The award, granted by the institution's Claustre de Doctors, recognizes work that compared the evolution of the falles in Isil, in the Valls d'Àneu, with those of the Vall de la Barossa, in Occitania.
The research findings indicate that the Unesco listing in 2015 favored tourism diversification in the Valls d'Àneu. Conversely, in the Occitan area, this international recognition has not led to significant changes or an increase in tourism-related economic activity.
“"You have to be empathetic and talk to the people, to the people who make the festival."
The project also explores identity tensions arising from the recognition, highlighting the debate between viewing the festival as a specific local tradition and interpreting it as part of a broader Occitan identity.
The research, which received an international mention at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris, was selected from over 200 candidates across various academic disciplines.
