Cittadini e nuove forme di appartenenza: esperienze in discussione

The article presents a number of case studies that have been collected within the three different geographical contexts of the Italian reality (North, Centre and South) and within both the civil society and institutional organisations. Although these case studies focus on some specific experiences, they are crucial to highlight the questions, logic and practices that enable to revise the concept of citizenship by going beyond the traditional, and now obsolete, link between citizenship and national sense of belonging. By means of these experiences, a new kind of ‘generative’ citizenship – alternatively known as 'new generation citizenship’ – is conjectured. From this perspective, what links citizens – namely those people living in the same polis, but also in the same space and time frame of reference – is first of all the rule of reciprocity of rights and duties. This form of responsible citizenship emerges through connective, inclusive and contributive types of actions, within an imaginary of freedom that stresses the relational value of citizenship and, therefore, combines the creativity and innovation of social actors with their desire of belonging, commitment and inclusion.