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To foresee the potential acceptance, rejection and adaptation of robots in societies, it is necessary to overcome deterministic and linear assumptions and explore the plurality of meanings that shape our relationships with these emerging technologies. With this goal in mind, this study investigates the social representation of robots and its interconnection with attitudes and images, in a convenience sample of young adults in Italy (N = 422). Participants were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire consisting of a free-association task to the word stimulus “robot”, the Robot Attitude Scale, the acceptance of robots in different domains of life and a measure of mind perceptions of robots. The social representation of robots was articulated around three key semantic dimensions opposing: (1) ‘distant/detached’ vs ‘close/integrated’ views; (2) ‘ideal’ vs ‘material’ aspects; (3) assimilation with ‘ICTs’ vs with electric and mechanic ‘devices.’ These three dichotomies defined different positions connected with general attitudes, domain-specific evaluations of robots, and their level of perceived proximity with human beings. In particular, the view of robots as more concrete and integrated objects was related to positive attitudes and acceptance across all considered domains (i.e. Dull/Dirty, Education/Care and Health/Emergency dimensions). In contrast, more distant views were related to negative attitudes. Our study provides insights into how diverse positions could favour or hinder the introduction of robots in different spheres of everyday life.
Sonia Brondi; Monica Pivetti; Silvia Di Battista; Mauro Sarrica. What do we expect from robots? Social representations, attitudes and evaluations of robots in daily life. Technology in Society 2021, 66, 101663 .
AMA StyleSonia Brondi, Monica Pivetti, Silvia Di Battista, Mauro Sarrica. What do we expect from robots? Social representations, attitudes and evaluations of robots in daily life. Technology in Society. 2021; 66 ():101663.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSonia Brondi; Monica Pivetti; Silvia Di Battista; Mauro Sarrica. 2021. "What do we expect from robots? Social representations, attitudes and evaluations of robots in daily life." Technology in Society 66, no. : 101663.
The aim of this paper is to present a study in which we compare the degree of empathy that a convenience sample of university students expressed with humans, animals, robots and objects. The present study broadens the spectrum of elements eliciting empathy that has been previously explored while at the same time comparing different facets of empathy. Here we used video clips of mistreated humans, animals, robots, and objects to elicit empathic reactions and to measure attributed emotions. The use of such a broad spectrum of elements allowed us to infer the role of different features of the selected elements, specifically experience (how much the element is able to understand the events of the environment) and degree of anthropo-/zoomorphization. The results show that participants expressed empathy differently with the various social actors being mistreated. A comparison between the present results and previous results on vicarious feelings shows that congruence between self and other experience was not always held, and it was modulated by familiarity with robotic artefacts of daily usage.
Alan D. A. Mattiassi; Mauro Sarrica; Filippo Cavallo; Leopoldina Fortunati. What do humans feel with mistreated humans, animals, robots, and objects? Exploring the role of cognitive empathy. Motivation and Emotion 2021, 1 -13.
AMA StyleAlan D. A. Mattiassi, Mauro Sarrica, Filippo Cavallo, Leopoldina Fortunati. What do humans feel with mistreated humans, animals, robots, and objects? Exploring the role of cognitive empathy. Motivation and Emotion. 2021; ():1-13.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlan D. A. Mattiassi; Mauro Sarrica; Filippo Cavallo; Leopoldina Fortunati. 2021. "What do humans feel with mistreated humans, animals, robots, and objects? Exploring the role of cognitive empathy." Motivation and Emotion , no. : 1-13.
Despite policies aimed at increasing bicycle use, and the health benefits identified in the literature, cycling mobility is still quite limited in most cities. A cultural transformation is needed to change this situation. E-bikes might be capable of triggering this change, and turning the proposition of cycling into the preferred choice for everyday mobility. To explore this possibility, the present study extends a previous analysis conducted on the representation of cycling in Italian media, and further investigates its content as regards e-bikes. We identified a textual corpus of 3,239 articles dealing with bicycles published in Italian online publications in 2017 and subjected them to lexicometric analyses. The representation of cycling was found to be stable and only marginally fit the envisaged change in the mobility paradigm. Coverage revolved around a few main themes: infrastructure, mobility, and security and safety. The subcorpus relating to e-bikes (N = 200) showed that the representation of e-bikes added to the dominant representation of cycling without transforming it. Despite their still largely utilitarian and structural contents, the appearance of new perspectives relating to sustainable urban mobility associated with e-bikes introduces novelty in the representation of cycling that deserves to be carefully monitored.
Mauro Sarrica; Alessandra Rimano; Valentina Rizzoli; Paola Passafaro. Are e-bikes changing the social representation of cycling? An exploration of articles on cycling in Italian online publications. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy 2020, 16, 155 -168.
AMA StyleMauro Sarrica, Alessandra Rimano, Valentina Rizzoli, Paola Passafaro. Are e-bikes changing the social representation of cycling? An exploration of articles on cycling in Italian online publications. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy. 2020; 16 (1):155-168.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Sarrica; Alessandra Rimano; Valentina Rizzoli; Paola Passafaro. 2020. "Are e-bikes changing the social representation of cycling? An exploration of articles on cycling in Italian online publications." Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy 16, no. 1: 155-168.
This paper presents a case study of an Information and Communications Technologies for Development (ICT4D) project in rural Bangladesh, and examines the emergence of new practices connected through a theoretical lens. Social Practice Theory and different concepts of place provide a middle-range theory frame for interpretation. Two groups of 100 women living in different remote villages took part in the project and received smartphones and training. The project also established a call center and delivered timely agricultural information by voice, apps and short message service (SMS). A mixed design was used to evaluate the project progress. A baseline survey was completed in the two areas before the project started. After one year, the two groups of women involved in the project and two control groups completed a questionnaire on smartphone use practices. Episodic interviews were also conducted with a subsample of 40 participants. Project participants developed new skills and meanings associated with smartphones, which contributed to enhanced communication practices. The new practices and the emerging proto-practices at a micro-level also resulted in new perceptions of time and place and new locations for personal presence and interaction. The use of Social Practice Theory in conjunction with insights from theories of place provides a transferable framework with which to identify and emphasize what is meaningful to individuals and communities in the relationship between skills, materials and ideas with respect to different social-technical initiatives. In this regard, Social Practice and theories of place provide new insights into the integration of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in development projects.
Larry Stillman; Mauro Sarrica; Tom Denison; Anindita Sarker. After the Smartphone Has Arrived in the Village. How Practices and Proto-Practices Emerged in an ICT4D Project. Communications in Computer and Information Science 2020, 81 -94.
AMA StyleLarry Stillman, Mauro Sarrica, Tom Denison, Anindita Sarker. After the Smartphone Has Arrived in the Village. How Practices and Proto-Practices Emerged in an ICT4D Project. Communications in Computer and Information Science. 2020; ():81-94.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLarry Stillman; Mauro Sarrica; Tom Denison; Anindita Sarker. 2020. "After the Smartphone Has Arrived in the Village. How Practices and Proto-Practices Emerged in an ICT4D Project." Communications in Computer and Information Science , no. : 81-94.
This chapter has three aims. First, it aims to disentangle social denial of in-group responsibilities for intergroup violence from other types of silence about intergroup violence. Secondly, it argues that intergenerational narratives which omit information about in-group responsibilities for violence that occurred before the birth of younger generations are highly risky to the descendants of perpetrators. Finally, it emphasises the importance of exploring in greater depth the understudied moment when a literal social denial about past in-group war crimes is exposed. To support these aims, the chapter presents results from a recent mixed methods, quasi-experimental study, which used between- and within-subject comparisons. The study asked young Italian university students to read an explicit text (“detailed text”) vs. a more nuanced one (“mild text”) about Italian war crimes occurring during the colonial invasion of Ethiopia. Data were collected before reading the text, during the reading and after it. Texts were constructed by manipulating the wording of a single historical narrative, taken from a textbook currently used in Italian high schools. The inclusion of this information in Italian history textbooks is quite recent, taking place approximately 70 years after the end of the war. Prior to this a widespread social denial silenced these crimes and as a result they were largely ignored in general social discourse. Results showed that participants reacted not only to the new information received but also to the way in which it was conveyed. The detailed narrative, by frankly taking a moral stance on past violence (a strategy that we named, after classic works of Foucault, 1983, parrhesia), provoked a better understanding of information, together with an increase of negative group-based moral emotions. Interestingly, while collective guilt did not differ between participants exposed to a detailed or a mild text, moral emotions distancing young participants from the responsibilities of older generations increased when these crimes were clearly exposed.
Giovanna Leone; Mauro Sarrica. Historical Culture and Peace: How Older Generations Address the Need of Younger Generations to Learn About Their In-Group Past. Peace Psychology Book Series 2019, 173 -188.
AMA StyleGiovanna Leone, Mauro Sarrica. Historical Culture and Peace: How Older Generations Address the Need of Younger Generations to Learn About Their In-Group Past. Peace Psychology Book Series. 2019; ():173-188.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiovanna Leone; Mauro Sarrica. 2019. "Historical Culture and Peace: How Older Generations Address the Need of Younger Generations to Learn About Their In-Group Past." Peace Psychology Book Series , no. : 173-188.
Drawing on social representation theory and its connections with approaches to embodiment and social practice, the paper reports the result of a survey investigation (based on an on-line semi-structured questionnaire; N = 305) that studied the cognitive, emotional and sensorial components of the social representations of cycling. The general aim was to show how these theoretical frameworks can be used to identify the social-cultural barriers that might hamper the individual use of the bike for everyday purposes in addition to the mere infrastructural ones, and to assess possible variabilities in function of various factors of social-psychological (i.e. the perceived quality of the residential environment), experiential (i.e. linked to the individual daily practices), and geographical (i.e. big vs small urban areas of residence) nature. Results confirm the potentialities of these models to provide a deeper understanding of cycling practices, for example, suggesting, how, rather than being univocal and homogenous, people’s shared conceptions regarding the topic investigated can vary depending on many of the factors considered, among which those of experiential and geographical nature seem to play a prominent role. The paper also discusses the implications for policies directed to fostering the adoption of more sustainable forms of transport within and outside urban areas, as well as their ability to broaden the theoretical understanding of cycling behaviour within social sciences in general.
Mauro Sarrica; Eleonora Alecci; Paola Passafaro; Alessandra Rimano; Bruno Maria Mazzara. The social representations of cycling practices: An analysis of symbolic, emotional, material and bodily components, and their implication for policies. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour 2019, 64, 119 -132.
AMA StyleMauro Sarrica, Eleonora Alecci, Paola Passafaro, Alessandra Rimano, Bruno Maria Mazzara. The social representations of cycling practices: An analysis of symbolic, emotional, material and bodily components, and their implication for policies. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour. 2019; 64 ():119-132.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Sarrica; Eleonora Alecci; Paola Passafaro; Alessandra Rimano; Bruno Maria Mazzara. 2019. "The social representations of cycling practices: An analysis of symbolic, emotional, material and bodily components, and their implication for policies." Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour 64, no. : 119-132.
Purpose On the verge of what has been hailed as the next technological revolution, the purpose of this paper is to examine scientific and popular definitions of the social robot, reflecting on how expert and lay spheres of knowledge interact. Drawing on social representations theory, this paper aims to elucidate how social robots are named and classified, and to examine the dynamics contributing to their definition. Design/methodology/approach Scientific and popular definitions of the social robot were investigated by conducting: a systematic review of relevant articles published from 2009 to 2015 in the International Journal of Social Robotics; an analysis of the definitions retrievable from the scientific literature using Google Scholar; and an assessment of the interest in the public sphere, and of the popular definitions retrievable online (by inputting “social robot” in Google Trends, and in Google). Findings Scientific definitions of the social robot adopt two strategies, one drawing on and merging previous definitions, the other proposing new, visionary, forward-looking definitions. Popular online definitions of social robots attribute new emotional, linguistic and social capabilities to their physical body. Research limitations/implications The findings need to be confirmed by further research, given the limited size of the data sets considered, and the distortions in the data due to filters and the opacity of the online tools employed. Originality/value Both scientific and non-scientific definitions see social robots as being capable of interacting with and working for humans, but attribute them a different degree of (functional or full) autonomy. In future, any controversy over the connotation of social robots is likely to concern their sociality and autonomy rather than their functionality.
Mauro Sarrica; Sonia Brondi; Leopoldina Fortunati. How many facets does a “social robot” have? A review of scientific and popular definitions online. Information Technology & People 2019, 33, 1 -21.
AMA StyleMauro Sarrica, Sonia Brondi, Leopoldina Fortunati. How many facets does a “social robot” have? A review of scientific and popular definitions online. Information Technology & People. 2019; 33 (1):1-21.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Sarrica; Sonia Brondi; Leopoldina Fortunati. 2019. "How many facets does a “social robot” have? A review of scientific and popular definitions online." Information Technology & People 33, no. 1: 1-21.
The purpose of this research is to understand what might be today—on the edge of the social robotics era—the role of robots in public spaces. In Europe, there was a strong tradition of automata exhibition in the ‘600 and 700’ with ostensive purpose. Exposing automata in various fairs was meant to inspire awe towards the advancement of technology and science in the public who attended numerous public events. This study aims to investigate whether in the modern world the robot may have the same or other functions in public space. The study has analyzed the public display of the robot DORO: a technological artifact created by the Sant’Anna School during the European project ROBOT-ERA. Two distinct public moments were examined. The first was the night of researchers in Pisa on 30 September 2016 in Martiri della Libertà’s square, where DORO was exhibited to the public. The second occasion was the inauguration of the 39th academic year of the University of Udine. On this occasion, DORO brought to the rector his inaugural lecture and exchanged—in front of a large auditorium—a brief dialogue with the rector of the University of Udine, prof. Alberto de Toni.
Leopoldina Fortunati; Filippo Cavallo; Mauro Sarrica. The Role of Social Robots in Public Space. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering 2019, 171 -186.
AMA StyleLeopoldina Fortunati, Filippo Cavallo, Mauro Sarrica. The Role of Social Robots in Public Space. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering. 2019; ():171-186.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLeopoldina Fortunati; Filippo Cavallo; Mauro Sarrica. 2019. "The Role of Social Robots in Public Space." Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering , no. : 171-186.
The aim of this paper is to present an experiment in which we compare the degree of empathy that a convenience sample of students expressed with humans, animals, robots and objects. The present study broadens the spectrum of the elements eliciting empathy that previous research has so far explored separately. Our research questions are: does the continuum represented by this set of elements elicit empathy? Is it possible to observe a linear decrease of empathy according to different features of the selected elements? More broadly, does empathy, as a construct, resist in front of the diversification of the element eliciting it? Results show that participants expressed empathy differently when exposed to three clusters of social actors being mistreated: they felt more sad, sorry, aroused and out of control for animals than for humans, but showed little to no empathy for objects. Interestingly, robots that looked more human-like evoked emotions similar to those evoked by humans, while robots that looked more animal-like evoked emotions half-way between those evoked by humans and objects. Implications are discussed.
Alan D. A. Mattiassi; Mauro Sarrica; Filippo Cavallo; Leopoldina Fortunati. Degrees of Empathy: Humans’ Empathy Toward Humans, Animals, Robots and Objects. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering 2019, 101 -113.
AMA StyleAlan D. A. Mattiassi, Mauro Sarrica, Filippo Cavallo, Leopoldina Fortunati. Degrees of Empathy: Humans’ Empathy Toward Humans, Animals, Robots and Objects. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering. 2019; ():101-113.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlan D. A. Mattiassi; Mauro Sarrica; Filippo Cavallo; Leopoldina Fortunati. 2019. "Degrees of Empathy: Humans’ Empathy Toward Humans, Animals, Robots and Objects." Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering , no. : 101-113.
This study looks at robots as media and aims to explore the multiple communication roles that they can play in public space. We have analyzed three scenarios: European Researchers’ Night in Pisa; the inauguration of the University of Udine’s 39th academic year; and the official video of the inauguration in Udine. These three scenarios represent three types of media interactions. The first is a human–robot interaction based on a one-to-one or circular communication model; the second is a robot–human interaction based on a one-to-many communication model in-presence; and the third is a robot–human interaction, based on the classical one-to-many communication model mediated through a television screen. Results show that public patterns of behavior toward the robot tend to replicate the ritualization of encounters between humans in the one-to-one model, and audience rituals in public events toward human characters in the one-to-many model. Second, greater proximity and familiarity with the robot increases the respondents’ positive evaluations of all the aspects of the interactions. These results are in line with results coming from research on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) use.
Leopoldina Fortunati; Filippo Cavallo; Mauro Sarrica. Multiple Communication Roles in Human–Robot Interactions in Public Space. International Journal of Social Robotics 2018, 12, 931 -944.
AMA StyleLeopoldina Fortunati, Filippo Cavallo, Mauro Sarrica. Multiple Communication Roles in Human–Robot Interactions in Public Space. International Journal of Social Robotics. 2018; 12 (4):931-944.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLeopoldina Fortunati; Filippo Cavallo; Mauro Sarrica. 2018. "Multiple Communication Roles in Human–Robot Interactions in Public Space." International Journal of Social Robotics 12, no. 4: 931-944.
This study analysed questionnaire responses from 309 history teachers who come from nine European countries and Israel. The open-ended questions explored their experiences of teaching Sensitive historical Issues (SI) from joint social psychological and history didactics perspectives. First data was analysed hermeneutically, it was then interpreted using a heuristic framework to analyse these teachers’ beliefs about SI. Three themes of shared patterns were identified in teachers’ answers: the choice of teaching SIs, pupils’ emotional reactions, and teaching strategies. Focusing on the in-depth analyses of comments about teaching strategies, 29 representative quotes were identified illustrating the teachers’ decisions to teach SIs, teachers’ pupil orientation reflecting pupils’ emotional reactions, and teachers’ orientations towards pupils` learning.
Nicola Brauch; Giovanna Leone; Mauro Sarrica. ‘The debate almost came to a fight…’ results of a cross-national explorative study concerning history teachers´ shared beliefs about teaching historical sensitive issues. Pedagogy, Culture & Society 2018, 27, 111 -132.
AMA StyleNicola Brauch, Giovanna Leone, Mauro Sarrica. ‘The debate almost came to a fight…’ results of a cross-national explorative study concerning history teachers´ shared beliefs about teaching historical sensitive issues. Pedagogy, Culture & Society. 2018; 27 (1):111-132.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Brauch; Giovanna Leone; Mauro Sarrica. 2018. "‘The debate almost came to a fight…’ results of a cross-national explorative study concerning history teachers´ shared beliefs about teaching historical sensitive issues." Pedagogy, Culture & Society 27, no. 1: 111-132.
Energy transition is often described as the shift from deterritorialised models developed in tandem with the rise of capitalism towards a paradigm based on small-scale infrastructures and short supply chains. In this new paradigm the local dimension is pivotal. This paper takes a self-reflective stance on situated research conducted with local communities in Italy, Indonesia and Australia. The three rural communities are characterised by community ownership of energy production sites (past, current, and future ownership respectively), and by the copresence of alternative visions of energy sustainability among the locals. Drawing on the research experiences the paper reflects on the interrelated methodological, epistemological, and practical challenges encountered. Immersive and participatory approaches enabled the research teams to avoid prescriptive approach to the research, to access local understandings of energy and sustainability, and to gain insights into local interactions between multiple forms of knowledge and power. Across the three cases, methodological and epistemological challenges call for a careful consideration of the role of research and its interaction with power dynamics, capacity of collecting voices and knowledges, and democratization goals. Such challenges are discussed taking into account the "transferability" of methods and approaches across space, time and related project specificities.
M. Sarrica; M. Richter; S. Thomas; I. Graham; B.M. Mazzara. Social approaches to energy transition cases in rural Italy, Indonesia and Australia: Iterative methodologies and participatory epistemologies. Energy Research & Social Science 2018, 45, 287 -296.
AMA StyleM. Sarrica, M. Richter, S. Thomas, I. Graham, B.M. Mazzara. Social approaches to energy transition cases in rural Italy, Indonesia and Australia: Iterative methodologies and participatory epistemologies. Energy Research & Social Science. 2018; 45 ():287-296.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Sarrica; M. Richter; S. Thomas; I. Graham; B.M. Mazzara. 2018. "Social approaches to energy transition cases in rural Italy, Indonesia and Australia: Iterative methodologies and participatory epistemologies." Energy Research & Social Science 45, no. : 287-296.
We investigate youths' conceptualization of social robots. Informed by Schudson's theory of the potency of the cultural object, we conducted two studies. The first study centered on essays on social robots written by bachelor's and master's students. The second study centered on prototypes of social robots built by small groups comprised of same students. The essays and prototypes were content analyzed. The results confirm that social robots embody all five dimensions that characterize cultural objects. However, to fully understand this peculiar cultural object, another dimension needs to be introduced: dynamicity.
Leopoldina Fortunati; Mauro Sarrica; Giovanni Ferrin; Sonia Brondi; Furio Honsell. Social robots as cultural objects: The sixth dimension of dynamicity? The Information Society 2018, 34, 141 -152.
AMA StyleLeopoldina Fortunati, Mauro Sarrica, Giovanni Ferrin, Sonia Brondi, Furio Honsell. Social robots as cultural objects: The sixth dimension of dynamicity? The Information Society. 2018; 34 (3):141-152.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLeopoldina Fortunati; Mauro Sarrica; Giovanni Ferrin; Sonia Brondi; Furio Honsell. 2018. "Social robots as cultural objects: The sixth dimension of dynamicity?" The Information Society 34, no. 3: 141-152.
Mauro Sarrica; Sonia Brondi. Photovoice as a visual-verbal strategy for studying contents and processes of social representations: a participatory project on sustainable energy. Qualitative Research in Psychology 2018, 17, 565 -586.
AMA StyleMauro Sarrica, Sonia Brondi. Photovoice as a visual-verbal strategy for studying contents and processes of social representations: a participatory project on sustainable energy. Qualitative Research in Psychology. 2018; 17 (4):565-586.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Sarrica; Sonia Brondi. 2018. "Photovoice as a visual-verbal strategy for studying contents and processes of social representations: a participatory project on sustainable energy." Qualitative Research in Psychology 17, no. 4: 565-586.
In this paper we examine the use of Twitter and Facebook in two dramatic earthquakes that hit Italy: L’Aquila (in 2009) and Emilia (in 2012). Indeed, disasters disrupt everyday life and engage people in meaning-making processes aimed at recovering meaning and control of their world. In these cases, we argue that the use of social media may contribute to social representations processes and functions: cognitive coping, social sharing of emotions, preserving self-efficacy, boosting identity, and community empowerment. Different methods were adopted to examine the use of social media in the immediate aftermath, a few days after, and in the medium-long term. Differences between the events, combined with the differences between Twitter and Facebook, entailed a multiplicity of uses. Nevertheless, the analyses point to the same conclusions: by fostering new forms of communication and encounters, social media played an increasingly important role during and after the earthquakes. First, they were used for providing information and material coping, then they favored the social sharing of emotions and joint remembering, and finally they contributed to claiming voice and control. Results thus suggest that the use of social media favored different representational functions, which progressively contributed to community empowerment.
Mauro Sarrica; Manuela Farinosi; Francesca Comunello; Sonia Brondi; Lorenza Parisi; Leopoldina Fortunati. Shaken and stirred: Social representations, social media, and community empowerment in emergency contexts. Semiotica 2018, 2018, 321 -346.
AMA StyleMauro Sarrica, Manuela Farinosi, Francesca Comunello, Sonia Brondi, Lorenza Parisi, Leopoldina Fortunati. Shaken and stirred: Social representations, social media, and community empowerment in emergency contexts. Semiotica. 2018; 2018 (222):321-346.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Sarrica; Manuela Farinosi; Francesca Comunello; Sonia Brondi; Lorenza Parisi; Leopoldina Fortunati. 2018. "Shaken and stirred: Social representations, social media, and community empowerment in emergency contexts." Semiotica 2018, no. 222: 321-346.
Transition towards low-carbon societies requires multi-scalar and coordinated actions. It implies top-down and bottom-up processes of translation connecting supra-national regulations and targets, with policies and discourses enacted at the national and local level. However, there is a dearth of research analysing the coordination among different scales. The present paper explores how alternative views associated with energy sustainability are translated, supported or resisted, across different scales. Data were collected at a national, regional and local level in Italy. Political debates and newspaper reports, as well as interviews with key local informants, were analysed. The findings indicate elements of coherence as well as tensions and inconsistencies between discourses on energy sustainability taking place at different scales, corresponding to diverse models of governance and policy scenarios. The results suggest the need for a better coordination between centralised and decentralised energy policies; the need to recognise and address bottom-up inputs and concerns into national/regional strategies; and the need for enhancing participation and public engagement in energy governance.
Mauro Sarrica; Fulvio Biddau; Sonia Brondi; Paolo Cottone; Bruno M. Mazzara. A multi-scale examination of public discourse on energy sustainability in Italy: Empirical evidence and policy implications. Energy Policy 2018, 114, 444 -454.
AMA StyleMauro Sarrica, Fulvio Biddau, Sonia Brondi, Paolo Cottone, Bruno M. Mazzara. A multi-scale examination of public discourse on energy sustainability in Italy: Empirical evidence and policy implications. Energy Policy. 2018; 114 ():444-454.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Sarrica; Fulvio Biddau; Sonia Brondi; Paolo Cottone; Bruno M. Mazzara. 2018. "A multi-scale examination of public discourse on energy sustainability in Italy: Empirical evidence and policy implications." Energy Policy 114, no. : 444-454.
Community informatics and Information and Communications Technology for Development research projects frequently focus on the appropriation of ICTs and the design of information systems to meet the needs of communities. Such projects typically involve a range of participants reflecting different cultures and depend for their success on the ability of the project to bridge differences. Using PROTIC (Participatory Research and Ownership with Technology, Information and Change), a 5-year collaborative project between Monash University, Oxfam Australia and Oxfam in Bangladesh as a case study, this paper reflects on the use of a “mainstream” form of participatory action research (PAR) as a tool capable of engaging in more sustainable projects by helping to identify and to take into account localised or context-specific social and cultural issues in the design of the information system itself, consequently improving the effectiveness and sustainability of the systems developed. The idea of emic understandings of culture have also been used to interpret the project and PAR as an intercultural exchange around developing a community-focussed sociotechnical project.
Mauro Sarrica; Tom Denison; Larry Stillman; Tapas Chakraborty; Priordarshine Auvi. “What do others think?” An emic approach to participatory action research in Bangladesh. AI & SOCIETY 2017, 34, 495 -508.
AMA StyleMauro Sarrica, Tom Denison, Larry Stillman, Tapas Chakraborty, Priordarshine Auvi. “What do others think?” An emic approach to participatory action research in Bangladesh. AI & SOCIETY. 2017; 34 (3):495-508.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Sarrica; Tom Denison; Larry Stillman; Tapas Chakraborty; Priordarshine Auvi. 2017. "“What do others think?” An emic approach to participatory action research in Bangladesh." AI & SOCIETY 34, no. 3: 495-508.
This article examines the long-lasting effects of an unwanted place change (i.e., the construction of a dam) on the social representations (SRs) of places and of place-community relationship. The study integrates an SRs approach, generative semiotics, and methods borrowed from research on the social making of autobiographical memory. The aim is to explore whether and how intergenerational family narratives contribute to the transmission of SRs. Parent-child pairs were asked to share episodes linked to the dam. Video-recordings were submitted to thematic content analysis and semiotic analysis. Results show that parents and children associate the dam with a radical transformation: it acts as a performer of separation between the community and its territory. The analysis of interactions gives further insights into the how family and community memories are connected. This first attempt confirms the potentialities of the integrated approach to understanding the processes of intergenerational transmission of social representations, and paves the way to further refinements.
Mauro Sarrica; Alice Roseti; Sonia Brondi; Pierluigi Cervelli; Giovanna Leone. Flooded by a wall of water: parent–child reminiscing about local environment and unwanted changes. Qualitative Research in Psychology 2016, 13, 209 -230.
AMA StyleMauro Sarrica, Alice Roseti, Sonia Brondi, Pierluigi Cervelli, Giovanna Leone. Flooded by a wall of water: parent–child reminiscing about local environment and unwanted changes. Qualitative Research in Psychology. 2016; 13 (3):209-230.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Sarrica; Alice Roseti; Sonia Brondi; Pierluigi Cervelli; Giovanna Leone. 2016. "Flooded by a wall of water: parent–child reminiscing about local environment and unwanted changes." Qualitative Research in Psychology 13, no. 3: 209-230.
Far from being a univocal process, energy transitions involve several pathways and require research that connects multiple theoretical, disciplinary and methodological perspectives. The European scenario is a clear example of how the boundaries and the direction of such process are difficultly identifiable and merged with culturally situated meanings and practices. In this opening paper, drawing on a psychosocial background, we propose a cultural approach as an attempt to overcome the dichotomies between technical and human, social and individual accounts of energy transitions. In this framework, we illustrate the two main axes that guided this collection of research: a situated perspective, and a focus on different planes of transition (individual, community, societal). Then, we present the European scenario and introduce the contributions, which propose a large variety of epistemological perspectives, and theoretical, methodological and disciplinary integrations. We conclude with a commentary of the main challenges to be addressed in order to develop a shared scientific paradigm: the need for further integration towards shared interpretative frameworks, the quest for a constructive and future-oriented research attitude, the importance of connecting different planes of analysis to foresee alternative scenarios, and the need for proposals and solutions to be addressed to decision makers.
Mauro Sarrica; Sonia Brondi; Paolo Cottone; Bruno Maria Mazzara. One, no one, one hundred thousand energy transitions in Europe: The quest for a cultural approach. Energy Research & Social Science 2016, 13, 1 -14.
AMA StyleMauro Sarrica, Sonia Brondi, Paolo Cottone, Bruno Maria Mazzara. One, no one, one hundred thousand energy transitions in Europe: The quest for a cultural approach. Energy Research & Social Science. 2016; 13 ():1-14.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Sarrica; Sonia Brondi; Paolo Cottone; Bruno Maria Mazzara. 2016. "One, no one, one hundred thousand energy transitions in Europe: The quest for a cultural approach." Energy Research & Social Science 13, no. : 1-14.
Mauro Sarrica; Sonia Brondi; Chiara Piccolo; Bruno M. Mazzara. Environmental Consciousness and Sustainable Energy Policies: Italian Parliamentary Debates in the Years 2009–2012. Society & Natural Resources 2016, 29, 932 -947.
AMA StyleMauro Sarrica, Sonia Brondi, Chiara Piccolo, Bruno M. Mazzara. Environmental Consciousness and Sustainable Energy Policies: Italian Parliamentary Debates in the Years 2009–2012. Society & Natural Resources. 2016; 29 (8):932-947.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Sarrica; Sonia Brondi; Chiara Piccolo; Bruno M. Mazzara. 2016. "Environmental Consciousness and Sustainable Energy Policies: Italian Parliamentary Debates in the Years 2009–2012." Society & Natural Resources 29, no. 8: 932-947.