Fabiano Compagnucci (p), Gabiele Morettini

Sarah Low

The launch of the Italian National Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI) in 2014 has institutionalised the issue of inner areas: the long-run marginalisation process they suffer from has finally become the target of specific policies. This attempt, however, has not been supported by an appropriate reflection about the functional organisation of space in marginal areas, which, in general, are still perceived and considered as the periphery of urban areas. This finally risks jeopardising cohesion and local development policies, especially those targeting inner areas, which, to be effective, should rely on a sound and reliable territorial unit of analysis. To this end, we propose a methodology aimed at identifying the citizens’ daily-life spaces in the Abruzzo region. Their identification results from a multi-step algorithm based on an original definition of central places (according with the supralocal functions they are able to provide) and on the notions of proximity, isochrones and citizens’ travel time, further controlling for the directions of the commuting flows. Comparing the results of our methodology with that of the Italian Labour Market Areas suggests that the former better describes the spatial organisation of daily life space of citizens, thus appearing as most suitable to provide the territorial base for cohesion policies.

Sarah Low (p), Mark White, Rob Russell

Fabiano Compagnucci

In rural America, age-adjusted, natural-cause mortality rates for working-age individuals have been sky-rocketing relative to urban areas over the past 20 years. The U.S National Academy of Sciences suggests that both long-term economic changes and social changes may be driving higher prime-age mortality rates, but the precise mechanisms are not understood.

Prime-age mortality leads to fewer adults in the labor force, exacerbating existing labor shortages. Post-pandemic, concern exists that labor force participation will drop permanently as jobs that require low levels of education are affected by COVID-induced disability, not to mention pre-pandemic issues such as opioid addition. Ultimately, rural economic development and growth is tied closely to the presence of prime-age workers – indeed, even population growth and the presence of children - future workers - will be related to prime-age population.

Using mixed-methods – three case studies plus exploratory spatial data analysis – we are examining how rural prime-age mortality increases are affected by local context, particularly factors we cannot measure with survey data or publicly available secondary data. Further, we are also examining the rural labor market impacts of continued prime-age mortality rate spikes.

We are conducting our case studies in Missouri, which is largely average (mean) America, geographically, socially and economically. However, the state’s geography, culture and economy is tremendously heterogenous and our case studies will exploit this heterogeneity.

Preliminary results identified two hot-spots for prime-age rural mortality and two cold-spots, one which one was rural. We are conducting case studies and focus groups in these three communities to gain insights into the causes and labor market consequences of prime-age mortality. Preliminary results suggest stress – particularly lack of leisure time – may be driving the mortality spike and this stress, concentrated in women who have duties at home and outside the home, may exacerbate the decline rural labor-force participation rates.