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Schematic illustration of the interplay between semantics, pragmatics and grammar for slowing down.Source: Author's own elaboration.
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Smaller towns in rural regions are important anchors for regional development, but they are not usually considered particularly innovative and open to new ideas. This paper asks how the network of small and medium-sized towns, Cittaslow, could establish slowing down as something new in local development. Against the theoretical background of sociol...
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... cooperative but informal network, which is at the same time institutionalized as association with self-constituting criteria and regular meetings, bridges the gap between small scale local development projects and international debates on deceleration. Thus, it is the special interplay of semantics, pragmatics, and grammar (Figure 3) that makes Cittaslow a social innovation. ...
Citations
... Przedstawiona w niniejszym artykule implementacja idei slow city w małych miastach opiera się na koncepcji nowego lokalizmu, w której ważnym elementem rozwoju jest podatność małych miast na innowacje, w tym innowacje społeczne pochodzące ze źródeł zewnętrznych. Według Sept (2021), innowacje społeczne to m.in. nowe sposoby osiągania celów, zwłaszcza nowe formy organizacji, które zmieniają kierunek życia społecznego, rozwiązują problemy lepiej niż poprzednie praktyki i dlatego warto je naśladować i instytucjonalizować. ...
... Głównymi metodami były standaryzowane wywiady pogłębione z burmistrzami miast oraz ankiety wśród ich mieszkańców. Jak zauważa Sept (2021), kulturowo-narodowy ogląd koncepcji Cittàslow ma szeroki zakres i może być pomocny dla oceny uniwersalności samej koncepcji i jej wdrażania. ...
Artykuł odnosi się do kwestii przesłanek i genezy przyjęcia przez wybrane miasta europejskie ścieżki rozwoju w oparciu o założenia koncepcji slow city, a także zbadania, na ile członkostwo w sieci Cittàslow jest znane i akceptowane społecznie. Badania przeprowadzono w dwunastu miejscowościach w północnych Niemczech, w środkowych i południowych Włoszech i w kilku regionach Polski. Głównymi metodami były standaryzowane wywiady pogłębione z burmistrzami miast oraz ankiety wśród ich mieszkańców. Kulturowo-narodowy ogląd koncepcji Cittàslow ma szeroki zakres i może być pomocny dla oceny uniwersalności samej koncepcji i jej wdrażania. Przedstawiona w niniejszym artykule implementacja idei slow city w małych miastach opiera się na koncepcji nowego lokalizmu, w której ważnym elementem rozwoju jest podatność małych miast na innowacje, w tym innowacje społeczne pochodzące ze źródeł zewnętrznych (tu międzynarodowe stowarzyszenie – sieć małych miast).
... Researchers in various European countries and around the world analyse the relationship between the development of these small towns and the need to introduce diverse strategies, methods, and tools in spatial, environmental, social, and economic terms. Examples of such studies can be seen in Italy [29][30][31][32], Germany [20,33], Poland [5,[8][9][10][11]28,[34][35][36][37], the UK [38], Ireland [39], Spain [40] and Scandinavian countries [41,42], Turkey [43,44], USA [45], Australia [46,47], New Zealand [48], South Korea [49], etc. ...
... Studies on models of urban development belonging to the Cittaslow network are a subject of international consideration. Sept [33] conducted research based on field analyses in four cities in Germany and Italy, and the results allow us to state that the discourse and communication regarding deceleration, as well as the local projects characterised as slow and new forms of cooperation, can go hand in hand. Researchers from Turkey, on the other hand, draw attention to the directions of development by analysing the socio-economic changes in Seferihisar following its joining of the movement [57]. ...
The revitalisation of small towns is an attempt to find multi-directional solutions to numerous social, economic, and spatial problems. Properly planned and coordinated actions aimed at the renewal and countering of social exclusion through corrective interventions. Although there is a wealth of research on the significance of revitalisation projects in improving the quality of life for residents in large cities, there is a visible gap regarding the development of models based on the principles of “slow” and “liveability” in small towns. This article presents the results of observations regarding the actual conditions for the development of Cittaslow cities and the possibilities for development based on the assumptions outlined in the strategic documents of these cities, as well as the benefits resulting from projects implemented within the Supralocal Revitalisation Program (SLRP). The study initially identifies the main strategic assumptions and then analyses their connections with the revitalisation effects carried out within the SLRP. The analysis encompassed all projects aimed at solving social problems in fourteen cities in the Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship (Poland). The research included an evaluation of the assumptions regarding the directions of development arising from the provisions in the strategic documents (first stage) and a qualitative assessment based on interviews with local experts (second stage). The results indicate that the experts’ opinions differ partly from the project effects assumed in the documents. This applies primarily to the possibility of basing on the project results when formulating development models of the analysed Cittaslow towns. The results of these studies can serve as a basis for verifying the goals set in the SLRP, and based on them, for future projects and recommendations concerning the revitalisation of other Cittaslow cities in the region, as well as small towns in Europe and around the world.
... The unification contradicts the idea of cittaslow cities, which implies bottom-up development based on the characteristics that determine the identity of space and inhabitants. In Italy, Tuscany and Umbria include the largest number of cittaslow cities (Sept. 2021). Cities in these regions of Italy have historically developed in an unrestricted manner thanks to their political autonomy. Nowadays, the strong connection between people and the place where they live, combined with the diversity of each location, means that the idea of cittaslow is fully implemented there. It is characterised by a holi ...
... Ujednolicenie stoi w sprzeczności z ideą miast cittaslow, która zakłada inspirowany oddolnie rozwój w oparciu o cechy charakterystyczne decydujące o tożsamości przestrzeni i mieszkańców. We Włoszech, w Toskanii i Umbrii zlokalizowanych jest najwięcej miast zrzeszonych w sieci cittaslow (Sept 2021). Miasta tych rejonów Włoch historycznie rozwijały się w sposób nieskrępowany, dzięki samodzielności politycznej i ustrojowej. ...
The article presents a study of Polish cities, members of the cittaslow network, before the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis covered twenty-nine cities that belonged to the network before 2019. The research is divided into three stages: the first one focuses on the analysis of strategic and planning documents at the municipal, provincial, and national levels; the second one examines investments by the cities and determines their relation to the cittaslow idea to highlight directions of development; whereas the third stage analyses statistical data to determine whether the cittaslow cities in Poland show an upward growth trend based on selected indicators. The analyses aim to assess whether and to what extent the idea of cittaslow is an important factor in the development of the cities.
... The desire to maintain and strengthen these local qualities through an overarching concept was an important reason for the municipality to apply to Cittaslow and join the network (Sept, 2021). In 2013, the municipality was awarded the Cittaslow-membership, of which it remains proud, as shown by the wide coverage of the predicate on the municipal website (www.berching.de). ...
... For example, local politicians have decided, with reference to Cittaslow, that certain plots of land in Berching may not be built on. In addition, the municipality claims that the conferences organised annually by the network have led to inspiration and learning effects (Sept, 2021). In other words: Cittaslow offers Berching the opportunity to gain new ideas. ...
... Der Wunsch, diese lokalen Qualitäten durch ein übergreifendes Konzept zu pflegen und zu stärken, war ein wichtiger Grund für die Kommune, sich bei Cittaslow um die Aufnahme in das Netzwerk zu bewerben (Sept, 2021). Im Jahr 2013 wurde die Gemeinde mit der Cittaslow-Qualifikation ausgezeichnet, worauf sie nach wie vor stolz ist, wie die breite Berichterstattung über das Prädikat auf der kommunalen Website zeigt (www.berching.de). ...
... An diesen Plätzen sollen sich Bewohner und Besucher im "Hier und Jetzt" selbst finden, sich inspirieren lassen und geistig auftanken. Die Initiative "Slow Spots" geht direkt auf die Cittaslow-Mitgliedschaft zurück, wie Sept (2021) Andererseits können wir auch sehen, wie sehr die Anwendung der Cittaslow-Philosophie vom Enthusiasmus einzelner Kommunalpolitiker abhängt. Wenn bestimmte Entscheidungsträger nicht mehr im Amt sind, kann auch die Aufmerksamkeit für das Markenzeichen schrumpfen, wie das Beispiel von Abbiategrasso zeigt. ...
In diesem Beitrag untersuchen wir Cittaslow als ein Konzept, das bereits im Jahr 1999 im Rahmen der Postwachstumsdebatte entwickelt wurde. Im Mittelpunkt steht die Frage, inwieweit es den kommunalen Mitgliedern des internationalen Cittaslow-Netzwerks gelingt, alternative Ziele zu verwirklichen und sie damit einen Beitrag hin zu einer wachstumsunabhängigen Entwicklung von Orten leisten können. Auf der Grundlage einer kurzen Analyse der Cittaslow-Philosophie argumentieren wir, dass es sich in der Theorie um ein sinnvolles und ganzheitliches Konzept handelt. Gleichzeitig wird anhand von drei Mini-Fallstudien von Kommunen aus Italien, der Türkei und Deutschland gezeigt, dass die Umsetzung von Cittaslow in der Praxis oft auf Schwierigkeiten stößt.
... Bölgenin, bilinirliğinin artması ve turizm bölgesi haline gelmesi ile (Batyk ve Woźniak, 2019;Farelnik ve diğ., 2021;Zawadzka, 2017) yeni iş olanakları sağlanmakta, yerel halk ve ziyaretçiler tarafından yöreselliğe olan ilgi artmakta, böylece bölgenin yemekleri, el sanatları, gelenekleri, festivalleri gibi yöresel özellikleri öne çıkmakta, ekonomik gelişimi, imaj değeri artmaktadır (Farelnik ve diğ., 2017). Sakin şehir ağı aracılığıyla "yavaşlama" anlayışı, bireysel bir konu olmaktan çıkarak toplumsal, mekânsal ve sürdürülebilir kalkınma ile ilgili daha geniş kapsamlı bir konuya dönüşmektedir (Sept, 2021). Bu gibi kazanımları sayesinde çok boyutlu bir içeriği olan ve iktisat, halk bilimi, turizm, sosyoloji gibi çeşitli disiplinlerle ilişkisi bulunan sakin şehirlere yönelik akademik yazında da farklı çalışmaların yapıldığı görülmektedir. ...
Sakin şehirlerin doğal ve kültürel zenginliklerinin korunması, halkın refah düzeyinin artırılması, bölgenin ekonomik ve turistik açıdan kalkınmasının sağlanması açısından mevcut durumlarının belirlenmesi, sorunların tespit edilmesi ve bu sorunların giderilmesine yönelik çözüm önerilerinin geliştirilmesi önem taşımaktadır. Sakin şehirlere yönelik yapılan akademik çalışmalar, konu ile ilgili yaklaşımların belirlenmesi noktasında çıkarımlar sunmaktadır. Bu doğrultuda araştırmanın amacı, sakin şehir konulu Türkçe literatürde yer alan akademik makalelerin ve lisansüstü tezlerin bibliyometrik özelliklerinin incelenmesi, alana yönelik mevcut durumun ve boşlukların tespit edilmesidir. 2010-2023 tarihleri arasında sakin şehir ile ilgili yapılan akademik çalışmalar YÖK Tez Merkezi, YÖK Akademik, Dergipark, Google Scholar, EBSCO, İdeal Online, SOBİAD veritabanlarında “sakin şehir, sakin kent, yavaş şehir, yavaş kent, cittaslow, citta slow” anahtar kelimeleri kullanılarak araştırılmıştır. Yapılan tarama sonucunda 127 lisansüstü tez ve 226 akademik makale olmak üzere toplam 353 çalışmaya ulaşılmıştır. Ulaşılan çalışmalar üniversite, anabilim dalı, danışman unvanı, konu, anahtar kelime, yazar, dergi/enstitü, yayın tarihi gibi çeşitli parametrelere ve frekans sıklığına göre sınıflandırılarak anlamlandırılmaya çalışılmış ve görselleştirilerek sunulmuştur. Yapılan inceleme sonucunda sakin şehir konulu çalışmaların turizm, yerel kalkınma, sürdürülebilirlik konuları üzerinde yoğunlaştığı görülmüş ve alan yazında var olan eksiklikler belirlenerek sonraki araştırmalara önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
... Such an approach is quite variegated. It may include the concept of 'slowing down' and 'slow innovation' (Sept, 2021, Mayer, 2020 as alternative ways of development in opposition to the 'fast' character of large urban centres (the Cittaslow network being an emblematic example of this); it involves widely spread practices like second-hand shops, Do It Yourself initiatives and sharing mobility solutions. In addition, it envisages more innovative technological-based methods, in particular in the construction sectors, focused on the reuse of building materials as a way of reducing the use of raw resources. ...
Small urban areas (SUAs) form the backbone of the polycentric urban structure of the EU. As such, their role in ensuring a balanced territorial development has been widely recognised at EU level. The diversity of SUAs – in terms of their settlement structures, functional roles and development trends – make it challenging to develop overarching recipes for SUA development pathways. The ‘Policy Atlas of Sustainable Urban Development for Small Urban Areas’ serves as a valuable tool for policy makers, practitioners and academics seeking to gain insight into the unique characteristics of SUAs in the EU. By offering evidence-based insights and practical recommendations, the atlas provides a compass for navigating the policy challenges of sustainable urban development in SUAs and facilitates the promotion of strategies tailored to their needs.
... While there has been extensive research on the role of social innovations in rural development (Bock, 2016;Neumeier, 2012), less has been written about the role of social innovations in the SMST context. One exception is the study by Sept (2021), which shows that the membership of select SMSTs in Germany and Italy in the network of Slow Cities helped these towns to take on a different development perspective, namely one of slowing down and putting quality of life first and foremost on the agenda. Thus, the social innovation led to a revised notion of what constitutes a good life in the towns under investigation. ...
... Through configurational theorizing (rather than correlational theorizing), they highlight the interplay between organizational capabilities and innovation outcomes or lack thereof. Sept, A. 2021. 'Slowing down' in small and medium-sized towns: Cittaslow in Germany and Italy from a social innovation perspective. ...
... While there has been extensive research on the role of social innovations in rural development Neumeier, 2012), less has been written about the role of social innovations in the SMST context. One exception is the study by Sept (2021), which shows that the membership of select SMSTs in Germany and Italy in the network of Slow Cities helped these towns to take on a different development perspective, namely one of slowing down and putting quality of life first and foremost on the agenda. Thus, the social innovation led to a revised notion of what constitutes a good life in the towns under investigation. ...
... Through configurational theorizing (rather than correlational theorizing), they highlight the interplay between organizational capabilities and innovation outcomes or lack thereof. Sept, A. 2021. 'Slowing down' in small and medium-sized towns: Cittaslow in Germany and Italy from a social innovation perspective. ...
Exploring current debates on the topic, this book maps out an agenda for theory, research and practice about the role and function of small and medium-sized towns in various contexts and at different territorial scales. Chapters highlight new insights and approaches to studying small and medium-sized towns, moving beyond the ‘urban bias’ to provide nuanced thought on these spaces both in terms of their relation to larger cities, and in terms of implications related to their size.
... Among the pillars of the concept of slow city, the literature most often reports on: the appreciation of the quality and creativity in unhurried and reflective activity of people in all areas of their lives, the circular economy (consuming less, recycling and reusing), resilience, social justice, local culture and heritage, sustainability and cooperation [35][36][37][38][39]. Jeong et al. [40] defined slow city goals in five areas, i.e., the quality of life, sustainable development, place-making, locality, and conviviality. ...
The slow city concept is associated with great care for the protection of the natural environment and the use of renewable energy sources. Thus, the study aimed to discuss the potential of the slow city model and the actual role of Cittaslow local governments in deploying renewable energy, based on the case study of the Polish Cittaslow Network. To achieve this aim, we carried out qualitative and quantitative data analyses, based on literature review and data for all 35 Polish Cittaslow municipalities, retrieved from: (i) development strategies (ii) a survey (iii) the Local Data Bank of Statistics Poland, (iv) the Quality of Life Synthetic Index (QLI). To process the data, we applied descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk test, the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Spearman’s rank test. Findings showed that the support for renewable energy deployment was not at a high level and did not correlate with the goals set in the Cittaslow development strategies. This was the result of a cumulation of pressing social and economic problems, which the local authorities in Poland are legally obliged to solve, while the implementation of renewable energy is not obligatory. The QLI for these municipalities was low and renewable energy was not a significant element in improving the quality of life of citizens.
