareness of national and place identities was justified by a host of ad hoc case
studies.
v
vi Foreword
Yet, the impact of cultural heritage on society—outside the effects through
tourism—was restricted to the cultural, the social and the psychological dimen-
sions: notable results were achieved in the direction of the creation of a sense of
belonging to the wider human community and consequently of the nurturing of
a higher social cohesion spirit. But the economic effects—outside tourism—were
alwaysleftunaddressed.
ThisworkbyElisaPanzera—CulturalHeritageandTerritorialIdentity:Syner-
giesandDevelopmentImpactsonEuropeanregions—representsafirststepinthe
direction of filling this gap. It is part of a long-term scientific program launched
by the Research Group on Regional and Urban Economics of the Politecnico di
Milano devoted to the inspection of the economic role played by intangible forms
of territorial capital in spatial development. Cognitive capital, social capital, iden-
titarian capital, creativity and innovativeness are supposed to lift the effectiveness
andproductivityofmoretraditional,materialformsofcapital,creatingwhatwecall
a “territorial relational surplus”, conceptually similar to the surplus generated by
technicalprogressinatimedimension.Thestudiesconcerningtheroleofcultural
heritagefaceafurthercomplication:elementslikelocalidentity,localcohesionor
localcreativitymaynotjustenhancetheeconomicroleofculturalheritagebutare
atthesametimeaneffectofthepresenceofculturalheritage.
This work has a double aim. The first aim is to critically analyze and compare
theresultsofexistingtraditionalworksontheeconomicimpactofculturalheritage
throughtheactionoftourism,andtofillthevoidleftbysomeuninspectedempirical
andeconometricissuessuchastheattractivenessoftourismdestinationsandtheir
inclusion, together with the presence of cultural heritage, in a structural model of
regionalgrowthfortheEU.
The second aim, more relevant in a scientific perspective, is to explore the
cultural heritage / local identity nexus and its impact on economic growth in the
EU regions. The exercise is based on the belief that such abstract, immaterial and
mainlypsychologicalaspectsoftheregionalrealmarepossiblyliabletobemeasured
and can be included in a formalized quantitative model. In fact, the availability of
a sound regional data base on values and perceptions of people collected by the
Euro-Barometerprovidessufficientsecurityandaguaranteeofcredibleresults.
As shown before, the theme is culturally fascinating, but presents a political
interest too, widely underlined by the European Commission in recent years. The
paceofEuropeanintegration,itsinternalcohesionandthesentimentoftrustitself
towardtheEuropeaninstitutionsareputatriskinmanycasesbygrowingfeelings
of uncertainty, discontent, request for individual recognition, consequent localistic
closure and egoism, which seem to hold a relative persistence and to drive local
identitiesinaworrisomedirection.
Thisundertakinglooksdifficultbutworthwhile,andtheresultsrewardtheeffort
andthecourageinvolved.Infact,(local)identityisamultidimensionalandmulti-
layeredconceptreferringtoacollectivepsychologicalcondition;dealinginaquanti-
tativewaywithsuchacomplexconceptisacomplicatedmatter,asidentitycannotbe
measuredthroughaone-dimensional,continuousmetric.Themethodologicalchoice
Foreword vii
madebytheauthorcanbecondensedintwowords:selection—amongtherelevant
dimensions—andclassification—amongtheEuropeanregions.
In the present times—characterized by identity politics, widespread social
concerns for jobs and remunerations but also by a multiplication and expanding
geographicalreachofinterpersonalnetworks—andconsideringthenewchallenges
for the European Union, the relevant parameters with which to consider alterna-
tivemodesofexpressionofterritorialidentitiesarerightlyselectedinthefollowing
way.Ontheoneside,theco-presenceoftwofoundingelementsofcollectiveiden-
tity,namelysimilarity(alone)andsimilarityand solidarity;ontheotherthespatial
reach of main interpersonal networks, distinguishing alocal reach and a local and
Europeanreach(inamulti-levelinterpretationofidentities).Theconsequentclassifi-
cationoffour“patterns”ofregionalidentity—“individualisticlocalism”,“parochial
localism”,“place-lesscosmopolitanism”and“inclusivecosmopolitanism”—isbuilt
utilizing the regional answers to the appropriate questions present in the Euro-
Barometerinthelastdecade.ThemovingpictureofEuropeanregionsthatemerges
from this classification represents in itself a brilliant and persuasive result (or by-
product)ofthiswork,showingatthesametimetheregionaldifferencesinsidecoun-
tries,thedifferentpsychologicalattitudestiedtogeographical(urban/rural,accessi-
bility)oreconomicconditions(wealth,innovativeness),therelativestabilityofthe
classificationandthemaintypologiesoftherecentshiftstowardadecreasingsense
ofsolidarity.
The different patterns of local identity are included in complex econometric
models,lookingforthepresenceofa“territorialsurplus”whichcouldbeattributed,
ceteris paribus, to the single typologies in a differential way, synergically rein-
forcing the effects of the local presence of cultural heritage. Positive and statis-
tically significant results are attained, with very interesting economic—but also
“political”—interpretations.
Forsure,arenovatedattentiontothepreservationandvalorizationofEuropean
culturalheritage,asupporttoitsnon-trivialfruitionandtheefforttounderlineand
communicate its deep symbolic meaning are actions likely to reinforce a diffused
senseofbelongingtotheUnion,withnotablepotentialresultsintermsofbothsocial
cohesionandwealth.Weshouldthanktheauthorforthiscareful,competent,skilful
andoriginalwork,shadingnewlightonacomplexbutcrucialissueforEuropeand
Europeancitizens.
RobertoCamagni
EmeritusProfessorofUrbanand
RegionalEconomics
PolitecnicodiMilano
Milan,Italy
Acknowledgments
Iwouldliketoexpressmysinceregratitudetosomespecialpersonsthathavebeen
ofessentialimportancefortheaccomplishmentofthisbook.
IamdeeplygratefultoprofessorRobertaCapelloforbeinganinspiring,tireless,
energeticandcarefulguide.
I would like to offer my special thanks to professor Roberto Camagni for
his invaluable and precious support, for his kindness and his always insightful
suggestions.
Iwouldliketoextendmysinceregratitudetotheurbanandregionaleconomics
research group and to the Department of Architecture, Built Environment and
ConstructionEngineeringatPolitecnicodiMilano.Themultidisciplinaryapproach
thatpermeatestheDepartmentisextremelyusefultoexpandingviewsandadopting
differentperspectives.
A special mention goes to professors Valeria Pracchi, Leïla Kebir, Thomas de
GraaffandHenrideGroot.
Finally, I am deeply grateful to Jacopo for being my main and affectionate
supporter and for always encouraging me to face and overcome challenges, and
tomyfamilyforbeingaconstant,stableandrespectfullightinallthestagesofmy
career.
ix
Contents
1 The Socio-Economic Impact of Cultural Heritage: Setting
theScene ...................................................... 1
1.1 IntroductionandMotivation .................................. 1
1.2 TheConceptofCulturalHeritageandtheEvolutionofIts
Definitions ................................................ 4
1.3 CulturalHeritageThroughtheEconomicPerspective:Some
BackgroundLiterature ...................................... 12
1.3.1 Cultural Heritage as an Economic Resource:
PeculiaritiesandSpecificities .......................... 12
1.3.2 TheEconomicValueofCulturalHeritage ............... 15
1.3.3 TheEconomicImpactofCulturalHeritage .............. 18
1.4 ResearchGapsandInnovativePerspectives .................... 22
1.5 TheLinkBetweenCulturalHeritageandDevelopment:The
ProposedConceptualFramework ............................. 27
1.5.1 CulturalHeritageandSocio-EconomicDevelopment:
TheTraditionalChannel .............................. 27
1.5.2 CulturalHeritageandSocio-EconomicDevelopment:
TheRoleofTerritorialIdentity ......................... 28
1.5.3 TheProposedConceptualFrameworkfortheLink
BetweenCulturalHeritageandLocalDevelopment ....... 32
1.6 StructureoftheBook ....................................... 33
References ..................................................... 35
PartI FromCulturalHeritagetoLocalDevelopment:TheRole
ofTourism
2 Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Economic Development
intheExistingLiteratureandBeyond ............................ 45
2.1 TourismandCulturalTourism ................................ 45
xi