Description
POST-PANDEMIC CASTELLER ECOSYSTEMS
Book Summary
This work gathers the presentations and reflections from the 10th Casteller Symposium of Catalonia, held within the exceptional framework of the Festes Decennals de la Mare de Déu de la Candela 21+1. The reader will find an in-depth analysis of the reality of the casteller world after the pandemic, addressing its social, technical, and food and wine dimensions. An essential volume for understanding how castells reaffirm themselves as a tool for inclusion and a driver for the recovery of heritage festivities, while exploring the role of women in the technique of these human architectures and the impact of the UNESCO declaration.
What is it about?
The book compiles the symposium interventions, structured around three main axes. Firstly, it examines the role of castells as a cultural manifestation serving social inclusion and as a key element in the post-pandemic resumption of heritage festivals. Secondly, the technical aspect is addressed, highlighting the growing contribution of women in the construction of these human structures. Finally, the benefits and challenges brought by the declaration of castells as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO are analyzed, and the inseparable link between traditional cuisine and the life of the casteller groups (colles) is highlighted, as well as its relevance in long-standing traditional events.
Main Topics
- Analysis of the pandemic's impact on the casteller ecosystem and recovery strategies.
- Castells as a tool for social inclusion and community cohesion.
- The role of women in the technical and organizational evolution of the colles.
- Consequences and challenges of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage declaration.
- The relationship between popular gastronomy and the casteller tradition as a hallmark of identity.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at castellers, scholars of Catalan popular culture, sociologists, anthropologists, and cultural managers interested in the evolution of traditions. It will also be of great interest to members of colles who wish to delve into current debates on inclusion, technique, and heritage, as well as any reader passionate about the social and festive dimension of the castells.
What this book provides
- An updated and multidisciplinary vision of the casteller world after the global health crisis.
- Well-founded reflections on inclusion and the role of women in a traditionally male-dominated field.
- A critical analysis of the effects of UNESCO patrimonialization.
- A unique perspective on the connection between casteller culture and local gastronomic tradition.
Technical Sheet
- Author: AA.VV
- Publisher: Cossetània Edicions
- Language: Catalan
- Topic: Popular culture, Ecology, The biosphere
- Collection: L'Aixecador
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication Date: September 2022
- Number of pages: 200
- Weight: 318 g
Editorial Assessment
This is a reference publication for those who closely follow the news of the casteller universe. The work stands out for its plural approach and its ability to address, from an academic yet accessible perspective, the contemporary challenges of one of Catalonia's most emblematic traditions. Its reading is especially relevant for understanding how the colles have faced the post-pandemic period and how they project themselves into the future, integrating current social debates such as inclusion and heritage recognition.