Depoliticizing Public Action by Politicizing Issues, Practices and Actors. The Role of Resilience Thinking in a Program of the Cariplo Foundation

Authors

  • Ernesto d'Albergo Sapienza University of Rome
  • Giulio Moini Giulio Moini teaches Governance and participation and Sociology of public action at Sapi-enza, University of Rome. His main research interests include neoliberalism, new forms of participation, and public action. His most recent publications include: Neoliberismi e azione pubblica. Il caso italiano (ed.), Ediesse, 2015; Il regime dell’Urbe. Politica, econo-mia e potere a Roma (Carocci 2015, coauthored with E. d’Albergo); Interpretare l’azione pubblica. Teorie, metodi e strumenti, Carocci 2013.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1285/i20356609v10i2p381

Keywords:

Depoliticization, politicization, resilience, neoliberalism, banking foundations, philanthropic foundations

Abstract

We are apparently living in an age of "hyperdepoliticisation". But what is meant today by de-politicization and how does this phenomenon impact upon the forms taken by political functions in con-temporary complex societies? The aim of this article is that of answering these questions through a re-search-based analysis of the specific role played in depoliticization processes by the use of the concept of resilience and resilience thinking, analyzing the "Resilient Communities" (Comunità Resilienti) program of the Cariplo Foundation. We argue that an intertwined and complementary movement between the depo-liticization of public action and politicization of collective action carried out by non-political actors exists, which does not extirpate the political from social processes, but alters its qualities, characteristics and borders. Such dual movement is composed of pro-active and reactive forms of both depoliticization and politicization, which are defined and investigated in the article, putting empirical evidence against the background of theoretical discussion.

Author Biographies

Ernesto d'Albergo, Sapienza University of Rome

Ernesto d’Albergo is Associate Professor of Political Sociology at Sapienza, University of Rome. His main research interests include political power, public policy and urban governance. His most recent publications include: Sfide e prospettive della sociologia politica: tra de-politicizzazione della politica e ri-politicizzazione del sociale (in F. Corbisiero, E. Ruspini, eds. Sociologia del futuro, Walters Kluwer – CEDAM 2016, coauthored with F.de Nardis); Il regime dell’Urbe. Politica, economia e potere a Roma (Carocci 2015, coauthored with G. Moini); Azione pubblica, imprese ed egemonia in una politica neoliberista: l’Agenda urbana italiana e il paradigma Smart City (in G. Moini, ed., Neoliberismi e azione pubblica. Il caso italiano, ediesse 2015); Beyond Institutionalization: urban movements in Rome (in A. L. Farro, H. Lustiger-Thaler, eds. Reimagining Social Movement. From Collectives to Individuals, Ashgate 2014).

Giulio Moini, Giulio Moini teaches Governance and participation and Sociology of public action at Sapi-enza, University of Rome. His main research interests include neoliberalism, new forms of participation, and public action. His most recent publications include: Neoliberismi e azione pubblica. Il caso italiano (ed.), Ediesse, 2015; Il regime dell’Urbe. Politica, econo-mia e potere a Roma (Carocci 2015, coauthored with E. d’Albergo); Interpretare l’azione pubblica. Teorie, metodi e strumenti, Carocci 2013.

Giulio Moini teaches Governance and participation and Sociology of public action at Sapienza, University of Rome. His main research interests include neoliberalism, new forms of participation, and public action. His most recent publications include: Neoliberismi e azione pubblica. Il caso italiano (ed.), Ediesse, 2015; Il regime dell’Urbe. Politica, economia e potere a Roma (Carocci 2015, coauthored with E. d’Albergo); Interpretare l’azione pubblica. Teorie, metodi e strumenti, Carocci 2013.

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Published

04-10-2017

Issue

Vol. 10, No. 2 (2017). Special issue: De-Politicization in the Neoliberal Era

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Special Issue

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