Transhumance in the Time of UNESCO: Political Narratives, Rhetorical Representations, Enhancement Practices

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of tourist and economic interest in transhumance in Sardinia and more generally Italy. Previously viewed as a hindrance to sheep farming development and associated with isolation, sacrifice, and uncertainty for the people involved, transhumance is now being reconsidered. This study aims to explore the impact of this renewed attention by examining the new transhumance routes, identifying its advocates, and understanding why pastoral mobility was once deemed as a sign of cultural backwardness but is now celebrated as a heritage object and identity trait. The paper also investigates how transhumance has been integrated into territorial marketing efforts, often through rhetorical appeals to pastoral identity and authenticity and nostalgic and poetical depictions of a mythologized past. In fact, the emotional peak following UNESCO’s recognition of transhumance as intangible heritage is not the sole driver of this trend, as Sardinia has been focusing on the heritage value of pastoral mobility since the early 2000s. This paper emphasizes the role that rural space and landscape revaluation, sustainable tourism promotion, new pastoralism models, and local agri-food production revitalization play in driving this shift, aligning with current environmental and cultural heritage conservation and enhancement policies.