PEOPLEElisa Ravazzoli

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Elisa Ravazzoli

Vice Head of Center
Center for Climate Change and Transformation

Senior Researcher
Institute for Regional Development

T +39 0471 055 304

elisa.ravazzoli@eurac.edu

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2070-4403

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About

Human and urban geography
Socio-spatial transformations
Community resilience
Social innovation

Elisa Ravazzoli coordinates the research group "Space and Society" since 2018. She holds a BA in Sociology, a MA in Geography and Territorial Processes and a PhD in Economics from the University of Bologna. By education, she is a systemic thinker and enjoys working in inter and transdisciplinary research projects. Her specific research interests relate to: spatially situated social practices, social innovations, local and regional development processes, transformative actions towards sustainability and community resilience.

Scientific Publications

Report2026

Designing Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Climate-Just Societies

Dalla Torre C, Pedoth L, Pörnbacher M, Romagnoli F, Maino F, Lavarello Schettini R, D’Inzeo G, Longariva K,

Federica Maino, Elisa Ravazzoli, Lydia Pedoth, Cristina Dalla Torre, Romina Lavarello Schettini

Project: Transdisciplinary actionable knowledge for a climate just society

This report presents the results of the TRANSACTIONABLE project, which explored how transdisciplinary collaborations (TDCs) can support the production of actionable knowledge for just and climate-resilient societies. Combining literature review, interviews, participatory workshops, and collective reflection processes, the report analyses enabling conditions, challenges, and power dynamics shaping TDCs across different project phases. A key contribution is the TRANSACTIONABLE analytical framework, which operationalises reflection on TDCs through six interconnected dimensions while integrating power relations and positionality as transversal elements. Based on the findings, the report proposes practical guidelines and peer-learning approaches to support more reflexive, equitable, and actionable transdisciplinary practice.

DOI Source

DOI: 10.57749/ceq6-yq52

Journal article2026

The role of the Mobility of Care in rural areas: An exploratory analysis in South Tyrol

Chizzali C, Ravazzoli E, Dianin A

Alberto Dianin, Elisa Ravazzoli

Project: Rural Acessibility & Automated Vehicles

Mobility of Care (MoC) encompasses all trips made for unpaid care work, including caregiving and domestic responsibilities. Previous studies have shown the prevalence of the MoC in daily mobility, its disproportionate impact on women, and its key characteristics. However, research has mostly focused on urban residents, while rural dwellers are underexplored, despite their challenges in accessing care services. In this study, we aim to explore the role of the MoC in rural areas through three steps. First, we conduct a literature review to derive the main findings from previous MoC studies. Second, we perform an exploratory analysis of the MoC in a rural case study by investigating its daily prevalence, who undertakes it, and how. Third, we compare the nuances of our case study with the literature. In line with previous research, our exploratory analysis shows that care trips represent about 35% of all daily trips in our rural case study. Women, seniors, and non-working people are the main caregivers in the sample. Private cars and active modes account for 90% of the care-related modal split. Notably, 30% of care trips are 5–15 km long, 50% take place during off-peak hours, and 60% are destinated for villages. Although our results cannot be generalised due to the limited sample size, they provide novel nuances of the potential rural specificities of MoC, which may be explored in future research. Moreover, they highlight the potential need for more flexible collective transport options for rural caregivers, beyond the peak-hour requirements of commuters and students.

DOI Source

DOI: 10.1016/j.rspp.2026.100295

Journal article2025

Assessing scenarios of rural public transport automation by integrating the stakeholders’ viewpoint: Two case studies from Italy and Austria

Dianin A, Fian T, Ravazzoli E, Hauger G

Elisa Ravazzoli, Alberto Dianin

Project: Rural Acessibility & Automated Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) possess significant potential to augment the efficiency of collective transport systems in rural areas, thereby enhancing transport accessibility for rural populations. Further modelling studies focusing specifically on rural collective transport automation are necessary to fully realise this potential, as current research remains disproportionately oriented towards urban contexts. Beyond modelling efforts, it is imperative to involve policymakers in assessing rural AV models, given their critical role in the practical implementation of these solutions within decision-making processes. To address this research lacuna, the present study evaluates AV-based public transport schemes for rural areas, incorporating stakeholder perspectives to provide a holistic analysis. The study proceeds in three phases. Initially, five AV-based public transport schemes (AV scenarios) are defined for two rural case study areas in Italy and Austria. Subsequently, the impacts of these scenarios on both individual and collective accessibility of rural residents are estimated. Finally, the model results are assessed in collaboration with stakeholders from the public transport sector through Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). The MCDA framework incorporates both “manifest” decision criteria directly derived from our accessibility model, and “latent” decision criteria identified through stakeholder engagement, which capture dimensions of accessibility not explicitly quantified by the model. The results reveal that stakeholder input provides a complementary perspective to the model, which sometimes leads to modifications of the preliminary model outcomes. This underscores the importance of integrating modelling studies with stakeholder consultations to enrich the evaluation of rural collective transport automation, thereby facilitating a more nuanced and comprehensive assessment of the benefits and limitations of AV-based transport solutions for rural accessibility.

DOI Source

DOI: 10.1016/j.cstp.2025.101556

Journal article2025

Collective accessibility impacts of public transport automation on rural areas: the case study of Mühlwald, South Tyrol

Dianin A, Gidam M, Ravazzoli E, Hauger G

Elisa Ravazzoli, Alberto Dianin

Project: Rural Acessibility & Automated Vehicles

Collective autonomous vehicles (AVs) might change the accessibility of rural areas in the following decades. For instance, the operating cost savings triggered by automation could allow upgrading traditional bus lines or introducing alternative on-demand services. These improvements could benefit rural dwellers as a whole, and especially people who rely on collective transport. Nevertheless, few studies focus on the applications and accessibility impacts of AVs in rural areas, with most research focused on urban centres. This study aims to fill this gap by analysing the potential effects of five collective automation scenarios on the accessibility of a rural study area: the Alpine valley of Mühlwald in South Tyrol (Italy). The AV scenarios propose line-based and on-demand services and combinations of both over space and time. The study measures their accessibility impacts at the collective level. However, accessibility is not estimated through a traditional place-based approach like a gravity model. Instead, a space-time model performs person-based accessibility calculations for a sample of residents and aggregates the results at the collective and spatial level. Results show that scenarios replacing today’s system with on-demand and rideshared AVs could provide the highest collective accessibility gains, especially when considering the destinations outside Mühlwald. However, also a mix of line-based and on-demand services combined over space and time could achieve similarly high benefits, especially within Mühlwald. With these results, policymakers may get a picture of the pros and cons of different AV applications for rural accessibility and start discussing how to improve current systems in future based on their policy priorities and desired accessibility effects.

DOI Source

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijtst.2024.11.004

Journal article2025

Community-based approaches in disaster risk reductionand climate change adaptation: an analysis of appliedparticipatory processes

Ravazzoli E, Lavarello Schettini R, Oberti B, Maino F

Elisa Ravazzoli

Community-based (CB) approaches for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and ClimateChange Adaptation (CCA) are increasingly recognised as beneficial for enhancing re-silience to climate change. While the role of CB approaches in DRR and CCA has beenwidely researched, gaps remain regarding the specific circumstances, purpose and meth-ods of community inclusion. Using an existing and adapted framework, this literature re-view screened thirty empirical studies in which participatory approaches were thoroughlyanalysed via a deductive content analysis. We analysed who is engaged, how, for whatpurpose, and how these dimensions were interconnected to the CB objectives. Findingsreveal that participation was most common in the early stages of the DRR and CCAcycles, with localized actors playing key roles, though marginalized groups and womenremained underrepresented. Participation occurred in diverse forms, reflecting its adapt-ability to local contexts rather than adherence to a fixed model. Far from being a one-fixed solution, participation emerged as both a strategic tool and a transformative process,shaping objectives while empowering communities through inclusive engagement, whendeveloped appropriately.

DOI

DOI: 10.1007/s10584-025-04078-0

Journal article2025

Stakeholders’ feedback integration in spatial planning using Importance Performance Analysis: the case of the Provincial Strategic Plan of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-South Tyrol (IT)

Ravazzoli E, Dalla Torre C, Labadini A, Maino F

Federica Maino, Cristina Dalla Torre, Elisa Ravazzoli

Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) is a research method employed to comprehend and analyze stakeholder feedback on particular issues. A substantial body of research has demonstrated the efficacy of this methodology as a quantitative approach. To date, there has been a paucity of research using IPA as a methodology for integrating stakeholder feedback into the development of strategic spatial plans. The integration of stakeholder feedback is crucial for the development of inclusive, well-informed, and responsive decision-making processes. The objective of this paper is to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the utilization of the IPA method in the context of spatial planning. This research presented in this paper employs the Provincial Strategic Plan of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-Bozen as a case study. In particular, the IPA method was employed to analyze the level of importance and performance of the objectives set out in the Provincial Strategic Plan. Importance refers to the importance of the specific objectives for the future development of the area, while performance refers to how well the specific objectives were formulated. The IPA method has been demonstrated to be an effective assessment instrument. The findings demonstrate that the IPA approach enabled the effective gathering of stakeholders’ feedback in a systematic manner, identifying pivotal issues and potential shortcomings, and providing policy makers with structured recommendations on how to reformulate strategies and plans

DOI Source

DOI: 10.3389/frsc.2025.1394025

Inbook2024

Maino F, Dalla Torre C, Ravazzoli E

Federica Maino, Cristina Dalla Torre, Elisa Ravazzoli

L'Istituto per lo Sviluppo Regionale ha fornito supporto specialistico per l’elaborazione del Piano Strategico Provinciale (PSP) della Provincia autonoma di Bolzano. Si tratta di uno strumento di pianificazione che sostituirà il vecchio Piano provinciale di sviluppo e coordinamento territoriale (LEROP) e che definirà una nuova visione sullo sviluppo futuro del territorio e del paesaggio dell’Alto Adige. Tra gli elementi particolarmente innovativi portati dalla pianificazione strategica, centrale è il coinvolgimento di una vasta platea di soggetti del territorio. I ricercatori dell’Istituto per lo Sviluppo Regionale hanno curato in particolare la fase di consultazione degli stakeholder attraverso un’indagine online con questionario. La pubblicazione in oggetto descrive brevemente le principali fasi del processo che ha accompagnato la costruzione del PSP, e riporta metodologia e risultati della fase di consultazione degli stakeholder, ovvero dei rappresentanti delle organizzazioni che operano in Alto Adige.

DOI Source

DOI: 10.57749/2H90-W221

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Journal article2024

Women-Led Social Innovation Initiatives Contribute to Gender Equality in Rural Areas: Grounded Theory on Five Initiatives From Three Continents

Sarkki S, Ludvig A, Fransala J, Melnykovych M, Živojinović I, Ravazzoli E, Bengoumi M, Nijnik M,

Cristina Dalla Torre, Elisa Ravazzoli

Project: SIMRA - Social Innovation in Marginalised Rural Areas

DOI Source

DOI: 10.2478/euco-2024-0028

Elisa Ravazzoli

About

Scientific Publications

Designing Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Climate-Just Societies

The role of the Mobility of Care in rural areas: An exploratory analysis in South Tyrol

Assessing scenarios of rural public transport automation by integrating the stakeholders’ viewpoint: Two case studies from Italy and Austria

Collective accessibility impacts of public transport automation on rural areas: the case study of Mühlwald, South Tyrol

Community-based approaches in disaster risk reductionand climate change adaptation: an analysis of appliedparticipatory processes

Stakeholders’ feedback integration in spatial planning using Importance Performance Analysis: the case of the Provincial Strategic Plan of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-South Tyrol (IT)

Commoning Practices Along Streetscapes

Endangered Commons? Modeling the Effects of Demographic Trends Coupled with Admission Rules to Common Property Institutions

Individual accessibility impacts of public transport automation on (groups of) rural dwellers

Measuring public transport accessibility to fixed activities and discretionary opportunities: a space–time approach

Women-Led Social Innovation Initiatives Contribute to Gender Equality in Rural Areas: Grounded Theory on Five Initiatives From Three Continents

La consultazione degli stakeholder nell’elaborazione del Piano Strategico Provinciale della Provincia autonoma di Bolzano

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Scientific Publications

Designing Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Climate-Just Societies

The role of the Mobility of Care in rural areas: An exploratory analysis in South Tyrol

Assessing scenarios of rural public transport automation by integrating the stakeholders’ viewpoint: Two case studies from Italy and Austria

Collective accessibility impacts of public transport automation on rural areas: the case study of Mühlwald, South Tyrol

Community-based approaches in disaster risk reductionand climate change adaptation: an analysis of appliedparticipatory processes

Stakeholders’ feedback integration in spatial planning using Importance Performance Analysis: the case of the Provincial Strategic Plan of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-South Tyrol (IT)

Commoning Practices Along Streetscapes

Endangered Commons? Modeling the Effects of Demographic Trends Coupled with Admission Rules to Common Property Institutions

Individual accessibility impacts of public transport automation on (groups of) rural dwellers

Measuring public transport accessibility to fixed activities and discretionary opportunities: a space–time approach

Women-Led Social Innovation Initiatives Contribute to Gender Equality in Rural Areas: Grounded Theory on Five Initiatives From Three Continents

La consultazione degli stakeholder nell’elaborazione del Piano Strategico Provinciale della Provincia autonoma di Bolzano