Speaker
Description
Human mobility has been investigated as a key factor in the challenges faced by left-behind areas (LBAs), yet its actual capacity to drive sustainable development remains underexplored. This study critically examines the case of Valle di Viù, a mountain area in the Turin Metropolitan Area, Italy, to explore the limitations, contradictions, and potential of relying on human mobility to address the problems of depopulation, ageing demographics, decaying infrastructure, and an overarching sense of left-behindness in mountain areas.
While inward mobility present opportunities for revitalization — for instance through the return of former residents and the attraction of newcomers — structural challenges persist. Residents often experience social isolation, infrastructure exists in precarious and intermittent forms, community resources are stretched thin, and local economies struggle to accommodate new residents or retain existing populations.
Drawing on in-depth interviews with key players and individuals conducted in Valle di Viù, this study examines the perceptions and livelihood practices of (im)mobile people across various life domains to understand micro-strategies for coping with peripherality. It also analyses policies and projects addressing LBAs at different scales and their impacts on specific local contexts. The analysis focuses on three specific dimensions: first, conventional development strategies primarily linked to infrastructure provision; second, non-conventional strategies emphasizing well-being, quality of life, local identity, and place attachment; and third, (im)mobility dynamics that consider not only in- and out-mobility but also recognize immobility as a critical component of local development.
Preliminary findings suggest that mobility-driven development should be associated to the removal of structural barriers to reduce the risk of exacerbating disparities. This underscores the need for systemic policies and place-based actions to ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of nuanced, context-sensitive approaches to address the underlying causes of marginalization in LBAs.
| Keywords | Left Behind; human mobility, |
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