Abstract
The upcoming Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics present a complex intersection of ecological and cultural concerns, particularly concerning the accelerated development and infrastructural expansion accompanying such mega-events. In addition, they fit into, exploit and promote a winter tourism system that is now unsustainable and against which numerous local civic groups seek to take sides despite tremendous administrative and financial pressure. The proposed study critically engages with the ramifications of this spectacle, focusing on how grassroots activism—with and through also visual mediums such as photography—tries to oppose the ongoing exploitation of alpine landscapes and resources. In its pursuit of infrastructural progress, the accelerated development associated with the event raises significant concerns regarding the erasure of local heritage and environmental degradation, participating—as said—in a widely problematic development model. By situating this photographic and visual research practice within Ordinary Practice and Collective Behaviors, the paper explores how everyday visual material—collected during participated field research—can become acts of collective resistance, addressing global challenges such as profit-driven exploitation, mega-events, and cultural preservation, while also challenging corporate-driven narratives of green-washed sustainability. In this context, photography transcends its role as mere documentation, emerging as a democratic tool that reshapes the public and main discourses and informs and mobilises transregional civic groups. Through this lens, the study positions visual media not only as a vehicle for resistance but as a pivotal element of alternative, participatory knowledge production.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Ordinary Practice and Collective Behaviors
KEYWORDS
Alpine Landscapes, Tourism, Grassroots Movements, Winter Olympics, Natural Resources, Photography
