Civic engagement in public spaces of contested places, the case of Rione Traiano in the Soccavo Quarter (Naples, IT)

This paper aims at reflecting on the role of self-organised initiatives in public spaces carried out in contested places of cities where urban regeneration process needs to be accompanied by social inclusion initiatives, solidarity flows and environmental concerns. In these context the most vulnerable segment of the population, women, babies and the elderly, is frequently segregate and gets used to underutilize public spaces for lack of services, neglect and security issues. Starting from the 2008 economic crisis, austerity on the one hand and neoliberal urban redevelopment programs on the other have increased disadvantages groups and their segregation and marginalization. Part of the scientific debate and urban practices is dedicated to civic economics, urban activism and participatory processes as counterpoint to the above-mentioned trends. Within the framework of an action-research campaign in this field, developed by the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), a case study have been developed in a social housing area of Naples (Italy), the Rione Traiano neighbourhood, in order to capture the complex overlapping of urban, social and cultural issues. In this area a non-profit organisation is active, L'Orsa Maggiore, engaged in educational and social activities, inclusion protocols, training and civic activation. Cooperating with this organization, a methodology for interaction and civic engagement based on Community Planning has been tested to collect, prioritise, and translate into proposals instances as expressed by the community.