The Myth of ‘Three Italies’: Differences and Similarities in Environmental Values Between Macro-Regions

Abstract:

One of the most frequently perceived divisions in Italy is that of a substantial cultural discrepancy in the environmental values of the North, the Centre and the South. The recent and prolonged waste crisis in Southern Italy reinforced this common public discourse. There are, however, no recent studies that have explored these alleged differences. This study aims to fill this hiatus by analysing differences across macro-regions in terms of the endorsement of basic environmental values. Differences in environmental values are examined using the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale with a multi-level variance components analysis. The findings suggest that whilst dissimilarities between macro-regions do exist, they are not in fact as significant as might be expected, thus indicating the existence of a national cultural homogeneity in terms of ‘primitive’ beliefs towards nature and humanity's relationship with it. The findings also highlight the problems of ‘Ecological Fallacy’ and underscore the complexity of the relationship between values and behaviour.