Il lavoro analizza il civic crowdfunding (CF), presentato dalla letteratura internazionale quale innovativo strumento di stakeholder engagement con cui attivare una nuova forma di participatory governance e consentire ai cittadini di partecipare nelle fasi di progettazione e finanziamento relative a iniziative e servizi di pubblica utilità che non sono considerati prioritari dagli enti locali. L’obiettivo è individuare e approfondire, ricorrendo a un approccio metodologico di tipo esplorativo, gli aspetti principali del civic CF per comprendere se e quanto tale strumento possa essere replicabile nel nostro Paese. Ricorrendo, quindi, al phenomenon-based approach, vengono proposte alcune riflessioni critiche sui limiti, soprattutto di carattere tecnologico e culturale, che, almeno per ora, non consentono in Italia una diffusione esponenziale del fenomeno. Si avanzano, quindi, alcune proposte affinché tale pratica di social innovation possa avere maggior successo anche in Italia.
This paper investigates whether civic crowdfunding (CF), as proposed by the international literature, may be introduced in Italy in order to promote more participative and collaborative forms of governance and to support local authorities in the financing of public initiatives that are not among the authority’s priorities or that cannot be implemented due to lack of public funding. To this end, the paper introduces the concept of crowdfunding and proposes a review of the relevant literature. Subsequently, it illustrates how some civic CF platforms work. Finally, adopting a phenomenon-based approach, it highlights the technological and cultural limits that civic CF encounters in the Italian context. On these bases, the paper also proposes some suggestions on how to remove these limits and create the right conditions for the promotion and development of civic CF.
This paper investigates whether civic crowdfunding (CF), as proposed by the international literature, may be introduced in Italy in order to promote more participative and collaborative forms of governance and to support local authorities in the financing of public initiatives that are not among the authority’s priorities or that cannot be implemented due to lack of public funding. To this end, the paper introduces the concept of crowdfunding and proposes a review of the relevant literature. Subsequently, it illustrates how some civic CF platforms work. Finally, adopting a phenomenon-based approach, it highlights the technological and cultural limits that civic CF encounters in the Italian context. On these bases, the paper also proposes some suggestions on how to remove these limits and create the right conditions for the promotion and development of civic CF.
