Research

Current research interests

Requalification of self-produced habitat

Analysis of public spaces

right to the city

Immigration and public spaces

Hortas urbanas

Cities networks

Dialogue netween urban movement and local/regional institutions

Pratices of 'insurgent citizenship'

Public spaces: traditional use and excentric use

Participative management of urban services

Participatory planning and budgeting

Decentralisation

Tecnologias informaticas para a participacao

Participatory processes to support the ecological transition ​

Participatory Budgets at different administrative scales in the 5 continents

The principle of Subsidiarity (horizontal, vertical, circular)

Active citizenship

Informal town and self production of the habitat

Platform Economies

Alojamento estudantil na universalização da universidade

Research Projects

2024-01-01 - 2027-06-30 - "SINCRONY: interSectIonal iNClusion in delibeRation and participatiON with Youth", coordinated by Elvira Cicognani (UNIBO), sponsored by CE - HORIZON EUROPE call CL2-2023-DEMOCRACY-01-07.
    Project Partnership:
              - ALMA MATER STUDIORUM UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA

2023-09-01 - 2024-09-30 - "Democratic Odyssey", coordinated by Kalypso Nicolaidis (IUE - School of Transnational Governance), sponsored by Berggruen Institute and STG-EUI.
    Project Partnership:
              - IUE (School of Transnational Govdernance) - coord.

2023-07-01 - 2026-06-30 - "Nets4Dem Network of Networks 4 Democracy", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by European Commission.
    Project Partnership:
              - DEMOCRACY REPORTING INTERNATIONAL GGMBH (DRI) (Coord.)
              - DEMOS RESEARCH INSTITUTE OY (DEMOS HELSINKI)
              - ASOCIACION CONSORTIUM LOCAL-GLOBAL COGLOBAL (COGLOBAL)
              - UNIVERSITET U BEOGRADU, INSTITUT ZA FILOZOFIJU I DRUSTVENU (IFDT)
              - TRANS EUROPEAN POLICY STUDIES ASSOCIATION (TEPSA)
              - EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP FOR DEMOCRACY (EPD)
              - EUROCITIES ASBL (EUROCITIES)
              - OPEN SOURCE POLITICS (OSP)
              - The Democratic Society (DEMSOC)
              - PEOPLE POWERED (PP-USA)

2022-09-29 - 2025-09-29 - " Accordo di Cooperazione con la Fondazione per l'Innovazione Urbana di Bologna per consulenza sul Bilancio Partecipativo", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by FIU, Bologna, Italy.
    Project Partnership:
              - Fondazione per l'Innovazione Urbana (Bologna, Italy)

2022-02-01 - 2025-07-31 - "PHOENIX - The Rise of Citizens' voices for a Greener Europe", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by European Commission.
    Project Partnership:
              - The Good Lobby (Belgium)
              - CSIC/IPP (Spain)
              - CNRS/Paris 8 (France)
              - University of Coimbra/SEF (Portugal)
              - ONESOURCE S.A. (Portugal)
              - OFICINA (Portugal)
              - RES PUBLICA (France)
              - Universitá degli Studi di Firenze (DIDA + Dep. Psicology) (Italy)
              - University of Szeged (Hungary)
              - E-Governance Academy (Estonia)
              - University of Iceland (Iceland)
              - Southempton University (UK)
              - University of Groningen (The Netherlands)
              - Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation (Italy)

2021-22-03 - 2024-21-03 - "UNpacking POPulism: Comparing the formation of emotion narratives and their effects on political behaviour", coordinated by Cristiano Gianolla e Lisete Monico, sponsored by FCT.

2020-11-02 - 2022-11-01 - ""CITTA' SENZA UNIVERSITA' / UNIVERISTA' SENZA CITTA': abitare la città universitaria dopo l'emergenza COVID19"", coordinated by Patrizia Messina (Universitá degli Studi di Padova), sponsored by Sid-BIRD Universitá degli Studi di Padova.
    Project Partnership:
              - Universitá degli Studi di Padova (coord)

2020-07-01 - 2022-06-30 - ""PRE-PLAN. PREventive PLANning for disaster resilient territories"", coordinated by Massimo Sargolini, sponsored by FAR 2019 - Universitá di Camerino.
    Project Partnership:
              - Universitá di Camerino

2020-03-01 - 2024-11-30 - "Inova Juntos - Cooperação Urbana Triangular para Inovação e Sustentabilidade", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Europeaid - EU Commission.
    Project Partnership:
              - CNM - Confederção Nacional dos Municipios do Brasil (coordenador)

2020 - 2021 - "Cooperation Agreement with Fondazione per la Innovazione Urbana (Bologna)", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Fondazione per la Innovazione Urbana (Bologna).

2020 - 2021 - ""PRODEMO - Promoting Democratic engagement through Mobile participation"", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by EU -"Rights, Equality and Citizenship Program" grant.
    Project Partnership:
              - Gianluca Sgueo (University La Sapienza, Rome)

2019-31-01 - 2020-31-01 - "Accordo di Cooperazione con la Fondazione Feltrinelli per studi su Innovazioni Democratiche", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Feltrinelli Foundation.
    Project Partnership:
              - Fondazione Feltrinelli (Milano, Italy)
              - Luiss University (Rome - Italy)

2019-03-01 - 2020-03-01 - "Participatory Budgeting in Figueira da Foz (Cooperation Agreement)", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Camara Municipal de Figueira da Foz.

2019-02-28 - 2020-06-30 - ""IDEE IN FUGA / IDEAS ON THE RUN - The first Participatory Budgeting in Bollate Prison"", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Civic crowdfunding.
    Project Partnership:
              - BIPART (coord.)

2019-02-01 - 2019-09-30 - "Assessment of CSOs' and citizens' engagement in public budgetary process at national and local level in the Republic of Moldova", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by FWC SIEA 2018- LOT 3: Human rights, Democracy and Peace - EuropeAid/138778/DH/SER/multi.
    Project Partnership:
              - ICE GEEI (coordinator)

2019-01-01 - 2021-12-31 - "Platform Labour in Urban Spaces: Fairness, Welfare, Development - PLUS (Grant Agreement no.: 822638)", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Horizon2020 Program of the European Commission .
    Project Partnership:
              - University of Bologna (coordinator)

2018-10-01 - 2023-06-30 - "DEMOSCAN (External Observer of Bellinzona Experiment)", coordinated by Nenad Stojanović, sponsored by Fonds National Suisse de la recherche scientifique, projet 176760.
    Project Partnership:
              - Université de Geneve (coord.)

2018-06-01 - 2023-05-31 - " URBiNAT | Urban Innovative and Inclusive Nature", coordinated by Gonçalo Canto Moniz, sponsored by EU - Horizon 2020.

2018-01-31 - 2019-01-31 - "Orçamento Participativo de Oliveira do Bairro", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Camara de Oliveira do Bairro.

2018 - 2022 - ""Constitution-making and deliberative democracy" (COST Action CA17135)", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).
    Project Partnership:
              - University of Louvain-la-Neuve (coordinator)

2017-04-01 - 2022-03-31 - " Instituto da Democracia e da Democratização da Comunicação", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by National Council of Technological and Scientific Development Minas Gerais State Agency for Research and Development - Brazil.
    Project Partnership:
              - Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - Brazil (coordination)

2017-03-01 - 2019-10-31 - "SMART URBAN INTERMEDIARIES (CES is a cooperation partner)", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Urban Europe (ERA-NET, funded by the European Commission) .
    Project Partnership:
              - Tilburg University
              - The University of Edinburgh
              - Roskilde University
              - University of Birmingham
              - Danish Town Planning Institute

2017-03-01 - 2017-05-31 - "Evaluation of the Cooperation Project "CARITALENTS" coordinated by the University of Florence", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Cooperation Agency of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
    Project Partnership:
              - University of Florence (Faculty of Architecture), Italy
              - University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, Barbados

2017-01-01 - 2017-12-31 - "COMUNIX", coordinated by Rita Serra, sponsored by Erasmus +.
    Project Partnership:
              - Cooperativa Trespes - Galicia
              - Partecipanza di Nonantola (Italia)

2016-08-01 - 2018-12-31 - "FOINCIDE - FORTALECIMIENTO INSTITUCIONAL Y CIUDADANO PARA EL DESARROLLO TERRITORIAL", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by SIDA (Swedish International development Agency).
    Project Partnership:
              - SKL International (Coord.), cooperation branch of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR)
              - Colombia´s National Department of Planning (DNP)

2016-07-01 - 2016-12-31 - "Avaliação do Projecto Pro.Con.Sal da ONG Africa 70", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Commissão Europeia - atraves da ONG Africa 70.

2016-03-01 - 2019-12-31 - "PARTICIPEDIA", coordinated by Mark Warren (UBC - Canada).

2016-01-01 - 2017-12-31 - "DUPLA PAZ", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italia.
    Project Partnership:
              - OIKOS (ONG) - Italia

2016-01-01 - 2017-12-31 - "EMPATIA - Enabling Multichannel Participation Through ICT Adaptations", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by European commission - Horizon2020 - CAPS call - Agreement N. 687920.

2016-01-01 - 2017-12-31 - "UNISOST -Universita' della Sostenibilita'", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Fondazione Cariplo - Italia.

2014-12-01 - 2016-12-31 - "Participatory Budgeting in Sweden", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by SALAR/SKL (Sweden).

2014-10-01 - 2016-04-30 - "Portugal Participa", coordinated by Nelson Dias, sponsored by Fundação Gulbenkian.

2014-02-01 - 2015-06-30 - "GOLD IV - THink Piece on "Inclusive cities and territories"", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by UCLG (United Cities and Local Governments).

2013-03 - 2014-02 - "Indagine sulle attività partecipative attuate dalle strutture del Comune di Padova che si occupano di Decentramento, Associazionismo, URP e Rete Civica 2009-2012", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Camara de Padua, Italy.

2013-01-30 - 2013-06-30 - "The Inclusive City and the Use of Community-based Monitoring for Poverty Reduction - Overview of International Experiences", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by GIZ/UCLG.
    Project Partnership:
              - Nancy Duxbury

2012-08-01 - 2013-01-15 - "Updating of the World Report on Participatory Budgeting", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Engagement Global gGmbh Service für Entwicklungsinitiativen, GIZ.
    Project Partnership:
              - Mariana Lopes Alves

2011-10-30 - 2014-01-30 - ""Habitus Cosmopolita ou Internacionalização Funcional? A construção da alteridade em contexto de mobilidade acadêmica internacional"", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by ESPM - Brazil.

2011-07-08 - 2013-09-30 - "Cidade e Alteridade: convivência multicultural e justiça urbana", coordinated by Boaventura De Sousa Santos, sponsored by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia/ CAPES.

2010-04-01 - 2013-04-01 - "O Orçamento Participativo como instrumento inovador para reinventar as autarquias em Portugal e Cabo Verde? Uma analise critica da performance e dos transfers. Giovanni Allegretti, Centro de Estudos Sociais ", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by FCT (PTDC/CS-SOC/099134/2008).

2010-01-01 - 2012-12-31 - ""Democracia, participaciòn y espacio politico: un estúdio comparado"", coordinated by Ernesto Ganuza (IESA, Cordoba, Spain), sponsored by CSIC - Spain.

2010-01-01 - 2012-02-29 - "PARLOCAL", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by Commissão europeia.

2008-01 - 2009-12 - "Acesso formal dos imigrantes aos espaços políticos no contexto local: eleitores e eleitos nos municípios e freguesias portugueses.", coordinated by Fernando Ruivo (CES-FEUC), sponsored by FCT.

2008-01 - 2008-12 - "Orçamento Participativo: mais participação, melhor democracia", coordinated by Nelson Dias (Ass. IN LOCO), sponsored by EQUAL.
    Project Partnership:
              - Assoc. IN-LOCO, CEFA, Camara de Palmela, Junta de Freguesia de Carnide, Camara de São Bras de Alportel

2008 - 2005 - "Participatory Budgets in a European Comparative Approach. Perspectives and Chances of the Cooperative State at the Municipal Level in Germany and Europe", coordinated by Yves Sintomer, sponsored by Hans-Böckler Stiftung e Centre Marc Bloch (Berlim).

2006 - 2008 - "Les dispositifs participatifs locaux en Ile-de-France et en Europe : Vers une démocratie technique ?", coordinated by Yves Sintomer, Maria Helene Bacqué, sponsored by PICRI/IDF (Région Ile-de-France) - CNRS França.
    Project Partnership:
              - MR Culture et Sociétés Urbaines CNRS/Université de Paris 8/Università La Sapienza (Roma)

2005 - 2006 - "INCLUIR - El Presupuesto Participativo como instrumento de lucha contra la exclusión social y territorial", as coordinator researcher, sponsored by UE/URBAL.

2003 - 2004 - "Sviluppo di Comunità e partecipazione", coordinated by Ivano Spano, sponsored by MIUR (Italia).
    Project Partnership:
              - Università di Padova/Università di Firenze - Dipartimento di Urbanistica

2000 - 2001 - "Nuove rappresentazioni identitarie e scenari strategici di sviluppo locale ", coordinated by Giancarlo Paba, sponsored by MIUR.

1998 - 2001 - "Per uno sviluppo locale autosostenibile: teorie, metodi ed esperienze ", coordinated by Alberto Magnaghi, sponsored by MIUR/Italia.
    Project Partnership:
              - LaPEI

1997 - 1998 - "A centralidade do 'presente histórico' na projecção de 'lugares irresolutos'. Formas e instrumentos conceituais e operativos para interpretar as identidades do território", coordinated by Giovanni Allegretti, sponsored by Ministério da Universidade e Pesquisa da Itália.

Networks

CIDOB - Global Cities Scientific Council

CISDP-DH (Committe on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights of UCLG)

DEMOCRACY R&D

DIALOP Transversal Dialogue between Socialist/Marxists and Christians. In

Global Participatory Budgeting Hub

INURA (International Network of Urban Research and Action)

KNOCA - KNOWLEDGE NETWORK ON CLIMATE ASSEMBLIES

OIDP (Observatorio Internacional da Democracia Participativa) - com sede em Barcelona

PEOPLE POWERED

Plataforma Global pelo Direito à Cidade

Rede das Autarquias Participativas (RAP)

Standing Group on Democratic Innovations (ECPR)