Resilience and Dynamics in Italian Borderscapes
This two-days seminar examined the complex nature of Italian borderscapes amid contemporary global challenges, combining two complementary research themes that focus on territorial impacts of crises and the de-materialization and re-materialization of borders in the EU:
1) Resilience in the Face of Polycrisis
This thematic bloc explores how these regions respond to crises, leveraging their unique characteristics to develop resilient responses
2) De-Materialization and Re-Materialization of Borders
This thematic bloc focuses on the processes affecting land borders in northern Italy. These processes involve digital and physical infrastructures that facilitate ‘legitimate’ mobilities and transnational cooperation while controlling ‘unauthorized’ mobilities
DAY 1
15.05.2025, 10:00-13:00
UniTrento and unibz and Senale – San Felice/Unsere Liebe Frau im Walde – St. Felix, IT
We kicked off the first day of Resilience and Dynamics at Italian Borderscapes with incredible energy and insightful conversations! From thought-provoking sessions with Anna Casaglia, Anne-Laure Amilhat-Szary, Raffaella Coletti, Alice Buoli and Tobias Boos, participants came together to exchange ideas and share experiences for an inspiring program ahead.
We explored the “Hidden Frontier” in the Senale–San Felice/Unsere Liebe Frau im Walde–St. Felix, tracing layered histories and contemporary realities. Our visit to the Gampenbunker at Passo Palade offered a powerful lens into the region’s past. At the same time, exchanges with local actors provided enriching insights on how the border continues to shape identities and daily life today.
The day concluded with the screening of Contadini di Confine/Grenzbauern (2024), followed by a thoughtful discussion with filmmakers Michele Trentini and Marco Romano. The film shed light on a unique cross-border landscape—shaped not by monoculture or neglect, but by the enduring collaboration of farmers and herders whose work sustains the land and a shared cultural heritage.
Day 2
16.05.2025, 10:00-13:00
Unibz, Bozen–Bolzano, IT
The second day focused the attention on the understanding of border landscapes, their resilience and dynamics in uncertain times of polycrisis. The presentation by Ingrid Kofler and Jussi P. Laine’s keynote shared insights on European borderlands, while the session by Ilaria Riccioni, Marcus Nicolson and Andreas Metzner-Szigeth fostered a dialogue across disciplines and methodological approaches.
A concluding discussion led by Ingrid Kofler and Anna Casaglia brought scholars and participants together in a space of reflection and exchange, bridging local experiences with broader academic and territorial perspectives. The seminars framed two rich days of dialogue and collective learning, where voices from across disciplines and landscapes came together to explore border landscapes.
Ingrid Kofler (Free University of Bozen-Bolzano), Alice Buoli (Politecnico di Milano) & Raffaella Coletti (CNR Rome): Italian Borderscapes after 2020: Mapping, Unfolding, and Re-Framing Border Territories in Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic
Coordinator: Ingrid Kofler, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano | Faculty of Design and Art
Partner: Anna Casaglia, University of Trento | Department of Sociology and Social Research