This article examines the case of Santo Stefano Quisquina, in the province of Agrigento (Sicily), as an emblematic example of the socio-ecological tensions that shape water governance in peripheral areas of Southern Italy. Drawing on the political ecology of water and on social problems construction theory, the analysis demonstrates that water scarcity is not merely a natural condition but the outcome of a co-produced process involving biophysical factors, institutional arrangements, infrastructural choices, and public narratives. The presence of a private bottling plant extracting water from the Santa Rosalia spring—within a province marked by daily rationing—reveals hierarchical water uses and market-driven dynamics that constitute a form of neo-extractivism. The case further highlights how fragmented governance and depoliticisation contribute to normalising scarcity by obscuring political and institutional responsibilities in its production. The article concludes by discussing the theoretical implications of the hydrosocial cycle for understanding environmental inequalities in marginal territories and for fostering more equitable forms of water management.
Sorgenti private, sete pubblica: il paradosso dell’estrattivismo idrico nella provincia di Agrigento
SONIA PAONE;PIO DELLO IOIO
2025-01-01
Abstract
This article examines the case of Santo Stefano Quisquina, in the province of Agrigento (Sicily), as an emblematic example of the socio-ecological tensions that shape water governance in peripheral areas of Southern Italy. Drawing on the political ecology of water and on social problems construction theory, the analysis demonstrates that water scarcity is not merely a natural condition but the outcome of a co-produced process involving biophysical factors, institutional arrangements, infrastructural choices, and public narratives. The presence of a private bottling plant extracting water from the Santa Rosalia spring—within a province marked by daily rationing—reveals hierarchical water uses and market-driven dynamics that constitute a form of neo-extractivism. The case further highlights how fragmented governance and depoliticisation contribute to normalising scarcity by obscuring political and institutional responsibilities in its production. The article concludes by discussing the theoretical implications of the hydrosocial cycle for understanding environmental inequalities in marginal territories and for fostering more equitable forms of water management.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
