(from the DECLARATION ON THE HONOUR OF NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST BETWEEN THE DUTIES OF SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE COMMISSION AND OTHER ACTIVITIES)
The European Commission intends to offer Mr Pierluigi Sacco a contract as Special Adviser. Continue reading Pier Luigi Sacco is the new Special Adviser to the European Commission in the field of cultural heritage
The physical matter we are dealing with today is exactly the same that was available to our hominid Palaeolithic ancestors. What makes the difference between now and then is the way in which matter is arranged, and thus its information content. Starting from this simple but far from obvious remark, César Hidalgo’s Why Information Grows offers a fresh approach to the understanding of the functioning of economic systems which is at the same time pragmatic, conceptually elegant and innovative. Continue reading The essence of smart specialization: local economies as computational platforms (review essay)
Culture 3.0 and Performing Heritage are the main concepts of Siena candidacy project as 2019 European Capital of Culture. Here’s an overview on this new landscape (and the chances to going deep, of course!). Continue reading Performing Heritage and Culture 3.0 in practice: the Siena 2019 experience
Recent studies draw attention on the highly specialized capacity of human beings in recognizing altruists versus cheaters in social interactions. These results hint at the existence of specialized abilities that support discriminating behavior in strategic interactions. In this paper, we explore the implications of discriminating behavior in the study of the indirect evolutionary selection of selfish versus altruistic motivations in the context of generic 2×2 base games, and in particular for coordination and cooperation scenarios. Continue reading Rawlsian altruism with perfect discrimination leads to social efficiency
We examine the social dynamics of crime by means of evolutionary game theory, and we model the choice of boundedly rational potential victims to privately self-protect against prospective offenders. Negative externalities from self-protection, as the socially transmitted fear of victimization, can influence the strategic choices of victims even with constant or declining crime rates, and this circumstance may lead to Pareto inefficient equilibria with excessive expenses for private protection. Providing higher levels of public security (or of appropriate social care) financed through discriminatory taxation of private defensive behaviors can prevent crime andreduce superfluous selfprotection, thus driving the social dynamics toward a more efficient equilibrium. Continue reading Self-protection, Psychological Externalities, and the Social Dynamics of Fear
The industry of taste is increasingly being recognized as a ‘new’ sector in the creative industries, and a complex one which combines significant economic relevance with the elements of intangibility that are typical of cultural assets. It is a growing sector and a particularly interesting one in that it allows a most stimulating interplay of identity, traditions, territories, histories, and landscapes, combined with creativity, research, and technological innovation, and with an outstanding level of participation and active involvement of the general public. Continue reading Italian Foodies: Endogenous Growth Patterns towards ‘Foodtainment’ and Gourmandise
We carry out a critical analysis of current participation practices in urban regeneration processes. Many concrete examples suffer from major flaws in terms of instrumental or ineffective involvement of parts of the community, and especially of the weakest and most deprived constituencies, at the advantage of more affluent andexperienced ones, which are familiar enough with institutionalized public decision making to surf and manipulate the deliberation dynamics at their own advantage. Continue reading Beyond the rhetoric of participation: New challenges and prospects for inclusive urban regeneration
Management of cultural heritage is an issue that is attracting increasing attention worldwide, as emphasis shifts from pure conservation issues to issues of future sustainability of heritage sites. Experience seems to suggest that it is difficult to preserve heritage sites without embedding them into a cultural vital social and economic environment, whereas at the same time there is the risk that, by putting excessive focus on the economic dimension, they are turned into theme parks with gradual loss of authenticity and progressive disintegration of their cultural and historical value. This paper tackles these issues through a comparative study of two Japanese heritage cities, Otaru and Yubari, both in the Hokkaido Island of the Japanese archipelago. Continue reading Culture driven policies and revaluation of local cultural assets: A tale of two cities, Otaru and Yubari
Loss of well-being, rising rates of depression and various psychological illnesses are a public health concern. This study aims to explore the associations between cultural access and mental illness. Continue reading Cultural Access and Mental Health: An Exploratory Study
Purpose – Despite the growing literature aimed at explaining how cultural and artistic production feeds economic growth, the causal relationships and interplays are not investigated in depth. In the attempt of filling this gap, the purpose of this paper is to examine arts, culture, and education within the framework of the New Growth Theory. Continue reading Smart endogenous growth: cultural capital and the creative use of skills
re:thinking culture 