{"id":5293,"date":"2017-10-04T14:04:45","date_gmt":"2017-10-04T14:04:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.communitymediaresearch.it\/?p=5293"},"modified":"2026-01-19T18:47:56","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T17:47:56","slug":"ambiente-cultura-e-sport-la-partecipazione-attiva-a-nordest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.community.it\/en\/2017\/10\/04\/ambiente-cultura-e-sport-la-partecipazione-attiva-a-nordest\/","title":{"rendered":"Environment, Culture and Sport: Active Participation in the Northeast"},"content":{"rendered":"

Citizen participation, in its various forms, is a generating element of democracy. Giorgio Gaber described it well when he sang that 'freedom is participation'. And, even further back in time, several scholars emphasised its importance. Alexis de Tocqueville, in his Democracy in America<\/em> (it was 1835), observing the swarming of associationism in that reality, believed that an organised participation of citizens was the only antidote to limit the individual's tendency to close in on himself, on the one hand; and, on the other, to contain state intervention in the various spheres of society. Through sharing, people socialise, share values and goals, mitigate individualistic drives, limit state intervention: ultimately, in all the many forms in which it can develop, it constitutes a necessary warp for social cohesion and the maintenance of democracy. It is an instrument of freedom.<\/p>\n

That the North-East is rich in these participative expressions is told not only by daily experience, but also by the numbers. The latest Istat census (2011) estimates that there are 38,900 non-profit institutions in the Northeast (12.9% of Italy), over 4,700 voluntary associations (10.8% of Italy, CSVNET, 2015). Altogether, just over 600,000 North-Eastern citizens do their best for others free of charge, almost one in 9 (Istat, 2013) including minors. In short, a swarming of ants in the territory that weave relationships and solidarity. In a word, they silently contribute to increasing social capital. Community Media Research bears witness to the intensity of this presence, but also detects signs of an erosion process that must be carefully assessed.<\/p>\n

The forms of participation to which North-Eastern citizens adhere the most are the activities promoted by associations of a cultural nature (52.1% took part at least once a year), followed by initiatives linked to the problems of the environment and the area in which one lives (49.6%), neighbourhoods or the city (41.4%), and sports and recreational associations (49.4%). Thus, an 'expressive' type of participation prevails, linked to culture and knowledge, to the quality of life, as well as to the dimension of loisir<\/em>. It is sufficient to refer to the number of visitors to the many 'festivals' (and on different topics) that have developed in recent years and spread throughout the provinces, among others with a large number of volunteers - mostly young people - who make an active contribution to their realisation. Rather than the queues of visitors to galleries, archaeological sites, open museum initiatives. On the other hand, other forms of membership such as party demonstrations (28.7%), protest (26.1%) or in favour of peace (21.5%) are relatively less attractive. Membership of trade or professional associations stops at 29.2%, marking once again the problem of representation of interests.<\/p>\n

What should be noted, however, is compared to the previous survey (2013): for almost all forms, albeit with varying intensity, the level of participation tends to erode. A considerable number of people continue to join, but are declining. Emblematic, in this regard, is the outcome of those who are actively involved in festivals and village fairs, which are widespread in all regions: from 50.3% (2013) to 25.0% today. Undoubtedly, the decline is due to a combination of reasons: the swarming of such activities causes people to disperse; then, the organisational burden is very high; some risk losing originality and, therefore, attractiveness. Nevertheless, the balance is largely negative. But all forms of association see the number of people actively mobilised in favour of one or the other eroded, including those of a cultural nature, which also excel.<\/p>\n

If we add up the amount of initiatives followed by one person, we observe an interesting phenomenon: the polarisation of participation. That is, over the years there is an increasing division between those who do not share any activity and those who attend several initiatives at the same time. Thus, those who do not take part are 19.2% of Northeasterners, but it was 5.7% in 2013. Conversely, those who take part in more than 5 initiatives increase: 53.7% (it was 49.0% in 2013). Between these two poles, there is a significant decrease. Thus, on the one hand, there is an increase in the share of those who leave the associative network and, on the other, there is an increase in associative 'commuting', those who take part in more than one initiative at the same time.<\/p>\n

Evidence of these phenomena comes from an analysis of the participation profile. Absentees', those who do not take part in any activity during the year, grow from 5.8% (2013) to 19.2%, especially in Trentino-Alto Adige (41.7%). The 'occasional', who are present no more than once a year, are the most conspicuous group (59.3%), but are decreasing (65.0%), especially in Veneto (59.3%). So are the 'interested', who attend at least 2 or 3 times a year (18.8%, it was 228.2% in 2013), especially among the Veneto (19.6%). Substantially stable are the 'militants', who support associations in their initiatives every month (2.7%, it was 1.0% in 2013).<\/p>\n

It is perhaps too early to argue this, but if the trend is confirmed in the future, we could be facing a phenomenon of erosion and disintermediation that associationism should question itself about. New technologies allow one to help others even from one's armchair at home, without mobilising oneself too much: just send 1 euro by text message. One can consider participating in politics in front of one's PC, via the web or social networks. A participation light<\/em> and individual, with little involvement. Absent participation. Of course, all forms of sharing are welcome, but the dimension of socialisation and relationship remain constitutive elements for building social capital. To quote Gaber again, 'freedom is not a free space'.<\/p>\n