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Speaking Ourselves Closer: Linguistic Minorities, Social Cohesion and Local Development

Author

Listed:
  • Giulia Ferrante

    (Gran Sasso Science Institute)

  • Luca Buzzanca

    (Gran Sasso Science Institute)

  • Arsène Perrot

    (Gran Sasso Science Institute)

Abstract

Local development and depopulation are critical issues for peripheral areas in various countries, addressed through differing policies with varying success. In this study, we provide evidence that social cohesion significantly influences local development through cohesion networks and territorial identity. The Italian case serves as an ideal one for this analysis, with its specific place-based policy and officially recognised linguistic minorities, a good proxy for social cohesion. These unique characteristics allow us to apply Difference-in-Differences and Regression Discontinuity designs estimating the causal effect of social cohesion in boosting local development and mitigating depopulation trends in peripheries. Our results indicate that municipalities hosting linguistic minorities retain 3.2 more inhabitants per 1,000 over 2002-2020, a relevant but heterogeneously distributed effect which produces local spillovers through proximities. Our findings suggest local cultural characteristics to be important policymaking tools with positive externalities on local development patterns

Suggested Citation

  • Giulia Ferrante & Luca Buzzanca & Arsène Perrot, 2024. "Speaking Ourselves Closer: Linguistic Minorities, Social Cohesion and Local Development," Discussion Paper series in Regional Science & Economic Geography 2024-15, Gran Sasso Science Institute, Social Sciences, revised Dec 2024.
    • Handle: RePEc:ahy:wpaper:wp59
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Linguistic Minorities; Local Development; Policy Evaluation; Public goods; Social Cohesion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R1 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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