Book review. La Questione delle Aree Interne. Riflessioni sociologiche, Francesco Vespasiano, FrancoAngeli, Milano 2023

Abstract

The volume La questione delle Aree Interne by Francesco Vespasiano provides a sociological analysis of the phenomenon of Italian Inner Areas from an interdisciplinary perspective, highlighting their development prospects and the condition of marginalization. This marginalization is presented as the result of historical processes and economic and political decisions that have led to the subordination of these areas in favor of the hegemony of urban centers. Central to the analysis is the National Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI), described as an innovative place-based approach aimed at overcoming the top-down logic of resource allocation. Instead, it seeks to promote local development by strengthening essential services such as education, healthcare, and mobility, as well as enhancing territorial resources. Vespasiano proposes a concept of local development that takes into account broader global dynamics, emphasizing the need for an integrated development model. This model combines material and immaterial resources, local knowledge, networks of local, national, and international social relations, and multilevel institutional capacities. Particular attention is given to the “voice” of local communities, whose input is deemed essential for understanding how to counter the depopulation of Inner Areas and to promote a participatory and inclusive development model. The work represents a significant contribution to the sociological literature on territorial inequalities and offers useful tools for both scholars and policy-makers committed to understanding the challenges faced by Inner Areas from a research-action perspective.