Defence Restructuring and Local Policies. The Case of Taranto, a Military Port on the Mediterranean Sea

Two concurrent changes are raising questions about the interplay between armed forces and local governments in contemporary urban settings. The first one is the spatial reorganisation of armed forces that has been taking place in most European countries since the end of the Cold War. The second one is the redistribution of political authority between levels of governments that has increased the relevance of cities and transformed urban governance. The chapter conceptualises the military administration as an urban actor, whose material and symbolic resources in cities transform over time. It investigates both the effects of a (changing) military presence on urban policies, and how those changes are framed and managed by local governments. The case under consideration is the city of Taranto (Southern Italy), one among the biggest military ports on the Mediterranean Sea. Here, transformations of defence policies opened a window of opportunity for a new urban policy agenda, whose goal is a partial differentiation from military activities. During the last ten years, local political elites have been undertaking several strategies for military spaces redevelopment. However, uneven power relations prevent civilian-military bargain: redevelopment strategies are the result of either local military initiative or central State decisions.