Italian Sociological Review

Participatory Research to Address Societal Challenges and Radicalisation: an introduction

Liana Daher — 2025-10-31

This special issue aims to explore and understand the role of participatory practices to address great societal challenges. The focus of this special issue will revolve around the methodology of social labs as real-world practices aimed at promoting social inclusion, countering radicalisation, and bolstering local resilience.

The radicality of the asymmetries present in society tends to generate phenomena of social marginalization and exclusion that generate resentment amongst the affected individuals. Such anger can severely affect the processes of interaction between individuals and their integration in the social fabric. Dynamics of violent extremism and polarisation are just two examples of the most impelling challenges threatening social cohesion that must be countered. Because of their persistence and increased intensity, societal challenges like the ones of violent radicalization and polarisation have increasingly gained the attention of national, supranational, and transnational institutions. However, the inherent complexity of issues related to radicalization and polarization, their pervasive presence in various social spheres, and the influence of new digital technologies, one-size-fits-all policies may prove insufficient in the overarching effort to counteract these phenomena. Consequently, existing policies could greatly benefit from innovative approaches that integrate contemporary scientific and political expertise with the knowledge, experiences, and needs of individuals involved or affected by dynamics of social exclusion.

The Special Issue encompasses four interconnected tasks, one methodological and three empirical, offering a unique perspective on fostering inclusivity and understanding local responses to violent radicalisation and polarisation.

The contributions will shed a light on the method and implementation of Social Labs, highlighting the opportunities and the challenges related to such methodology. Empirical contributions will operate such analysis on the basis of a comparative reconstruction of their successes and failures, and insights on embedding social inclusion into policies addressing great societal challenges like violent radicalization and polarisation.

Social Labs: A Cooperative Participatory Methodology for Fieldwork

Liana Daher — 2025-10-31

Social Labs is a methodology that belongs to the broad context of participatory approaches but seeks to distinguish itself through a practical vocation, aimed at promoting concrete actions in contextual settings. Social Labs can be understood as dynamic platforms where societal actors collaboratively experiment with ad-hoc strategies to foster social inclusion and address radicalisation and polarisation. The process involves three iterative activities: critical policy discussions, social experiment design and implementation, and outcome reflection for continuous learning. Social labs share with other participatory processes such as focus groups and multistakeholder workshops. What is unique about this methodological approach is that it is not expert oriented, but cooperative. It is also characterised by a strong action-oriented approach, and therefore does not necessarily require a thorough expertise, but it rather builds on common experiences and the desire to be involved in change-making.

In this sense, it appears promising for addressing the shortcomings of traditional research methodologies, which tend to focus on theoretical aspects, or on policies that are not sufficiently effective in countering social phenomena of a more complex form.

However, the experimental nature of this methodology, which is also its strength, requires a continuous process of validation and correction on the basis of the results obtained in specific areas.

Accordingly, the special issue will identify the salient aspects of this methodology, offer an overview of some case studies and integrate the two aspects in order to strengthen active participation practices as a method for addressing major social challenges.

Social Research Between Participation and Action. Theoretical Reflections and Practical Suggestions

Michele Marzulli — 2025-10-31

Participatory research (PR) has gained particular interest in recent times and has been used in a variety of contexts. As often occurs with terms that become commonly used (i.e. “mainstream”), they often lose their original meaning and their ability to indicate an unambiguous significance. To clarify how the concept of PR is interpreted in the author’s objectives, the paper first discusses the term participation in social research, highlighting a taxonomy that allows us to identify different levels of participation in the research activity. The second step – based on Paulo Freire’s reflection – is to discuss how and why PR shares with ‘action research’ the fact that it is performative, due to its characteristic of involving different stakeholders (practitioners and non-professionals), as the co-production of knowledge is not without consequences for people’s everyday practices (Bergold & Thomas, 2012). Likewise, the paper emphasizes why PR can enable the contribution of different actors, i.e. the multiple types of stakeholders that could be involved and, particularly, marginalized groups, by allowing them to have a voice. Given the limited scope of the paper, the objective is to underscore the relevance of PR as a pertinent methodology to address the multifaceted challenges posed by a complex society, mainly when different reasons of contention emerge. For this reason, in the last section, it presents an internationally well-known case study, emphasizing the role of participation in the research process: the aim is to propose solutions for promoting social participation as a research methodology even in a conflictual situation.

Applying a Social Lab Methodology for Adaptation of a Network in Preventing Radicalisation and Polarisation, the Delft Case Study

Jeanne Abdulla — 2025-10-31

This paper presents the relevance of applying a Social Lab Methodology in Adaptation of a Network in Preventing Radicalisation and Polarisation. The research was conducted by Human Security Collective (HSC) as part of the Horizon 2020 Participation project, together with the Strategic Network on Radicalisation and Polarisation (SNRP) in Delft, the Netherlands. Aimed at addressing evolving challenges in radicalisation and polarisation, the research employed a Social Lab methodology because it offers a way to address complex social challenges through involving a diversity of stakeholders (Hassan, 2014). Within the framework of the Delft approach on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE), the SNRP, formed in 2016 during a national focus on Jihadism, sought to strengthen resilience. Recognising the emerging need to adapt to changing dynamics and shift the focus from crisis response to prevention, the research aimed to answer the question: “What is needed to adapt the SNRP network towards changing times?” To answer this, municipality professionals, religious leaders, civil society organisations, entrepreneurs, and youths participated in the Social Lab during workshops, interviews and discussions. The paper discusses the outcomes from the sessions and presents action points together with concrete recommendations for the Municipality of Delft and the SNRP. Emphasising the importance of adaptable strategies in preventing polarisation and radicalisation, the findings offer insights for policymakers, practitioners and communities navigating dynamic socio-political contexts. Moreover, the paper outlines the Social Lab cycle, the added value of the process, as well as some critical notes on the Social Lab methodology.

Navigating Challenges and Potential Solutions to Address Contentious Topics in the School Setting. Insights From Teachers and School Leaders for Fostering Constructive Dialogue and Mitigating Classroom Polarisation. Case Studies From the Project ‘Participation’

Davide Lauretta — 2025-10-31

This article reports the specific challenges, contentious topics, and potential good practices for handling risks of toxic polarisation of pupils in the secondary school environment, as experienced by a sample of teachers and school leaders as part of their work with students in six EU countries: Belgium, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania, and The Netherlands. Data and findings have been collected through explorative research in the field, within the framework of the H2020 Project named ‘PARTICIPATION’. Adolescence is a period of life where pupils are in an ongoing process of construction and consolidation of their identity and values, and school represents a microcosm of society (Haldane, 2004) where different worldviews coexist and can be in contrast. For this reason, training teachers to educate students in democratic values and developing critical thinking and resilience to violence and intolerance are fundamental to preventing toxic polarisation. To present the main issues and potential solutions identified during this research path, this article undertakes a cross-country analysis based on the interaction with the involved groups through the Social Lab methodology.

Social Labs and Interreligious Dynamics: A Methodological Breakthrough in Understanding and Countering Extremism

Augusto Gamuzza — 2025-10-31

Against the backdrop of escalating extremism and radicalisation across Europe, traditional methodologies for strengthening counterterrorism and fostering social integration are increasingly limited in addressing the intricacies of these phenomena. This paper focuses on the groundbreaking methodological innovation of Social Labs, conducted with interreligious dialogue networks, as a means of grappling with the multi-dimensional socio-economic and religious factors contributing to radicalisation. Within the sociological paradigm, Social Labs emerge as participatory spaces that facilitate the engagement of religious communities, leaders and interfaith networks in collaborative problem-solving and policy formulation. Drawing on empirical research in Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands, the paper explores the groups working with interreligious dialogue networks within the framework of Social Labs. These tools not only provide an enriched contextual understanding of religious extremism but also foster an environment where localised, community-based solutions can emerge. The Social Lab framework, rooted in participatory action-research, facilitates dynamic exchanges among stakeholders, thereby enhancing the contextualisation of extremism, while also promoting interreligious dialogue. The paper critically evaluates the outcomes of the Social Labs for interreligious dialogue networks, analysing how this methodological innovation yields detailed insights into the socioeconomic and religious underpinnings of radicalisation. More significantly, the paper aims at addressing the efficacy of Social Labs in eliciting local, context-specific strategies in terms of counterterrorism and social cohesion strategies, providing a methodologically innovative pathway for addressing extremism and fostering social integration in a multi-religious society in dialogue.

Implementing Social Labs in Addressing Radicalisation and Promoting Inter-Religious Dialogue

Anna Maria Leonora — 2025-10-31

Over recent decades, the European community has grappled with diverse forms of extremism and terrorism, exacerbated by economic crises, social divisions and the globalised nature of extremism. While most Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) policies have targeted Islamic radicalisation, the approach has not fully addressed the nuances of different forms of extremism, including far-right ideologies. This paper argues for the inclusion of Social Labs as an innovative methodological approach from a sociological standpoint. The Social Lab methodology option, grounded in participatory action-research, places the community – here we refer to religious communities, religious leaders and inter-religious networks – as an integral part of the research and solution-creation process. Drawing on empirical research across Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands, this work combines qualitative tools like narrative interviews, focus groups, and working groups with inter-religious dialogue networks, aiming to foster localised, community-based solutions. The paper critically evaluates the analytical path of Social Labs in capturing the nuanced socio-economic and religious drivers of radicalisation and polarisation and explores its potential for preventing religious radicalisation at the grassroots level.

The paper adds a critical layer by emphasising the need for methodological innovation in the form of Social Labs. It argues that Social Labs facilitate a more participative dynamics that can help in contextualising and ultimately countering extremism in its various forms. The paper concludes by presenting guidelines developed through Social Labs, aimed at fostering resilient communities and informing future policy and interventions.