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“BEHIND THE ECCE HOMO” RURAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND THE EFFECTS OF DEPOPULATION ON THE PRESERVATION OF SPANISH HERITAGE Alberto Sanchez-Sanchez Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in Historic Preservation Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation Columbia University May 2016 ii This page intentionally left blank. “Behind the Ecce Homo” Rural Development Policy and the Effects of Depopulation on the Preservation of Spanish Heritage Alberto Sanchez-Sanchez iv Cover Image: Abandoned house in Bello (Teruel, Spain) – 238 inhabitants. Bello has lost 81.3% of its population since 1950. Alberto Sanchez-Sanchez | [email protected] Advisor: Erica Avrami, PhD | [email protected] Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation | Columbia University in the City of New York To cite this publication: Sanchez-Sanchez, Alberto, “Behind the Ecce Homo: Rural Development Policy and the Effects of Depopulation on the Preservation of Spanish Heritage” (Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Columbia University, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, 2016) Acknowledgements First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the U.S. Department of State, the Spanish Fulbright Commission, and the Institute of International Education for the opportunity to study in the United States of America during the past two years. This experience has enormously influenced me both professionally and personally and I will always be in debt to the Fulbright program. I would truly like to thank my thesis advisor, Dr. Erica Avrami, for her incomparable, unconditional, and generous help and guidance not only through the production of this thesis, but through the entire program. Dr. Avrami’s broad understanding of historic preservation, sustainability, and social issues has dramatically changed my own vision of the field, and her courses (from International Issues in Historic Preservation to the unforgettable Haiti Studio) are among the most influential and engaging classes I have ever taken. I would also like to thank my readers, Dr. Fernando Collantes and Dr. Clara Irazábal, for their comments and feedback, and especially for their selfless participation in my thesis. I i asked them to be part of my review committee because I admired them professionally, although I did not know them personally. They both accepted after we exchanged just a few emails and I am absolutely grateful for their magnanimity. I would like to thank my Miami family and my classmates in the Historic Preservation program for their continuous support and help during these past two years, for all that I have learned from them, and especially for their listening to my (numerous) complaints when things were difficult. Many thanks to Barrett Reiter and Alexander Weinberg, who so kindly reviewed my English grammar and spelling. Finally, I would like to thank my family, and especially my parents, not only for their unlimited support, patience, and care during these past two years, but also for all that I have learned from them. My parents taught me their passion for our little village of Used (Zaragoza), and their commitment to it has shaped me both personally and professionally. No matter where I end up living, I will always be from Used. ii This page intentionally left blank. Table of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction 1 1.1. Abstract 3 1.2. Problem Statement 4 1.3. Rationale 10 1.4. Research Questions 12 1.5. Methodology 13 1.5.1. Policy Review 13 1.5.2. Literature Review 14 1.5.3. Case Study 14 1.6. Assumptions 15 1.7. Limitations 16 Chapter 2. Rural Depopulation 17 2.1. An Introduction to the Idea of the ‘Rural’ 19 iii 2.2. The Depopulation of Rural Europe (1850-present) 20 2.2.1. General Trends of Rural Depopulation in Europe 22 2.3. The Depopulation of Rural Spain (1950-present) 24 2.3.1. Characterization of the Spanish Rural Population 27 2.3.2. Rural Population in the Highlands of the Iberian Cordillera 32 2.4. Case Study: The comarcas of Daroca, Jiloca, and Molina 35 Chapter 3. Rural Heritage 43 3.1. An Introduction to the Idea of ‘Rural Heritage’ in Europe 45 3.2. The Study of Cultural, Rural Heritage in Spain 49 3.3. Case Study: The comarcas of Daroca, Jiloca, and Molina 53 3.3.1. Characterization of Rural Heritage Resources 54 3.3.2. Effects of Depopulation on the Preservation of Rural Heritage 67 A. Abandonment and Collapse 68 B. Looting and Appropriation 69 C. Disfiguration by Lack of Awareness 69 Chapter 4. Rural Development Policy 73 4.1. An Introduction to Rural Development in the European Union 75 4.1.1. The European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy 76 4.1.2. The European Rural Development Programs 78 4.2. Spanish Rural Development Policy 88 4.2.1. Law 45/2007 for the Sustainable Development of Rural Areas 91 4.2.2. Regional Rural Development Policy 95 Chapter 5. Findings 101 5.1. Introduction 103 5.2. Challenges 103 5.2.1. Structural Challenges 103 A. Mistaken Political-Bounday Approach to the Study of Depopulation 104 B. Unfeasibility of Rural Heritage Inventories 104 C. Differential Understandings of Ownership and Common Stewardship 105 iv 5.1.2. Political Challenges 107 A. Misleading Political Understanding of the ‘Rural’ 107 B. Political Understanding of Heritage 109 5.2.3. Operational Challenges 110 A. Lack of Data about Previous Rural Heritage Programs 111 B. Lack of Expertise and Awareness at the Local Level 115 C. Lack and Unviability of Basic Public Services in Small Municipalities 116 5.3. Opportunities 118 5.3.1. Opportunities to Foster Political Interest 118 A. Increasing Media and Scholarly Interest in Rural Issues 118 5.3.2. Opportunities to Influence Policy-Making 120 A. Increasing European Union’s Interest in Cultural Heritage 121 B. European Union’s Understanding of Heritage as a ‘Public Good’ 124 5.3.3. Opportunities to Ensure the Success of Implemented Policies 125 A. Traditional Community Stewardship of Cultural Heritage 126 B. Strong Political Empowerment of Small Municipalities 127 C. Potential Role of Floating Population and Cultural Associations 128 5.4. Summary of Findings 129 Chapter 6. Recommendations 131 6.1. Recommendations 133 6.1.1. Research-Related Recommendations 133 A. Need for More Quantitative Data about the Implementation of the CAP 134 B. Need for More Quantitative and Qualitative Data about Rural Heritage 135 C. Need for More Quantitative Data about Heritage-Led Rural Projects 135 6.1.2. Policy-Related Recommendations 137 A. Shift in the Agricultural Orientation of Rural Development 138 B. Recognition and Encouragement of the Entire Local Community 138 C. Emphasis on the Participation of Youth and Women 139 6.2. Conclusion 140 References 141 Bibliography 143 Image Credits 155 v Abbreviations CAP Common Agricultural Policy. CF Cohesion Fund. EAFRD European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. EC European Communities EMFF European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. EP European Parliament. ERDF European Regional Development Fund. ESF European Social Fund. EU European Union. LAG Local Action Group. French acronym meaning “links between actions for the development of the LEADER rural economy.” PDRS Spanish acronym meaning “sustainable rural development program.” vi Spanish acronym meaning “development and economic diversification PRODER operation program for rural areas.” PROPROM Program for the Promotion of Agricultural Resources in Mountain Areas. RDP Rural Development Program. SAC Special Area of Conservation SPA Special Protection Area List of Figures Figure 1.1 Abandoned houses in Castejón de Tornos (Teruel, Aragón, Spain). Figure 1.2 Evolution of the Ecce Homo fresco at Borja’s Virgen de Misericordia Sanctuary. Figure 2.1 Delineation of mountain municipalities in Europe. Figure 2.2 Spanish municipalities with a population over 30,000 people. Figure 2.3 Spanish municipalities with a population density under 10 pop./km2. Delimitation of the Highlands of the Iberian Cordillera in the context of those Figure 2.4 Spanish municipalities with a population density below 10 pop./km2. Figure 2.5 Delimitation of the study area. Figure 2.6 Population density of the municipalities in the study area. Figure 3.1 Alto Tajo Natural Park. Figure 3.2 Lake of Gallocanta. Figure 3.3 Lake of Zaida’s 16th –century dam. Figure 3.4 Opening of the dam of Zaida. vii Figure 3.5 Gancheros del Alto Tajo. Figure 3.6 Bolos de Used. Figure 3.7 Virgen de la Hoz Sanctuary. Figure 3.8 Santa María de los Corporales Collegiate Church, Daroca. Figure 3.9 Papa Luna Palace, Daroca. Figure 3.10 Molina de Aragón. Figure 3.11 Castle of Zafra. Figure 3.12 Castle of Peracense. Figure 3.13 Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles Church, Burbáguena. Figure 3.14 San Miguel Arcángel Church, Villarreral de Huerva. Figure 3.15 San Blas Reredo, Anento (detail). Figure 3.16 Peirón de Guillén, Used. Figure 3.17 Nevera, Villar de los Navarros. Figure 3.18 Salt pans in Saelices de la Sal. Figure 3.19 Abandoned house. Bello (238 pop.) Figure 3.20 Abandoned house. Gallocanta (160 pop.) Figure 3.21 House for sale. Tornos (235 pop.) Figure 3.22 Looted building materials. Venta del Cuerno (uninhabited) Figure 3.23 Looted building materials. Ventas de Zaida (uninhabited) Figure 3.24 Looted building materials. Venta de Bruno (uninhabited) Figure 3.25 Disfiguration by lack of awareness. Tornos (235 pop.) Figure 3.26 Disfiguration by lack of awareness. La Yunta (100 pop.) Figure 3.27 Disfiguration by lack of awareness. Cubillejo de la Sierra (52 pop.) Revitalization Priority of the Spanish rural areas, according to the Sustainable Figure 4.1 Rural Development Program (2010-2014). viii List of Graphs Graph 2.1 Number of Spanish municipalities according to their population, 2015. Distribution of the Spanish population (in percentage) according to the size of Graph 2.2 the municipality, 2015.