Department of Political and Social Sciences
DiSPOL has a well-established tradition in the study of territorial development, encompassing all the disciplines involved in this field, including sociology, geography, anthropology, psychology, law, demography, and statistics.
Among the research topics explored in this area, the following stand out: the study of the specific characteristics of local socio-economic systems and entrepreneurship; the theme of social innovation, including through the tools of what is known as the Foundational Economy; the issue of depopulation and declining birth rates, especially in the inland areas of Sardinia; social, economic, and environmental sustainability in local territorial development processes, with a particular focus on strategies for implementing policies in rural inland areas and the impact of environmental and climate risks from a gender perspective; the theme of urban strategic planning and the assessment of Social Quality of places—considering socio-economic security, social cohesion, social inclusion, and empowerment—aimed at developing redevelopment projects; the study of dynamics redefining the relationship between public, collective, and private spaces in the juvenile and adult prison system; and the issue of social and political conflicts, with a focus on environmental movements and the Sardinian shepherds’ movement. Additionally, the topic of water as a public good is also investigated. In the more strictly political analysis at both local and national levels, DiSPOL examines: the quality of democracy and, in particular, the quality of the electoral process; political parties, with a specific focus on candidate and leadership selection methods, as well as the role of party members in internal democratic practices; the relationship between the concepts of periphery (both social and geographical), marginality, and voting behavior; public and institutional communication in crisis situations, with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic; transformations in public organization and action (such as independent administrative authorities and European multilevel governance); and regulatory processes relying on informal or soft law instruments (such as EU action plans and programs, and the Open Method of Coordination).
Research Projects on Territorial Development and Animation
- Economic Analysis for the Regional Water Plan, Water Resource Protection and Management Service, Region of Sardinia (ongoing).
- An Integrated Economic, Social, Environmental, and Territorial Analysis, RAS, LR7 Tender 2019.
- Project IDEAS, H2020-LC-SC3-2018-2019-2020 (Building a Low-Carbon, Climate Resilient Future: Secure, Clean, and Efficient Energy), Topic: LC-SC3-RES-4-2018. Type of action: RIA. (2019-22, funded by EU Horizon 2020). Role: Principal Investigator, WP6: User Community Engagement, 2019-23.
- Funding from the Sardinia Foundation – L.R. 7/2007 (2016 Annual Call): Rural Territories in Transition Beyond the Economic Crisis: A Study of New Entrepreneurship, Youth Agency, and Community Empowerment in Sardinian Inner Areas.
- Enhancement and Optimal Management of Environmental Resources in the Arborea Ecosystem: Assessment of a Biogas Project, LR7 call 2010.
- Counterfactual Analysis and Risk Assessment in the Area Affected by the Salto di Quirra Interforce Test Range, Regional Law of August 7, 2007, No. 7.
- Promotion of Scientific Research and Technological Innovation in Sardinia, Annual Calls 2011 and 2012: POLICIS Project – Governance Indicators for Coastal Information Systems (CIS), P.O.R. Sardinia ESF 2007-2013.
Research Networks on Territorial Development and Animation
- Prosumers: Prosumerism and the Relationship Between Work and Consumption – Part of an international research network including: Allison Marie Loconto – French National Institute for Research on Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Davide Luca Arcidiacono – University of Catania, Lara Maestripieri – Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
- The Perspective of the Foundational Economy, developed by the Italian Collective for the Study of the Foundational Economy, in which DiSPOL is involved, particularly in the coordination and study of water-related issues. The research group includes over 40 scholars from various national universities.
- Centre Norbert Elias, Marseille – Italian Correspondent for the History of Anthropology Network (HOAN) of the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA) since 2016.
- "Development of Quality and Managerial Cultures for Social Enterprises", in collaboration with the Laboratory of Organizational and Consumer Cultures and the Research Center of the CGM Cooperative Group.
Finally, on the topic of sustainability, the prestigious Jean Monnet Chair "European Climate of Change – REACT" was awarded, funded by the European Commission Erasmus+ Programme – Jean Monnet Action. This initiative aims to promote excellence in research on climate justice at the European level.