Associazionismo e pratiche sociali in Casentino

In peripheral territories such as the Casentino valley, associationism and related social networks and practices constitute fundamental resources of sociality and local identity. The geographical isolation that characterises the intramontane territory of the Valley has favoured specific, articulated and widespread forms of sociability. Their historical form is linked to rural dynamics and solidarity networks, both religious and secular. Casentino has had as its reference over the long term the Florentine administrative institutional context and still today the diocesan context of Fiesole. This fact contributed to characterising its articulation between the upper and lower valley. The post-war crisis and rural transformation in Casentino are peculiar because they do not correspond to Tuscany’s sharecropping. Thanks to regionalisation, local autonomy and industrial and then tertiary development, associationism has evolved towards new forms of cultural integration and promotion of local identity, beyond the tradition that still maintains strong roots. The regionalisation of the 1970s brought with it a functional approach to local governance, which tended to overcome the static and rigid nature of the old structural forms of local government. The forms of government and management of supra- and inter-municipal services (mountain community and inter-municipal association, school district, local health unit) in Casentino confirm both its cohesion and its internal articulation. Above all, they open new spaces for the associative mobilisation of local communities and a possible response of cultural integration through social practices, in the face of the demographic and migratory crisis and the transformations of local rural society. The associative structure of Casentino is concentrated in the larger centres, but in the promotion of tourism (Pro Loco associations) and events linked to local typicalities, it is widespread in smaller centres, especially in the mountains. The tradition of solidarity and assistance (first and foremost, the Confraternities of Mercy) remains one of the main axes of Casentino’s sociability. Sports have grown significantly among the aggregative activities, and sports clubs represent a space of practice that generally invests in the leisure and recreation of communities. Recreational associationism (e.g. ARCI, MCL) confirms its solidity and roots, alongside a significant trade union presence. The networkof local museums and municipal libraries got a great boost after regionalisation. They are significantly used by the local community, particularly by young people, including through school and social activities. The Ecomuseum of Casentino, with its widespread network, the Museum of Arte della Lana in Stia and the Archaeological Museum in Bibbiena represent the main highlights.