Search Results (80)

Under Article 2135 of the Italian Civil Code, agricultural biogas firms represent a strategic expansion of traditional farming boundaries. By driving corporate diversification, environmental sustainability, and circular economy objectives, these firms are attracting substantial investment within the European Union and particularly in Italy. However, the bioenergy sector is structurally characterized by high capital intensity and low asset turnover efficiency, necessitating extensive external financing. Despite these unique dynamics, empirical evidence regarding their capital structure remains scarce. To address this literature gap, this study analyzes a 10-year balanced panel dataset comprising 350 firm-year observations, representing the most extensive research conducted to date on specialized Italian agricultural biogas firms. To answer the research questions (RQs), financial ratios (FRs) were calculated from financial statement (FINSTAT) data by applying the DuPont decomposition framework. The main findings are that (1) firms exhibit high profitability, but with some cases of loss and equity erosion; (2) firms exhibit low capital turnover and some cases of short-term financial unsustainability; (3) capital structure is often characterized by excessive debt. Our findings reveal a capital-intensive sector that, while profitable, remains vulnerable to financial instability. We provide actionable insights for practitioners and policymakers to foster a culture of financial sustainability. Our findings help mitigate information asymmetries, fostering more transparent market operations and ensuring that public subsidies are channeled into resilient capital structures. Full article

This essay examines the visual culture of what might be termed “the ecology of silver” between 1492 and 1710 in relation to colonialism on both sides of the Atlantic, with particular attention to both its shiny allure and the blind spots that that shininess produces. It focuses on three inter-related areas: depictions of Potosí, the great silver mountain in viceregal Peru; silver’s shine in European elite material culture; and the deployment of silver in celebrating the Spanish monarchy in viceregal Sicily, part of its empire within Europe. Current scholarship on early modern silver bifurcates between historical, political, and anthropological studies of silver’s extraction in the Americas and colonialism on one hand and a celebratory art historical scholarship focused on high-end European silver goods on the other. Scholars have energetically examined its extraction, the global trade in bullion, the rise of capitalism that it fed, and the wars that it fomented and paid for, but they stop short of inquiring into the ends to which silver was deployed within Europe and Asia beyond the naming of the principal ports. Meanwhile, studies of silver in Europe are overwhelmingly tightly drawn and connoisseurial, often with no reference to where the silver came from, let alone the circumstances of its extraction, transport, or even its effects. This split is due partly to a prevalent notion that silver’s value is inherent, objective, and caused by “rarity”; and it is partly due to art history’s unswerving identification with the rich and powerful. Such approaches overlook silver’s remarkable material and alchemical qualities and ignore its capacity to turn grubby profit into charismatic sparkle, which simultaneously drove the ecological and environmental damage and exonerated its profiteers. Early modern silver linked environmental destruction, colonialism, genocide, and coloniality to high culture, making it a particularly relevant topic for art historical analysis in this context. But more than that silver entwined them in complex, convulsive, and transformative ways, turning imperialism, violence and exploitation into beauty, shimmer and cultural sophistication. Hence, this essay insists on the centrality of imperial issues in the Old World as in the New, underscoring colonial dynamics within metropolitan culture while critically examining the work of seduction of art. The paradoxical quality of shine is the lens through which is seen the relation between violent coloniality and the allure and ecology of early modern silver. Full article

This article explores the extent of ECoCs (European Capitals of Culture) as placemaking laboratories. Methodologically, this study employed a mixed-methods approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with public and private stakeholders involved in the ECoC programming, and questionnaires were applied to capture personal insights of citizens. Data were correlated within spatial contexts using ArcGIS spatial analyses. The findings show that placemaking within ECoCs is more effective when embedded in transparent governance structures. Local narratives anchor placemaking in the everyday life of citizens. This placemaking legacy depends less on tangible inputs and more on the cultivation of processes and policies that empower communities to articulate and negotiate their sense of belonging within an inclusive and understanding governance structure. Also, we highlight that the latest ECoC included an ecological dimension within placemaking processes. Ultimately, this study illustrates that ECoCs become critical lenses to understand how culture-driven placemaking adds value to places, changes perceptions and behaviours of residents, and contributes to a stronger feeling of collective belonging. Full article

Depopulation threatens livelihoods, services, and cultural landscapes. In the scientific literature, tourism is frequently discussed as a potential lever in depopulation contexts, yet reported demographic outcomes vary widely across settings. We conducted a PRISMA-informed systematic review of Web of Science and Scopus (1993–2025), identifying 268 articles that were coded using a hybrid bibliometric–narrative approach into thematic axes and reported effect directions (positive, neutral, negative). Reported outcomes are heterogeneous and conditional rather than uniform. Tourism is associated with positive demographic trajectories, primarily where it is embedded in diversified local economies, supported by strong social capital, and integrated into coordinated governance and planning frameworks; negative or neutral outcomes recur under tourism monoculture, strong seasonality, housing pressure, and weak territorial regulation. Keyword co-occurrence and narrative analyses identify three dominant thematic clusters (rural development, spatial–cultural transformation, and sustainability) structured around depopulation as the central conceptual node. The geography of knowledge production further indicates a strong European concentration, particularly in Southern Europe, where tourism is explicitly framed as a policy response to demographic decline, while non-European research adopts more analytical and sectoral perspectives. Overall, this review shows that tourism functions as a contingent territorial lever rather than a universal remedy: its demographic associations depend on institutional, spatial, and socio-economic configurations. By systematically organizing fragmented evidence, the study clarifies when tourism is reported to support demographic stabilization, and when it is reported to have no effect or to coincide with continued decline, providing a clearer analytical basis for future comparative research and context-sensitive territorial policy design. Full article

Open-air food markets have long functioned as key sites of food provision, social interaction, and local economic exchange in European cities. In recent decades, many of these markets have undergone significant transformation as part of modernization-oriented urban regeneration. This study examines the transformation of Palilula Market in Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, from a traditional open-air market to a large, enclosed market complex, situating the analysis within the post-socialist urban context. Utilizing historical analysis, semi-structured interviews with vendors, and on-site observations, the research examines the impact of spatial reconfiguration on vendor livelihoods, economic practices, and social relations. The results demonstrate that, although the new indoor market has enhanced infrastructure, hygiene, and year-round usability, it has also led to higher rents, reduced stall capacity, increased competition, and stricter regulations. These developments have constrained small-scale vendors and diminished informal social interactions. This study expands the understanding of urban regeneration processes in post-socialist neoliberal contexts by showing how market modernization shapes the inclusivity and socio-cultural significance of traditional urban markets. Full article

Many World Heritage Sites hold universal and exceptional values of a hybrid nature, combining cultural and environmental richness. Yet these complex dimensions are rarely recognised within their designation criteria, making it urgent to update their cultural valuation through the lens of social and environmental sustainability. In this context, water—as both a natural and a cultural asset—emerges as a fundamental element for understanding their natural–cultural capital. This study examines two World Heritage Sites in southern Spain—the Royal Alcázar of Seville and the Alhambra of Granada—which are particularly representative at the European scale due to their severe climatic conditions. The methodology is based on the analysis and mapping of their landscape conditions using historical cartography and Geographic Information Systems, together with a review of water-related attributes and values across their protection and management frameworks. As a result, their water systems are critically assessed within existing protection and management documents, a narrative approach to water as natural-cultural capital is proposed, and this approach is linked to the sites’ principal climate-related vulnerabilities and benefits. Overall, the study contributes to the international debate on biocultural heritage, supporting the need to update the water system approach applied to World Heritage Sites under conditions of climate stress. Full article

The emerging concept of circular parks positions protected areas as active generators of shared value, as they integrate biodiversity conservation with natural resource optimization, local economies, and social cohesion. This perspective challenges traditional passive management by applying circular economy principles to parks as dynamic territorial organisms embedded within a regional socio-ecological metabolism. The research explores and tests circular park approaches starting from forest-related resource flows in areas where ecological richness coexists with socio-economic fragility. Focusing on the case study of the Madonie Regional Park (Sicily, Italy), the research investigates alternative pathways for the reuse of retrievable biomass by relating material flows to local social, economic, and cultural activities potentially involved in circular processes. This study supports the design of recycling, repurpose, and re-vision strategies to transform residual biomass into regenerative local value and strengthen the territorial resilience in inner areas characterized by demographic fragility despite being endowed with significant environmental and cultural capital. Through a design-oriented approach, the research experiments with alternative circular strategies in a case study, proposing a shift from extractive and mono-output models towards multi-output approaches and from an energy-centered towards a community-centered model. This perspective emerges not only as a cultural challenge but also as an opportunity to build an operational and replicable planning practice within the Italian and European park system, contributing to the debate on the ecological transition of fragile territories. Full article

This paper develops a new conceptual and operational understanding of cultural heritage transformation, interpreting it as a systemic and dynamic process rather than a static state. It explores the realities and opportunities for action when cultural heritage is understood and managed as a complex, adaptive system. The study builds on a critical review of contemporary literature to identify the multi-scalar challenges currently facing urban heritage systems, such as climate change, disaster risks, social fragmentation, and unsustainable urban development. To respond to these challenges, the paper introduces a metamodel for heritage-based urban transformation, designed to apply systems thinking to heritage management that was developed based on cases from the Western European context. This metamodel integrates key variables—actors, resources, tools, and processes—and is used to test the hypothesis that a systems-oriented approach to cultural heritage can enhance the capacity of stakeholders to connect, adapt, use, and safeguard heritage in the face of complex urban transitions. The hypothesis is operationalized through scenario-based applications in the fields of disaster risk management (DRM), circular economy, and broader sustainability transitions, demonstrating how the metamodel supports the design of cross-over resilience strategies. These strategies not only preserve heritage but activate it as a resource for innovation, cohesion, identity, and adaptive reuse. Thus, cultural heritage is reframed as a strategic investment—generating spillover benefits such as improved quality of life, economic opportunities, environmental mitigation, and enhanced social capital. In light of the transition toward a greener and more resilient society, this paper argues for embracing heritage as a driver of transformation—capable of engaging with well-being, behavior change, innovation, and education through cultural crossovers. Heritage is thus positioned not merely as something to be protected, but as a catalyst for systemic change and future-oriented urban regeneration. Full article

Food waste remains a persistent sustainability challenge for the European Union, revealing how economic development, demographic structures, and educational attainment intersect to shape consumption behavior. Although rising prosperity can enhance efficiency, it often encourages overproduction and habits of abundance that increase food waste. This study investigates the structural drivers behind the variation in per capita food waste across EU member states by examining the combined influences of economic growth, human capital, and population density. Using a cross-country dataset, the analysis integrates factorial methods to identify latent relationships among socioeconomic indicators, a multilayer perceptron to capture nonlinear dependencies, and cluster analysis to classify countries according to shared development and education patterns. The results show that higher income and consumption levels tend to elevate food waste. Nevertheless, this effect is moderated when educational attainment and public awareness are stronger, highlighting the role of knowledge in shaping responsible consumption. The neural network further demonstrates that the relationship between prosperity and waste is not linear but mediated by the cognitive and social capacities of each society. Cluster patterns reveal regional models where sustainability policies and cultural norms contribute to more efficient food management. Overall, the study emphasizes that food waste arises from structural disparities rather than isolated behaviors, offering an evidence-based foundation for integrated EU policies that support more sustainable and equitable resource use. Full article

Minor Southern Italian population centers present a fragmented and uneven urban landscape, resulting from abandonment and depopulation phenomena that have led, especially in historic city centers, to urban voids scattered with rubble, buildings in a state of ruin, and others with evident structural collapses. Within a broader urban regeneration strategy for these centers, aligned with current national and European policies, the recovery of these vacant spaces can play a decisive role in enhancing urban quality and the desired touristic appeal, with social, economic, and environmental implications. These areas may also become valuable resources for innovating the urban core in a green transition process, contributing to carbon neutrality goals while improving residents’ quality of life. This paper addresses the importance of pocket parks as systems of resilience against climate change and hydrogeological risks, as well as rainwater drainage systems in densely built urban areas with strong historical character. The study includes a case study application focusing on a location in the Sicilian hinterland, notable for its historical and architectural value. The urban center under examination, Naro in the province of Agrigento, has experienced significant depopulation over the past fifty years, and the designation of its provincial capital as the Italian Capital of Culture 2025 could provide the opportunity for revival through small-scale, low-cost, and sustainable actions. Full article

This paper investigates the complex interplay between European and pre-Hispanic urban traditions in shaping colonial urbanism across the Americas, with particular emphasis on the transformation of the City of Mexico atop the remnants of the ancient city of Mexico-Tenochtitlan. It contends that the development of the viceregal capital was not merely a straightforward transplantation of the Castilian urban model, but rather a process profoundly influenced—and in many respects enabled—by the sophisticated spatial organisation of the Mexica metropolis. The research examines how the foundational urban layout of Mexico-Tenochtitlan informed the design of the colonial city, highlighting both continuities and divergences between indigenous and Castilian urban frameworks, and analysing the fusion of these traditions in the formation of a novel urban entity. Employing a historical-analytical methodology, this article combines documentary research, comparative analysis of urban configurations from both cultures, and case studies of early colonial settlements. The findings suggest that the City of Mexico evolved into a paradigm of hybrid urbanism, wherein European planning doctrines were adapted and interwoven with enduring indigenous spatial logics and symbolic systems—a synthesis that not only characterised the viceregal capital but also established a precedent for urban development throughout Spanish America. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and intensified structural tensions surrounding work−life balance, precarity, and gender inequalities in academia. This paper examines the spatial, temporal, and emotional disruptions experienced by early-career and precarious researchers in Italy during the first national lockdown (March–April 2020) and their engagement in remote academic work. Adopting an exploratory and qualitative approach, the study draws on ten narrative video interviews and thirty participant-generated images to investigate how structural dimensions—such as gender, class, caregiving responsibilities, and the organizational culture of the neoliberal university—shaped these lived experiences. The findings highlight the implosion of boundaries between paid work, care, family life, and personal space and how this disarticulation exacerbated existing inequalities, particularly for women and caregivers. By interpreting both visual and narrative data through a sociological lens on gender, work, and organizations, the paper contributes to current debates on the transformation of academic labor and the reshaping of temporal work regimes through the everyday use of digital technologies in contemporary neoliberal capitalism. It challenges the individualization of discourses on productivity and flexibility and calls for gender-sensitive, structurally informed policies that support equitable and sustainable transitions in work and family life, in line with European policy frameworks. Full article

In the digital era, social networks play a crucial role in promoting university cultural events and enhancing accessibility, interaction, and student engagement. This study examines the impact of the communication strategies employed by the West University of Timisoara (UVT) to promote the initiative “At UVT, Culture is Capital” within the framework of Timisoara 2023—European Capital of Culture. This research employs a mixed methodology, combining a quantitative analysis of the performance of Facebook and Instagram posts with a qualitative examination of communication strategies. The results reveal that, despite Generation Z’s preference for visual platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Facebook continues to be an effective channel for promoting university cultural events. This effectiveness stems from trust in the information shared and the strengthened community surrounding the university. Key factors contributing to the campaign’s success included the prominence of guest speakers, high-quality visual and textual content, and the organization of interactive giveaway campaigns. There was also a notable increase in student participation in events and an enhanced sense of belonging to the university community. The findings suggest incorporating more dynamic media formats, such as reels and stories, to boost engagement and explore emerging platforms favored by younger audiences. This research contributes to understanding how universities can effectively leverage social media to promote cultural events and foster a more engaged academic community. Full article

With its profound impact, climate change has emerged as the most significant challenge for economic development. The primary cause of this global crisis is “fossil” capitalism, which denotes the pollution caused by greenhouse gas emissions. As the main contributors, cars significantly add to this pollution, making traffic one of the largest polluters responsible for the ecological and economic crisis. At the European Union (EU) level, countries have formulated environmental policies within the framework of the Green Deal. The Green Deal recognises sustainable mobility as a promising solution for reducing greenhouse gases and managing the consequences of climate change. The research background highlights the promising effects of the sustainable mobility strategy in the Austrian city of Graz. The research methodology is based on a case study analysis of the “eco-transformation” of Graz, focusing on developing a local sustainable mobility strategy and implementing the “soft mobility” concept. Soft mobility refers to non-motorised forms of transportation, such as walking, cycling, and public transit, which are environmentally friendly and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The research examines three key components—space, culture, and ambition—as fundamental elements of sustainable mobility. All available online data were collected through desk analysis and a literature review to assess the effectiveness of sustainable policies in Graz. In addition, a quantitative analysis using daily cyclist counts and weather data from 2022–2024 was conducted, confirming the impact of environmental and temporal variables on cycling behaviour. The findings underscore Graz’s replicable value as a sustainable mobility model and highlight the broader implications for EU climate goals. Full article

Emotions play an important role in today’s tourism practice. In order to understand how emotional experiences are created, we first must consider that emotions are subjective and subliminal constructs. These are conditioned by individual personality and influenced by social, cultural and spatial contexts. The aim of this research is to identify tourists’ emotional experiences in European Capitals of Culture (ECoCs), to explain disparities and to suggest ways of action in tourism practice. For this study, we combine quantitative and qualitative methods, using an extended statistical and text database, as well as official documents on each ECoC. The results of this study show how the cultural agenda of ECoCs stimulates and influences specific feelings and emotions among tourists. Emotional dimensions were also correlated with cultural vibrancy, creative economy and enabling environment, and this paper discusses these statistical results. The majority of the documents regarding the cultural programmes of ECoCs illustrated and emphasised emotional experiences, either by focusing on the emotional characteristics of the ECoC or by trying to create and produce emotional experiences. On the basis of our findings, we draw conclusions on the conceptual and methodological relevance of our main hypothesis, stating that cultural programmes of ECoCs influence tourists’ experiences. Full article