Books by Michele Carboni
Aracne editrice, 2018
Mobility and Minorities in Africa is the third volume in Nova Collectanea Africana, which is an e... more Mobility and Minorities in Africa is the third volume in Nova Collectanea Africana, which is an edited collection on minorities in Africa endorsed by the Centro di Studi Africani in Sardegna (CSAS). As with the previous volumes, the notion of “minority” has been interpreted broadly in order to cover ethnic, religious, linguistic, sexual, national, geographical, social, cultural, economic, and political minorities in Northern and Sub–Saharan Africa. Although mobility is a subject that embraces many different forms, this book has been divided into three thematic sections focusing on just three specific topics: Internal and International Mobility; Refugees and Internally Displaced People; and Identities and Representations.
Papers by Michele Carboni
The history of the Italian presence in Africa has received little attention from scholars. Althou... more The history of the Italian presence in Africa has received little attention from scholars. Although migratory flows to Africa have been relatively limited (especially when compared with those to other destinations), the story of the Italians on the continent is certainly not inconsequential. A recent resumption of Italian emigration also involves Africa. Although the continent is still not among the main destinations, in certain contexts, such as the tourism sector, the Italian presence is today significant. Starting with the history of this presence, this paper – which is based on primary sources-focuses on recent migration to the continent, using two case studies: Tunisia and Zanzibar. In Tunisia, the Italian presence is not new: the country has hosted one of the largest Italian communities of the Mediterranean. The Italian presence in Zanzibar, however, is very recent and linked to the development of the tourism sector, to which Italians have contributed in significant ways.
The presence of Italians in Sub Saharan Africa has not received much attention. Although migratio... more The presence of Italians in Sub Saharan Africa has not received much attention. Although migration flows have always been – and remain – marginal from a quantitative viewpoint, there are some contexts in which the numbers of Italians are remarkable, as in the case of Zanzibar. In the mid-1980s, the archipelago opened up its economy to foreign investments. Tourism has become its most important and profitable industry, and Italians are leading the way. In the 1990s, a growing number of Italians began to settle in the archipelago, and in 2013, the number of residents in Zanzibar was approximately 200-250. This study, based on interviews, explores the evolution and current characteristics of the Italian population. It examine work and living conditions, their social life and relationship with Italian authorities in Zanzibar and in mainland Tanzania.
In the past, Tunisia gave hospitality to a large Italian community and was once a popular destina... more In the past, Tunisia gave hospitality to a large Italian community and was once a popular destination for Sardinian emigrants. In spite of the growing numbers of Sardinians in the past, Tunisia is today a marginal destination for migrations from Sardinia. Today, the presence of Sardinians in the Maghreb country is related to current migration flows, which have their own (partially unprecedented) peculiarities. This research focuses on the recent flows of Sardinian emigrants to Tunisia, exploring the life stories of a group of islanders who emigrated there from the end of the 1990s onwards.
In recent years, the interest of both the tourism industry and the academic world in Muslims as c... more In recent years, the interest of both the tourism industry and the academic world in Muslims as consumers with specific requirements has grown remarkably. Attracting Muslim tourists is considered a good business opportunity in an increasing number of Muslim and non-Muslim countries. Tunisia is one of the most important destinations for international tourism in the Middle East and North Africa. Despite being a Muslim-majority country, no significant effort has been made as yet to reach the growing demand for tourism products in line with Islamic beliefs. This study investigates the opinions of a group of 19 key informants in Nabeul–Hammamet concerning the possibility of developing such products. This research shows that tourism operators are becoming progressively more familiar with the global opening up to products designed for Muslim consumers. Opportunities offered by this segment have been recognised, and clear signs are emerging of a proactive attitude towards Muslim-oriented tourism as a differentiation tool.
Driven by foreign investment, tourism in the archipelago of Zanzibar has experienced substantial ... more Driven by foreign investment, tourism in the archipelago of Zanzibar has experienced substantial growth over the last thirty years. Even though it was meant to promote local employment and economic development, foreigners – and Europeans in particular – remained the largest investors as well as the primary benefi ciaries. Tourism development has created new employment opportunities, but it has only benefi ted the local communities to a certain extent, in part because it has promoted a considerable migration of workers from mainland Tanzania. Nowadays, Tanzania mainlanders constitute a very large share of workforce employed in the Zanzibar tourism sector. Focusing on foreign managers and entrepreneurs (who play a major role in the industry), this study investigates the mechanisms that infl uence recruitment of the workforce in the tourism formal sector. Th is research suggests that the recruitment process undergoes dramatic alterations within the inherent economic, political and religious context in a far more tangled way than has been hitherto portrayed.
Launched in 2008 by Moroccan authorities, Ziyarates Fès is a project intended to establish a bed ... more Launched in 2008 by Moroccan authorities, Ziyarates Fès is a project intended to establish a bed and breakfast network in the Medina of Fez, within the framework of spiritual tourism. About 30 disadvantaged local families host tourists in their own traditional houses. Every aspect of the guests' visits is in line with Islamic prescriptions. Nevertheless, no effort has been made to intercept and embrace the demand for halal tourism market so far. This research investigates the opinions of 11 families involved in this project concerning the possibility of selling their product as halal (or Islamic) tourism. The study shows that interviewees are not familiar with these notions. Even if the idea of exploiting a potentially promising market is not rejected by all of them, in their view the adoption of such a label should not imply restrictions on tourists' nationalities and, above all, faiths.
Au début des années 90, la Tunisie devient le premier pays arabe et africain à se connecter à Int... more Au début des années 90, la Tunisie devient le premier pays arabe et africain à se connecter à Internet, faisant de la diffusion du réseau en ligne un motif d’orgueil et un instrument de propagande. Le régime de Ben Ali investit avec conviction dans les nouvelles technologies en agissant simultanément sur deux fronts. Si d’un côté, des politiques visant à leur promotion sont adoptées, de l’autre, un système de contrôle rigide se met en place. Le régime tunisien deviendra rapidement l’un des plus répressifs au monde en ce qui concerne le contrôle de la toile. Malgré cela, à la fin des années 90, les premiers signes de politisation, utilisée à des fins de contestation, apparaissent sur Internet.
L’expérience du site SfaxOnline, qui apparait en 2008 et donne forme à cette contribution, concourt à l’approfondissement de la connaissance de l’utilisation de la toile à des fins contestataires dans la Tunisie prérévolutionnaire. En effet, ce n’est pas la Révolution qui a transformé Internet en outil de contestation. Le cas de SfaxOnline présenté dans cette recherche témoigne de l’antériorité du phénomène tout en contribuant à faire comprendre comment Internet a réussi à conquérir un espace qui deviendra par la suite fondamental dans les dynamiques révolutionnaires.
L’histoire de SfaxOnline contribue par ailleurs à corriger l’idée –qui ne correspond pas à la réalité- d’un peuple tunisien apathique et totalement passif face au régime dictatorial. Jusqu’à la Révolution de 2011, cette image a caractérisé différentes analyses sur les Tunisiens et sur le monde arabe en général.
At the beginning of the ’90s, Tunisia became the first Arab and African country to connect to the Internet. Ben Ali’s regime invested heavily in new technologies, working on two fronts. On the one hand, it adopted policies aimed at promoting technological development. On the other hand, it enforced a rigid and articulated system of control. Nevertheless, by the end of the ’90s, the first signs of politicization of the Net started emerging.
The story of the SfaxOnline helps us to gain a deeper knowledge of the use of the Internet for political contestation in pre-revolutionary Tunisia.
The Internet as a space of contestation and opposition in Ben Ali’s Tunisia. Informing and mobili... more The Internet as a space of contestation and opposition in Ben Ali’s Tunisia. Informing and mobilizing in Sfax. – Starting with an analysis of the geographical dimension of social movements and of the Internet as a space of information and contestation in Pre-Revolutionary Tunisia, this research analyses the story of a group of Tunisians who launched and managed the SfaxOnline website. The website brought to light the effects of local administration mismanagement as well as central Government failures. The group’s work was not limited to cyber activism but promoted several concrete actions that mobilized the population and hampered speculative strategies by local authorities, becoming an emblematic example of a social movement born at the local level but able to play a role at the national level.
Partendo da un’analisi della dimensione geografica dei movimenti sociali e dell’uso di Internet quale spazio di informazione e di contestazione nella Tunisia pre-rivoluzionaria, l’articolo analizza l’esperienza di un gruppo di tunisini, animatori del sito SfaxOnline. Il sito ha fatto emergere gli effetti della pessima gestione dell’amministrazione della città di Sfax, così come le mancanze del governo centrale. Il gruppo non si è limitato al cyber attivismo ma ha promosso diverse azioni concrete che hanno mobilitato la cittadinanza e ostacolato le strategie speculative delle autorità locali, costituendo un significativo esempio di un movimento sociale nato in ambito locale ma capace di avere un ruolo nel contesto politico nazionale.
Interest in Muslim-oriented tourism is growing worldwide, which leads to the need to deepen and e... more Interest in Muslim-oriented tourism is growing worldwide, which leads to the need to deepen and expand current scholarship on the long-neglected relationship between Islam and tourism. Tunisia was one of the first Muslim countries to promote tourism, developing its capacity to accommodate primarily Western tourists. Taking into account the political debate and institutional actions following the Jasmine Revolution, this research investigates the opinions of a group of 14 key informants in Djerba – one of the leading Tunisian destinations – regarding the possibility of developing a tourism industry closer to Muslim customers' wishes and more in line with Islamic beliefs. This study shows that the idea has not been rejected altogether but rather is of growing interest, especially among tourism industry operators. Yet, whilst the potential of Muslim-oriented tourism is recognised, developing it is not currently considered a priority.
nel 1963 per promuovere "la puntualizzazione e l'approfondimento dei problemi relativi al fenomen... more nel 1963 per promuovere "la puntualizzazione e l'approfondimento dei problemi relativi al fenomeno migratorio". Il CSER fa parte della Federazione dei Centri Studi per le migrazioni "G.B. Scalabrini".
Equilibri, Dec 14, 2011
A seguito dell’ennesima riduzione dei fondi, l’Italia potrebbe chiudere il 2011 con un aiuto pubb... more A seguito dell’ennesima riduzione dei fondi, l’Italia potrebbe chiudere il 2011 con un aiuto pubblico allo sviluppo (APS) pari allo 0,12% del PIL, una percentuale ben lontana dagli obiettivi internazionali che anche il nostro Paese si è proposto, a più riprese, di raggiungere.
I tagli più recenti seguono la scia di una riduzione dei fondi che sin dai primi anni ’90 – eccezion fatta per qualche timida ripresa – ha visto l’impegno italiano ridursi progressivamente.
Lo scritto che segue, partendo da una generale descrizione dei temi in questione, traccia un profilo dell’attuale situazione italiana, inserendola nello specifico della sua storia. Si prendono in esame alcune conseguenze della condotta italiana e, in conclusione, ci si interroga sul futuro di questa parte della nostra politica estera.
Book chapters by Michele Carboni
EL GOHARY, G., EDWARDS, D. J., EID, R. (2018). Global Perspectives on Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 2018
Fez, the spiritual capital of Morocco, is a popular destination for different kinds of Muslim and... more Fez, the spiritual capital of Morocco, is a popular destination for different kinds of Muslim and non-Muslim tourists: pilgrims, religious tourists and cultural tourists. This chapter, based on primary research, investigates the relationship between tourism and religion, focusing on the Festival of World Sacred Music (launched in 1994) and the Festival of Sufi Culture (established in 2006) and on the project on the restoration of the Sufi mosque Ain Al-Khail. The case of Fez shows how a tourism offer based on Islam can attract people of all faiths and create dialogue among them. Furthermore, it offers an opportunity to show that promoting and supporting the inclusive and tolerant Islamic nature of a destination does not imply excluding people of other faiths. Highlighting Islam's natural inclination toward hospitality and travelling, the case of Fez shows how religiosity (and not just religion) can peacefully cohabit with tourism.
CORSALE, A., SISTU, G. (2016). Surronded by Water: Landscapes, Seascapes and Cityscapes of Sardinia, 2016
MANDUCHI, P. (ed.), I movimenti giovanili nel mondo arabo mediterraneo Dalle indipendenze nazionali a oggi, Carocci, Roma, 2014
Il volume mostra come nel Mediterraneo il turismo culturale sia fortemente dipendente dal turismo... more Il volume mostra come nel Mediterraneo il turismo culturale sia fortemente dipendente dal turismo costiero. Il testo illustra le dinamiche del processo di valorizzazione istituzionale, in particolare in Tunisia, e il peso dell’UNESCO nelle dinamiche territoriali locali. Sono analizzate le ricadute territoriali potenziali della creazione di un parco archeologico in aree in ritardo di sviluppo, e individuate una serie di pratiche in grado di favorire la cooperazione fra le due sponde del Mediterraneo.
Conference Presentations by Michele Carboni
Religion is not a new focus of tourism studies, but the relationship between tourism and Islam – ... more Religion is not a new focus of tourism studies, but the relationship between tourism and Islam – pilgrimages aside – has long been neglected. On the contrary, nowadays, concepts such as Muslim tourism, Halal tourism, Islamic tourism, Sharia-compliant hotels, Halal hospitality are definitely receiving increasing attention, both by researchers and the tourism industry.
These (new) concepts will be illustrated and discussed during the seminar, as well as the implications, the potentialities, the possibilities and the possible consequences of the rise of this new touristic segment.
Moreover, the speaker will present the results of its own researches conducted in Tunisia and Morocco.
Religion is not a new focus of tourism studies but the relationship between tourism and Islam, pi... more Religion is not a new focus of tourism studies but the relationship between tourism and Islam, pilgrimages aside, has long been ignored and is still relatively little studied. Muslims' tourism - which several authors refer to as Islamic tourism – is a marginal topic in tourism literature; as is the way in which Islam can shape and influence tourism strategies in countries where it is the State religion or it has a significant influence. Moreover, for a long time the tourism industry did not sufficiently consider the needs of Muslims (as tourists) and Islamic prescriptions when developing tourism products.
The decline of the Ben Ali regime and the rise to power of an Islamic party as moderate as Ennahda have, for the first time, made possible the introduction of new categories previously censored in political debate. After 2011's revolution, various institutional meetings with Muslim countries interested in halal products (including tourism) have been accompanied by initiatives to promote the growth of Tunisian halal production. Emblematic in this sense are the dialogues with Malaysia, leader in the halal market, and with Turkey, showing an interest in intensifying bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including tourism
This research tries to detect whether there is interest, attention and further signs of openness towards Islamic tourism in Tunisia – factors that, in other Muslim countries, are noticeably growing.
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Books by Michele Carboni
Papers by Michele Carboni
L’expérience du site SfaxOnline, qui apparait en 2008 et donne forme à cette contribution, concourt à l’approfondissement de la connaissance de l’utilisation de la toile à des fins contestataires dans la Tunisie prérévolutionnaire. En effet, ce n’est pas la Révolution qui a transformé Internet en outil de contestation. Le cas de SfaxOnline présenté dans cette recherche témoigne de l’antériorité du phénomène tout en contribuant à faire comprendre comment Internet a réussi à conquérir un espace qui deviendra par la suite fondamental dans les dynamiques révolutionnaires.
L’histoire de SfaxOnline contribue par ailleurs à corriger l’idée –qui ne correspond pas à la réalité- d’un peuple tunisien apathique et totalement passif face au régime dictatorial. Jusqu’à la Révolution de 2011, cette image a caractérisé différentes analyses sur les Tunisiens et sur le monde arabe en général.
At the beginning of the ’90s, Tunisia became the first Arab and African country to connect to the Internet. Ben Ali’s regime invested heavily in new technologies, working on two fronts. On the one hand, it adopted policies aimed at promoting technological development. On the other hand, it enforced a rigid and articulated system of control. Nevertheless, by the end of the ’90s, the first signs of politicization of the Net started emerging.
The story of the SfaxOnline helps us to gain a deeper knowledge of the use of the Internet for political contestation in pre-revolutionary Tunisia.
Partendo da un’analisi della dimensione geografica dei movimenti sociali e dell’uso di Internet quale spazio di informazione e di contestazione nella Tunisia pre-rivoluzionaria, l’articolo analizza l’esperienza di un gruppo di tunisini, animatori del sito SfaxOnline. Il sito ha fatto emergere gli effetti della pessima gestione dell’amministrazione della città di Sfax, così come le mancanze del governo centrale. Il gruppo non si è limitato al cyber attivismo ma ha promosso diverse azioni concrete che hanno mobilitato la cittadinanza e ostacolato le strategie speculative delle autorità locali, costituendo un significativo esempio di un movimento sociale nato in ambito locale ma capace di avere un ruolo nel contesto politico nazionale.
I tagli più recenti seguono la scia di una riduzione dei fondi che sin dai primi anni ’90 – eccezion fatta per qualche timida ripresa – ha visto l’impegno italiano ridursi progressivamente.
Lo scritto che segue, partendo da una generale descrizione dei temi in questione, traccia un profilo dell’attuale situazione italiana, inserendola nello specifico della sua storia. Si prendono in esame alcune conseguenze della condotta italiana e, in conclusione, ci si interroga sul futuro di questa parte della nostra politica estera.
Book chapters by Michele Carboni
Conference Presentations by Michele Carboni
These (new) concepts will be illustrated and discussed during the seminar, as well as the implications, the potentialities, the possibilities and the possible consequences of the rise of this new touristic segment.
Moreover, the speaker will present the results of its own researches conducted in Tunisia and Morocco.
The decline of the Ben Ali regime and the rise to power of an Islamic party as moderate as Ennahda have, for the first time, made possible the introduction of new categories previously censored in political debate. After 2011's revolution, various institutional meetings with Muslim countries interested in halal products (including tourism) have been accompanied by initiatives to promote the growth of Tunisian halal production. Emblematic in this sense are the dialogues with Malaysia, leader in the halal market, and with Turkey, showing an interest in intensifying bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including tourism
This research tries to detect whether there is interest, attention and further signs of openness towards Islamic tourism in Tunisia – factors that, in other Muslim countries, are noticeably growing.
L’expérience du site SfaxOnline, qui apparait en 2008 et donne forme à cette contribution, concourt à l’approfondissement de la connaissance de l’utilisation de la toile à des fins contestataires dans la Tunisie prérévolutionnaire. En effet, ce n’est pas la Révolution qui a transformé Internet en outil de contestation. Le cas de SfaxOnline présenté dans cette recherche témoigne de l’antériorité du phénomène tout en contribuant à faire comprendre comment Internet a réussi à conquérir un espace qui deviendra par la suite fondamental dans les dynamiques révolutionnaires.
L’histoire de SfaxOnline contribue par ailleurs à corriger l’idée –qui ne correspond pas à la réalité- d’un peuple tunisien apathique et totalement passif face au régime dictatorial. Jusqu’à la Révolution de 2011, cette image a caractérisé différentes analyses sur les Tunisiens et sur le monde arabe en général.
At the beginning of the ’90s, Tunisia became the first Arab and African country to connect to the Internet. Ben Ali’s regime invested heavily in new technologies, working on two fronts. On the one hand, it adopted policies aimed at promoting technological development. On the other hand, it enforced a rigid and articulated system of control. Nevertheless, by the end of the ’90s, the first signs of politicization of the Net started emerging.
The story of the SfaxOnline helps us to gain a deeper knowledge of the use of the Internet for political contestation in pre-revolutionary Tunisia.
Partendo da un’analisi della dimensione geografica dei movimenti sociali e dell’uso di Internet quale spazio di informazione e di contestazione nella Tunisia pre-rivoluzionaria, l’articolo analizza l’esperienza di un gruppo di tunisini, animatori del sito SfaxOnline. Il sito ha fatto emergere gli effetti della pessima gestione dell’amministrazione della città di Sfax, così come le mancanze del governo centrale. Il gruppo non si è limitato al cyber attivismo ma ha promosso diverse azioni concrete che hanno mobilitato la cittadinanza e ostacolato le strategie speculative delle autorità locali, costituendo un significativo esempio di un movimento sociale nato in ambito locale ma capace di avere un ruolo nel contesto politico nazionale.
I tagli più recenti seguono la scia di una riduzione dei fondi che sin dai primi anni ’90 – eccezion fatta per qualche timida ripresa – ha visto l’impegno italiano ridursi progressivamente.
Lo scritto che segue, partendo da una generale descrizione dei temi in questione, traccia un profilo dell’attuale situazione italiana, inserendola nello specifico della sua storia. Si prendono in esame alcune conseguenze della condotta italiana e, in conclusione, ci si interroga sul futuro di questa parte della nostra politica estera.
These (new) concepts will be illustrated and discussed during the seminar, as well as the implications, the potentialities, the possibilities and the possible consequences of the rise of this new touristic segment.
Moreover, the speaker will present the results of its own researches conducted in Tunisia and Morocco.
The decline of the Ben Ali regime and the rise to power of an Islamic party as moderate as Ennahda have, for the first time, made possible the introduction of new categories previously censored in political debate. After 2011's revolution, various institutional meetings with Muslim countries interested in halal products (including tourism) have been accompanied by initiatives to promote the growth of Tunisian halal production. Emblematic in this sense are the dialogues with Malaysia, leader in the halal market, and with Turkey, showing an interest in intensifying bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including tourism
This research tries to detect whether there is interest, attention and further signs of openness towards Islamic tourism in Tunisia – factors that, in other Muslim countries, are noticeably growing.
Tourism has understandably created new employment opportunities, which however have only in part benefited the local - Zanzibari - community. In turn, it has promoted considerable migration of workers from mainland Tanzania. These migrants are often met with hostility from the local population. It should be also noted that pro-independence movements in Zanzibar are as old as the Union with Tanzania.
The proposed paper will seek to understand the "rivalcy" between local and migrant workers in the tourism sector. The research - currently ongoing - takes into consideration the perspective of managers and entrepreneurs in the tourism sector, trying to understand the reasons behind the frequently observed preference given to migrant workers over the local ones. Can this be explained with better education and training? Do cultural and religious issues - being mainland Tanzanian mostly Christians and Zanzibaris muslim - play a role?
È poco studiato il turismo dei musulmani - al quale diversi autori si riferiscono parlando di "turismo islamico" - così come è poco studiato il modo in cui l’Islam può modellare e influenzare le strategie turistiche nei Paesi dove è la religione di Stato o dove conta un seguito importante.
La Tunisia è stato uno dei primi Paesi musulmani a puntare sul turismo, sviluppando però l'offerta in funzione prevalentemente, se non unicamente, dei turisti occidentali.
Tenendo conto del dibattito politico e dell'azione istituzionale successive alla Rivoluzione, la ricerca indaga le percezioni di un gruppo di osservatori privilegiati di Djerba - uno dei principali poli turistici tunisini - rispetto alla possibilità di volgere l’offerta turistica locale verso prodotti più vicini a una clientela musulmana e, in generale, più vicini ai dettami dell’Islam.
Dallo studio emerge che l'idea non è rigettata in toto, specialmente dagli operatori del settore. Tuttavia, per quanto il potenziale del turismo Islamico sia riconosciuto, svilupparlo, attualmente, non è ritenuto prioritario.
Themes that we hope to cover in the edited volume include :
1. Tourism and dislocation in African communities
2. Dynamics of urban-rural migration, as related to tourism
3. Transformations in local notions of belonging in tourism environments
4. Modes of resistance to tourism
5. Sustainable models of inclusive development in tourist dominated areas
6. Social inequalities (political, gender, sexual, ethnic) associated with the tourism landscape
7. Emerging modes of mobility/immobility within the tourism discourse
8. Human rights issues and access to land/water use within the tourism discourse
9. Mobility and the politics of heritage tourism We invite contributions from all disciplines that explore issues related to forms of mobilities/immobilities experienced by individuals and communities across Africa within the tourism.