Socio-Demographic Changes and Transmission of Tangible and Intangible Resources

Ethnographic Glimpses From the Western Italian Alps

Bibliographic Data

ID9265461
AuthorsValentina Porcellana (0000-0001-8514-8618, University of Turin), Giulia Fassio (0000-0003-1767-1452, University of Turin), Pier Paolo Viazzo (University of Turin), Roberta Clara Zanini (University of Turin)
TranslatorsLes auteurs, Daniel Hoffmann (0000-0003-2973-7869)
Year2016
Volume104-3
Publication date2016-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueRevue de géographie alpine (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0035-1121 • E-ISSN: 1760-7426
PublisherOpenEdition (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.4000/rga.3338
OpenAlexW2582893446
LanguageEN
References cited15

This article looks at the transmission of tangible and intangible resources from an anthropological perspective and presents two case-studies that provide both interesting commonalities and significant contrasts: the Occitan-speaking (and predominantly Waldensian) upper Pellice Valley, in the western Piedmontese Alps, and Macugnaga, a Walser settlement in the north-eastern Piedmontese Alps. Both localities host linguistic minorities and, demographically, have not suffered massive depopulation. Economically they differ since mountain pastoralism continues to be one of the pillars of economy and culture in the upper Pellice Valley, whereas Macugnaga has converted to tourism. We argue that the current focus on intangible heritage should not obscure the role of tangible assets – such as land, buildings and rights to private and collective resources – which are often essential to ensure that traditional craftsmanship is rescued and preserved. It should also not be taken for granted that the fate of intangible cultural heritage, when it possesses adequate potential, is invariably to turn into tangible, economic resources. Ethnographic research shows that this process may be hindered or mitigated as a results of negotiation between opposite views on the commoditization of cultural heritage. It also suggests that the very survival of a tradition may depend on its being “staged” to the benefit of, and shared with, tourists

Archaeology · Business · Commoditization · Cultural heritage · Economics · Economy · Ethnography · Ethnology · Geography · Intangible cultural heritage · Livestock · Market economy · Negotiation · Pastoralism · Political science · Settlement (finance) · Social science · Sociology · Tourism · Anthropology · Cruise Tourism Development and Management · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Migration, Aging, and Tourism Studies

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