Ethics at work: Diverse economies and place-making in the historical centre of Taranto, Italy

Abstract

The paper examines five economic activities in the historical centre of Taranto, Italy and discusses how they impact upon the urban pattern. It is argued that meanings people ascribe to their work go beyond economic rationality, carrying identity, pleasure and ethical values. In fact, in the observed context, work becomes a tool for bottom-up urban regeneration, thus building urban identity and contributing to an imagining of the future city. Based on empirical case study analyses of economic activities in the sphere of culture and creativity, this paper investigates the different meanings of work and explores how the observed working practices represent actions of place-making and resistance to hegemonic forces that jeopardise the local community in the neighbourhood.