Patrimoni e protocolli: i beni culturali immateriali tra valori globali e pratiche locali come terreno di conflitto e di mediazione

Intangible cultural heritage increasingly becomes a conflict/mediation field among different issues and global/local hierarchies of value. Here the author outlines the first results of an ethnography in South-Central Italy about a group of ceremonials involving animals, recently questioned by animal rights movement associations for suspected mistreatment and its very recent legal solution

À cheval sur les traditions… Tourisme et cérémoniels équestres en transformation : le cas de l’Italie

Il existe en Italie de nombreuses manifestations traditionnelles très anciennes se concentrant autour de compétitions équestres – et animales, plus généralement. Certaines d’entre elles sont devenues des attractions touristiques très importantes à partir du début du xxe siècle. Ces dernières années, un grand nombre de polémiques ont toutefois émergé contre ces pratiques rituelles compétitives, générant dans certains cas de grands débats, pouvant aller jusqu’à l’exclusion de toute forme de sauvegarde et de valorisation de caractère national ou global, ou encore à l’arrêt pur et simple de la pratique. Cette situation nouvelle interpelle la réflexion scientifique sur les effets que peuvent avoir ces nouvelles sensibilités sur les cérémonies équestres traditionnelles, en questionnant leur influence sur la transformation de ces fêtes, qui deviennent des attractions touristiques. Notre recherche repose sur une enquête ethnographique, combinant analyse de la littérature conceptuelle relative à l’ethnographie multi-espèces, étude de la littérature scientifique et des médias relatifs au Palio de Sienne (Toscane) et, enfin, observations et entretiens qualitatifs multi-situés. Ces derniers se concentrent plus particulièrement sur les courses de chars à Carresi (Bas-Molise dans le sud de l’Italie) en 2012 et le Palio de Legnano (Lombardie) en 2017.La recherche a permis de repenser les liens entre représentations et réalité des relations homme/animal dans le cadre des manifestations traditionnelles, ainsi que les contradictions entre sensibilités contemporaines face aux pratiques culturelles locales qui deviennent de plus en plus des attractions touristiques, et de mettre en discussion le partage entre passé et présent, entre modernité et tradition à l’œuvre dans les contextes de promotion territoriale liés aux patrimoines immatériels.There are many old traditional events in Italy focusing on equestrian (and animal, more generally) competitions. Some of them have been transformed into tourist attractions from the beginning of the 20th century. However, many controversies have recently arisen against these competitive ritual practices, generating in some cases major debates, which can go as far as the exclusion from the possibilities to submit these events, for example, to the 2003 UNESCO ICH List or even stopping outright from practice. This situation calls for scientific reflections on the effects of these new sensitivities on traditional equestrian ceremonies, by questioning their influence on the transformation of such as attractive festivals. The research is based on specific fieldworks, combining analysis of the conceptual literature relating to multispecies ethnography, scientific researches and different media productions relating to the Palio of Siena (Tuscany) and qualitative multi-site inquiry. The latter focus more particularly on the chariot races in Carresi (South-Molise in Southern Italy) in 2012 and the Palio de Legnano (Lombardy) in 2017. Methodology is focused on: interviews, focus groups, participant observation, shadowing and engagement techniques enabling to restore the complexity of the relationships between traditional equestrian practices, community building and tourism development in the regions concerned

Imagining a country. Media, production of locality, and representations of tradition

Este artículo se basa en una larga investigación sobre los archivos de la televisión italiana (RAI), desde el punto de vista de la representación que hacen los medios de lo local, el folclore y las tradiciones italianas. Sobre todo en lo que se refiere al sur de Italia, los medios de comunicación tienden a una normalización cultural. La "escena folclórica" sirve para representar las relaciones entre la cultura "hegemónica" y la "subalterna" en el marco nacional. Desde los años 1970, un fuerte resurgir del folclore atravesó los discursos sobre el modelo de desarrollo italiano. En los últimos decenios se da una poética de nostalgia, arcaísmo y autenticidad, pero a la vez una acomodación del legado cultural inmaterial a la mercantilización de los espacios. Es fundamental reconsiderar la relación entre folclore y mercado, en orden a una crítica cultural de estos procesos.This paper is based on extensive research on the RAI (Italian Radio Television) Archives from a perspective of media representations of locality, folklore, and traditions in different areas of Italy. Starting from an image of "traditions" as backwardness, particularly in southern Italy, mass media –particularly cinema and television –aimed to a cultural standardisation of the mass culture. At the same time the "folklore scene" became a way of representing the relationships between "hegemonic" and "subaltern" cultures within the national arena, especially after the birth of democracy in Italy. From the 1970s on, a strong revival of "folklore" entered discourse on the Italian model of development. In recent decades a "poesy of nostalgia, archaism and authenticity", but also a "accommodation" of immaterial cultural heritage and the "marketing of places" has taken place. Rethinking the relationship between "folklore" and "market" has become, then, fundamental for a cultural critique of these processes.Grupo de Investigación Antropología y Filosofía (SEJ-126). Universidad de Granad

The Italian Draft Law on the \u2018Provisions Concerning the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage\u2019

Intangible cultural heritage in Italy is still in need of a unified approach, capable of providing reliable criteria for identifying its assets and for indicating timescales and means by which they should be safeguarded. In the continued absence of up-to-date, ad hoc state legislation (since the content of those laws which do implement international Conventions is too generic in nature to be sufficiently effective), the Regions have proceeded to act in a somewhat scattered manner, giving rise to an extremely fragmented and very disorderly regulatory framework. The draft law N. 4486, "Provisions Concerning the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage", presented on 12th May 2017 at the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic - as the result of the work of an interdisciplinary and inter-university research team coordinated by Marco Giampieretti, who has drafted the final text with the collaboration of Simona Pinton - seeks to fill the serious void that exists in Italian legal system by aligning it to the principles of international and European law, by redirecting the relevant State and Regional legislation, and by satisfying the fundamental requirements of the national community

Colorectal Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Before vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

IMPORTANCE Delays in screening programs and the reluctance of patients to seek medical attention because of the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 could be associated with the risk of more advanced colorectal cancers at diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was associated with more advanced oncologic stage and change in clinical presentation for patients with colorectal cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective, multicenter cohort study included all 17 938 adult patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021 (pandemic period), and from January 1, 2018, to February 29, 2020 (prepandemic period), in 81 participating centers in Italy, including tertiary centers and community hospitals. Follow-up was 30 days from surgery. EXPOSURES Any type of surgical procedure for colorectal cancer, including explorative surgery, palliative procedures, and atypical or segmental resections. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was advanced stage of colorectal cancer at diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were distant metastasis, T4 stage, aggressive biology (defined as cancer with at least 1 of the following characteristics: signet ring cells, mucinous tumor, budding, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and lymphangitis), stenotic lesion, emergency surgery, and palliative surgery. The independent association between the pandemic period and the outcomes was assessed using multivariate random-effects logistic regression, with hospital as the cluster variable. RESULTS A total of 17 938 patients (10 007 men [55.8%]; mean [SD] age, 70.6 [12.2] years) underwent surgery for colorectal cancer: 7796 (43.5%) during the pandemic period and 10 142 (56.5%) during the prepandemic period. Logistic regression indicated that the pandemic period was significantly associated with an increased rate of advanced-stage colorectal cancer (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95%CI, 1.01-1.13; P = .03), aggressive biology (OR, 1.32; 95%CI, 1.15-1.53; P < .001), and stenotic lesions (OR, 1.15; 95%CI, 1.01-1.31; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This cohort study suggests a significant association between the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the risk of a more advanced oncologic stage at diagnosis among patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer and might indicate a potential reduction of survival for these patients