How to Address Marginalization in Small Towns: An MCDA Approach to Evaluating Different Strategies in Campania Region.

In recent years, the struggle against territorial marginalization in small towns has been central to national and international policy agendas. In Italy, several structural incentives and policies have been set to deal with this issue, but only some villages could capture the opportunities provided. In addition, some small towns have stood out for innovative and spontaneous strategies to tackle marginalization. In this context, the research compares different de-marginalizing strategies and tools recently implemented by some small villages in Campania Region (Italy). More in detail, it focuses on three municipalities: Mirabella Eclano (Av), where, as part of the de-marginalization strategy, is adopted the legal instrument “administrative barter”; Guardia Sanframondi (BN), where the shrinking dynamics are tackled by attracting new residents; and Preturo Irpino (AV), where the implemented strategy rests on migrants reception and integration. Since marginalization is universally acknowledged as a multi-dimensional phenomenon, the comparison is performed through an MCDA approach based on social, economic, and spatial criteria relevant to interpreting and counteracting it. On the one hand, the results from this comparison can guide the replicability and adaptation of the considered strategies to other realities. On the other hand, it allows reflecting on the selected strategies’ capacity to address the different ‘marginalization’ dimensions included in the analysis.