Innovazione sociale e pratiche tecnoscientifiche: il caso delle reti wireless comunitarie

During the last decade, a growing number of disciplines dealing with innovation processes focused started to investigate the phenomenon of wireless community networks (WCN). These networks, now consolidated on a global level, represent an infrastructure that is entirely built and self-managed by citizens voluntarily cooperating to create a new model of digital communication other than the Internet and commercial services offered on the market by Internet Service Providers (ISP). WCN, therefore, represent an emblematic case to explore not only the technical aspects of more and more pervasive technologies within contemporary society, but also to focus on relations between social, political and techno-scientific dimensions supporting innovation practices. In fact, most recent experiences of WCN acquired a central role in redefining participation practices and political activism linked to digital media, and its forms of innovation. This paper, on the basis of data collected through a qualitative research on the origin and development of the main RWC in Italy, throws light upon the way in which community networks represent a peculiar form of social innovation, where a system of individuals – beyond traditional innovation and development institutions and on the basis of political values and beliefs – cooperate to originate a new infrastructure managing to endorse participation and social inclusion in the digital society. In doing this, the paper emphasizes the procedural dimension of social innovation as an emerging practice in the active cooperation among human beings and technologies, during which political visions, technical tools and social participation have an impact on each other and transform themselves.