La costruzione della partecipazione civica giovanile e internet. Studi di caso nel contesto italiano

The research explores the role of the Internet in promoting civic engagement and participation among young people (aged 18-28). Three websites established by different Italian organisations have been selected with the aim of studying empirically the use of the Internet to support diversified forms of civic and political participation. According to the systemic approach employed – which consists of a triangulation among text analysis, ‘audience’ study and process of media production – the qualitative analysis focuses on the specific ‘youth civic participation discourse’ which is constructed through these civic sites. The findings of the research contribute to raise some issues about the processes construction of youth civic identity; the dilemmatic nature of the interactivity discourse and the motivations of young people in participating in the public sphere and the practices of informal citizenship education.