Public engagement 

Knowledge Exchange & Societal Impact

I conceive research as a public good and an inherently dialogical practice. Public engagement is therefore a core dimension of my work, not a supplementary activity. Alongside participatory research and collaboration with institutions and civil society, I am strongly committed to media engagement and public communication to make sociological knowledge accessible, relevant, and actionable in public debate.

A key pillar of this commitment is my long-standing collaboration with Altreconomia, one of Italy’s leading independent media outlets on sustainability, solidarity economy, and social justice. Over the years, this collaboration has taken multiple forms—books, essays, interviews, and contributions to collective volumes—allowing me to translate research on political consumerism, alternative food networks, anti-mafia economies, and sustainable consumption into a language that speaks to activists, practitioners, and a wider public. This exchange has been mutually enriching: it has amplified the societal impact of my research while continuously grounding it in real-world struggles, innovations, and civic practices.

More broadly, I regularly engage with national and local media, including newspapers, radio, television, and public festivals, contributing to debates on food systems, sustainability transitions, consumption practices, and democratic innovation. Through these channels, I seek to foster social learning, critical reflection, and informed public discussion, connecting empirical research with everyday concerns and policy challenges.

Selected Engagement Roles and Initiatives

Scientific Coordinator, Nutrire Trento – A long-term living lab jointly developed with the Municipality of Trento to co-design participatory urban food policies and promote food democracy.

Scientific Coordinator, SPAZI – A university–municipality project on the future of local urban commerce and its social, cultural, and economic regeneration.

Member, Scientific Committee, Agroecological Biodistrict “Valle dei Templi” (2025–2028) – Contributing research-based guidance for agroecological and territorial development.

Member, Station for Transformation (S4T) – Co-design and monitoring of a Living Research Lab focused on transformative learning and deep societal engagement.

Scientific Coordinator, Bergamo Green – An earlier initiative promoting short food supply chains and sustainable urban–rural connections.

Advisory and Media-Oriented Outreach – Member of advisory boards for EU and local projects (e.g. Big Picnic, EA(S)TITALY).

Overall, my approach to public engagement is based on reciprocity: research informs public debate, and engagement with media, communities, and practitioners continuously reshapes my research questions, methods, and responsibilities as a sociologist.