Speaker
Description
The interplay between universities, urban environments, and their diverse populations often presents both unique opportunities and challenges. This case study examines how best to mitigate challenges while building on opportunities through the use of participatory practice approaches in the university classroom. The approaches leverage theoretical instruction in conjunction with participation as a tool to build relationships within the community and address the urgent Peninsula issues of housing affordability, sustainable tourism, and livability. Sorrento, known for its cultural heritage and thriving tourism industry, faces challenges that mirror those of larger metropolitan destination cities. These are tied to rising housing costs, exacerbated by the growth of short-term rentals and growing pressures of tourists on city infrastructure. These dynamics have strained local residents, many of whom struggle to remain in their communities due to financial pressures and limited housing availability(Kennedy, 2020). Leveraging participatory approaches, the study highlights the integration of university populations, residents, municipal authorities, and other stakeholders to co-create solutions that balance the needs of locals with the demands of tourism(Innella et al., 2024)(Consilvio, 2024). Key findings from surveys and interviews reveal that residents feel underrepresented in decision-making, with many voicing concerns about the prioritization of tourism over local needs. By promoting open dialogue, fostering community engagement, and drawing on successful case studies from cities like Amsterdam and Barcelona, the research identified and presented actionable solutions, such as improving regulations on short-term rentals, implementing rent controls, enhancing public transportation, and developing a place-based, interactive responsible tourism campaign and a catalyst for growth and larger development projects.
Moreover, the study underscores the importance of embedding human rights principles—such as the right to housing and cultural participation—into policy frameworks to ensure equitable outcomes. Through student coursework using in-depth exploration of human rights law, participatory practice, and sustainable development principles, students utilized their curriculum in theory and practice to engage directly with the Sorrento community in their university neighborhood and the municipal government. The Service-Learning(Saija & Pappalardo, 2024) course design and place-based engagement serve as a conduit to foster strong bonds within the community through research, data collection, group discussion, and surveys. Co-design and co-creation are powerful tools that require collective brainstorming, cooperation, and collaboration. These types of exercises using real-world examples and case studies to build a sense of problem ownership(Cruz et al., 2022) and motivation, shaping the students as part of the Peninsula’s problems, but also that of the solution and fellow stewards of its resilience. Initiatives like community-led housing projects, nature-based solutions, and educational campaigns aim to empower residents while preserving Sorrento's unique cultural identity. This case study demonstrates that participatory practice is an effective and necessary tool for creating sustainable and inclusive urban environments, especially in small cities, offering a model for other destinations grappling with similar challenges(Arellano et al., 2016). Through collaboration and innovation, Sorrento has the potential to reconcile the needs of its residents and its role as a global tourist destination through a participatory system approach that fosters long-term bonds with tourists, residents, higher education institutions(Barnet et al., 2021), and their students.
References
Barnet, A. F., Ciurana, A. B., Pozo, J. X. O., Russo, A. P., Coscarelli, R., Antronico, L., Pascale, F. D., Saladié, Ò., Clavé, S. A., & Aguilar, E. (2021). Climate services for tourism: An applied methodology for user engagement and co-creation in European destinations. In Climate Services (Vol. 23, p. 100249). Elsevier BV.
Consilvio, A. (2024). Encouraging reuse in rural Italy: A case study implementing new frameworks to collect local data and understand feasible reprogramming strategies in Guadagnolo.
Cruz, M. G., Ersoy, A., Czischke, D., & Bueren, E. van. (2022). A Framework for Co‐Design Processes and Visual Collaborative Methods: An Action Research Through Design in Chile.
Innella, C., Ansanelli, G., Barberio, G., Brunori, C., Cappellaro, F., Civita, R., Fiorentino, G., Mancuso, E., Pentassuglia, R., Sciubba, L., & Zucaro, A. (2024). A methodological framework for the implementation of urban living lab on circular economy co-design activities. In Frontiers in Sustainable Cities (Vol. 6). Frontiers Media.
Kennedy, M. (2020). Reconceptualising the Creative Economy: Possibilities in Place in Rural Victoria.
Saija, L., & Pappalardo, G. (2024). RE-LIVING HISTORY, WITH AN EYE TO THE FUTURE.
| Keywords | Sustainable Tourism, Urban Regeneration, Small Cities, Participatory Practice |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
