Amma u o, Fede ica; Schmid , Sun je
A icle — Published Ve sion
Valua ion in Ru al Social Inno a ion P ocesses—Analysing
Mic o-Impac o a Collabo a i e Communi y in Sou he n
I aly
Socie ies
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Sugges ed Ci a ion: Amma u o, Fede ica; Schmid , Sun je (2024) : Valua ion in Ru al Social Inno a ion
P ocesses—Analysing Mic o-Impac o a Collabo a i e Communi y in Sou he n I aly, Socie ies, ISSN
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Ci a ion: Amma u o, F.; Schmid , S.
Valua ion in Ru al Social Inno a ion
P ocesses—Analysing Mic o-Impac
o a Collabo a i e Communi y in
Sou he n I aly. Socie ies 2024,14, 76.
h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/soc14060076
Academic Edi o : Nick Osbaldis on
Recei ed: 29 Ma ch 2024
Re ised: 9 May 2024
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Published: 27 May 2024
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socie ies
A icle
Valua ion in Ru al Social Inno a ion P ocesses—Analysing
Mic o-Impac o a Collabo a i e Communi y in Sou he n I aly
Fede ica Amma u o 1,2 and Sun je Schmid 1,2,*
1Leibniz Ins i u e o Resea ch on Socie y and Space, 15537 E kne , Ge many;
[email p o ec ed]
2Depa men o Geog aphy, Humbold -Uni e si ä zu Be lin, 10099 Be lin, Ge many
*Co espondence: [email p o ec ed]
Abs ac : Social inno a ion has been associa ed wi h con ibu ing o ‘ aluable’ u al de elopmen ;
howe e , usually, he impac o social inno a ion has been iden i ied in he a e ma h o i s de elop-
men o implemen a ion. This migh be oo na ow an app oach, as an ongoing social inno a ion
p ocess in i sel may al eady lead o e ec s ha con ibu e o egional and social changes in a local
communi y and beyond. This pape a gues ha collabo a i e alua ion p ocesses a e embedded in
social inno a ion p ocesses, gene a ing e ec s ha con ibu e o u al de elopmen . Focusing on a
case s udy ha exempli ies social inno a ion p ocesses in ag icul u e and ood p oduc ion ca ied ou
by a u al collabo a i e communi y in sou he n I aly, we demons a e how h ee alua ion phases,
such as con es a ions and nego ia ions o no ms, symbolic capi al accumula ion and ecogni ion o ac-
ions, as well as e-de ini ions o alues, impac communi y de elopmen h ough join sense-making,
empowe men and socie al change. Ou empi ical esul s sugges he close in e wining o bo h social
inno a ion and alua ion p ocesses. The empi ical esul s demons a e how collec i e alua ion
p ocesses ha e mic o-e ec s on he ag o-economic sys em, on local socio-cul u al p ocesses, and on
place-making ac i i ies. Me hodologically, his pape builds on e hnog aphic me hods, including
pa icipa o y obse a ions, semi-s uc u ed in e iews, o al his o ies, and socio-spa ial analysis
in es iga ing momen s o alua ion embedded in daily collabo a i e p ac ices.
Keywo ds: alua ion p ocesses; u al communi y de elopmen ; social inno a ion; collabo a i e alua ion
1. In oduc ion
Social inno a ion can be unde s ood as no el p ac ices ha b eak o dis inguish
hemsel es om exis ing ones. ‘No el’ and ‘new’, howe e , do no necessa ily e e o
undamen ally new p ac ices o ways o doing hings (compa e also Ch is mann e al. in
his special issue) [
1
,
2
] bu may also ela e o no el and some imes unique combina ions
o exis ing knowledge o new ways o making use o echnologies, so wa e, pla o ms,
o o ganisa ional solu ions in u al con ex s. This implies, oo, ha social inno a ion
may comp ise he local adap a ion and adjus men o exis ing knowledge and solu ions
o egional and local con ex s [
3
]. Taking hese pe spec i es se iously, such p ocesses
necessa ily imply p ac ices o alua ion, because changing, es ablishing, eplacing, o
adjus ing es ablished p ac ices equi es in e p e a ions, collec i e judgemen , and sense-
making. While a numbe o con ibu ions demons a e ime–spa ial dynamics o u al-
based social inno a ion p ocesses [
1
,
4
,
5
], highligh ing hei collabo a i e cha ac e [
6
–
8
],
less a en ion has been paid o how no el y and newness, as well as hei po en ial impac ,
a e collec i ely discussed, nego ia ed, made sense o , in e p e ed, and e en ually applied
o ejec ed.
This pape aims o unde sco e collabo a i e alua ion p ac ices ha a e equen ly
in eg a ed in social inno a ion p ocesses in local ag icul u al ood p oduc ion [
9
]. As such,
alua ion is deeply embedded in social inno a ion p ocesses and hence con ibu es o
Socie ies 2024,14, 76. h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/soc14060076 h ps://www.mdpi.com/jou nal/socie ies
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 2 o 22
es ablishing and ha ing an impac on u al communi y de elopmen [
10
,
11
]. Fo ins ance,
solida y-based ag icul u e in i sel migh no necessa ily be ega ded as a g ound-b eaking
con empo a y social inno a ion pe se [
12
]. To become a u al social inno a ion, i equi es
p ac ices o sha ing and ca ing ha a local communi y ega ds as aluable o e-de eloping
an abundan a m and a mland ins ead o lea ing i allow, emp y, and p one o decay.
This equi es collec i e discussions and nego ia ions o ecognise o o collec i ely asc ibe
alue o solida y-based ag icul u e o no only ake ca e o abundan a mland bu also o
unde s and i s social, cul u al, and/o symbolic alue (e.g., o local communi y building)
and po en ial local ansi ions owa ds mo e ecological solu ions o mic o-scale ag icul u al
p oduc ion. Such alua ion p ocesses a e o en concealed in socially inno a i e ini ia i es
ela ed o local ood sys ems ha e en ually con ibu e o u al de elopmen . Such impac
migh , o ins ance, be seen in empowe ing u al communi ies [
9
], by p omo ing mu ual
suppo , solida i y, and a new p oduce –consume ela ionship [13].
A alua ion pe spec i e in his con ex migh con ibu e o a be e unde s anding
o he impac o social inno a ion on u al social, cul u al, and spa ial de elopmen . By
impac , we e e o mid- and long- e m mic o-e ec s and bene i s as well as changes in
socie ies p omp ed by collabo a i e alua ion in socially inno a i e p ocesses. We explici ly
aim o go beyond classical impac assessmen s ha seek o ou line he (measu able, o en
quan i ied) e ec s and changes induced by social inno a ion. Ins ead, we a gue ha alua-
ion p ocesses may gene a e an impac while being implemen ed and co-p oduced [
14
,
15
].
Local and egional social and cul u al dynamics in u al a eas migh change as a esul o
collec i e momen s [
16
] and p ocesses [
17
] o alua ion in which local communi ies engage
wi h in e p e a ions, pe spec i es, nego ia ions, con es a ions, and judgmen s o wha is o
wo h. Agains his backd op, his pape add esses wo main esea ch ques ions. 1. How
a e collec i e alua ion p ocesses embedded in social inno a ion? 2. Wha kinds o impac s a e
gene a ed by hese alua ion p ocesses? This pape seeks o be e unde s and he p ocesses o
shaping, in e nalising, and ex e nalising alua ion by a u al collabo a i e communi y. We
de ine he u al collabo a i e communi y as a ans-local collabo a i e ela ional ne wo k
o indi iduals, coope a i es, en ep eneu s, and inno a ion hubs ha is collabo a i ely
in ol ed in p ocesses o social inno a ion. Valua ion p ac ices may con ibu e o o ms
o ins i u ionalisa ion, empowe men , and imp o emen s in he de elopmen o a u al
communi y, as Gue e o e al. [
13
] demons a e in he example o Communi y Suppo ed
Ag icul u e: collec i ely nego ia ing alues enables he communi y o de ine a sha ed
and common iden i y, no wi hou challenges gi en by he size and he e ogenei y o he
ne wo k. Though embedded in economic p ocesses o ag icul u al ood p oduc ion, his
pe spec i e also helps us o unde s and u al de elopmen no as a me ely economic p o-
cess bu ins ead as one ha in ol es he collec i e de elopmen o social and cul u al alue,
which conside s economic ac i i ies as embedded in social ela ions. Fu he mo e, his
pe spec i e also allows o a be e unde s anding o how collec i e alua ion p ac ices may
con ibu e o communi y empowe men , which can e en ually os e u al de elopmen
beyond economic means bu ne e heless may pa ially eed back in o economic ac i i ies.
Empi ically, we p esen a sou he n I alian case s udy ha in es iga es place-based
collabo a i e, socially inno a i e p ac ices o a u al collabo a i e communi y, ying in wi h
ongoing social inno a ion p ocesses ha e ol e a ound he mo e sus ainable ag icul u al
ood p oduc ion, dis ibu ion, and consump ion and he lea ning and di usion o egene a-
i e ag icul u al p ac ices ha a e s ongly connec ed o p ac ices o ca e and consolida ion
o u al places and communi ies. We seek o econs uc he mul iple and deeply en angled
momen s [
16
] (such as e en s o s aged ac i i ies) and p ocesses [
17
] (e.g., he gene a ion o
new and in ica e social ela ions) o collabo a i e alua ion.
In he ollowing sec ions, his pape is o ganised as ollows. We i s b ie ly e isi so-
cial inno a ion om a ime–spa ial pe spec i e in u al egions. We con inue by discussing
a heo e ical ye ope a ional de ini ion o alua ion and how p ocesses o alua ion migh
be embedded in social inno a ion. A e p esen ing ou esea ch design and in oducing
he I alian case s udy, we con inue o p esen ou empi ical indings. We seek o demon-
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 3 o 22
s a e how collabo a i e alua ion p ac ices a e s aged in pa icula momen s, as well as
h ough ce ain mechanisms and how alua ion is in eg a ed in ongoing socio-spa ial u al
de elopmen .
2. Valua ion in Social Inno a ion P ocesses
2.1. Social Inno a ion as Collabo a i e P ocesses
Social inno a ion add esses a esea ch phenomenon ha is s ill e y b oadly de ined.
In his pape , we ollow he a gumen a ion o Ch is mann e al. [
18
] in his special issue, who
e e o social inno a ion as p ocesses in which social ac o s collabo a i ely c ea e no el
solu ions o collec i ely pe cei ed p oblems. As such, social inno a ion is associa ed wi h
no el p ac ices ha b eak wi h p e ious ones [
2
,
19
]. In he con ex o u al egions, social
inno a ion may comp ise, o ins ance, new ideas, p ocesses, se ices, no el o imp o ed
ac ions, ou ines, and p ac ices ha may lead o ecologically, socially, and economically
sus ainable socie ies [
20
]. Mos equen ly, i is he cha ac e o social inno a ion o achie e
goals by new o ms o o ganising, egula ing, o li es yles [18].
Wi hin social inno a ion s udies, some au ho s unde line ha social inno a ion may
add ess social and socie al challenges and is hus cha ac e ised by c ea ing, enewing,
o ans o ming social ela ions a local and ans-local scales [
10
]. F equen ly, social
inno a ions a e he e o e expec ed o con ibu e o cul u al, social, and spa ial de elopmen
wi h qui e posi i e e ec s, o which h ee main o ms o impac may be dis inguished [
11
]:
1.
Impac as changing social ela ions: Social inno a ion p ocesses a e inhe en ly o an
in e ac i e and collabo a i e na u e [
21
] and he e o e a e shaped by social ela ions,
in e ac ions, p ac ices, and social as well as cul u al no ms and alues. A he same
ime, social inno a ion p ocesses a ec exac ly hese o ms o social in e ac ions
and collabo a ions and may e en ually lead o enhanced local and egional social
well-being, imp o ed and adjus ed ways o doing o o ganising, and po en ially o
changing local condi ions oo. In o he wo ds, he necessa y mechanisms o de elop,
implemen , adjus , o di use social inno a ion a e also p one o be changed and
ans o med du ing p ocesses o social inno a ion [
4
,
22
]. Howe e , because o hei
social na u e, social inno a ion p ocesses migh be bene icial o some, while hey
migh lead o disad an ages o o he s o exclude some social ac o s om he p ocess.
2.
Impac as ans o ming social condi ions: Social inno a ions a e equen ly expec ed o
be socially accep ed, ele an , and app op ia e—a leas by hose in ol ed in and
engaged wi h he ela ed p ocesses. Hence, he impac o social inno a ion may be un-
de s ood as p ocesses o spa ial and social enewal and change by add essing socie al
challenges and unme social needs and by empowe ing social ac o s o os e such
p ocesses o change [
18
,
23
,
24
]. Following he abo e de ini ion o social inno a ion,
‘socie y’ s akeholde s [
11
] a e engaged in p ocesses o social inno a ion o os e ing,
o example, social lea ning in o de o inc ease he local communi ies’ sel - eliance
and sus ainabili y [
20
]. Such s udies unde line he social esponsibili y associa ed
wi h social inno a ion p ocesses [
11
]. Ne e heless, he ecogni ion o social inno a-
ion based on ce ain alue sys ems can ma ginalise o ac un esponsi ely o ce ain
g oups o communi ies ha p omo e o s and o o he alues.
3.
Impac as socie al change owa ds an inno a ion socie y: Some deba es on (social) inno-
a ion unde line ha he abili y o implemen changes and go e n ans o ma ion
p ocesses depends on a socie al capaci y o gene a e no el y, which inds i s impo -
ance in he e m inno a ion socie y [
25
]. This no ion is equen ly aken up by policy
make s seeking o os e new o ms o inno a ion owa ds an inno a ion socie y
(e.g., [
26
]). He e, an inno a ion socie y is ega ded as a socie al o m ha is able o
c ea e a be e , mo e equal, jus , and inclusi e socie y. Fo u al communi ies, his
may imply c ea ing and inc easing adap a ion and adap abili y capaci ies [
27
,
28
] in
he con ex o g ea e socie al ans o ma ion [
10
,
11
,
29
,
30
]. Howe e , as discussed in
bo h p e ious poin s, he c i e ia unde which a u al socie y can become inno a i e
may be dispu able o con es ed.
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 4 o 22
Agains he backd op o he abo e ou lined po en ial o ms o impac , we ega d
impac as mic o-e ec s [
31
] ha social inno a ion p ocesses may gene a e. We do no
expec social inno a ion o lead o posi i e o ms o change pe se bu a e open owa ds i s
alua ions. Ins ead, we a gue ha a alua ion pe spec i e enables us o iden i y and exem-
pli y alua ion p ocesses embedded in social inno a ion p ocesses. Analysing alua ion
p ocesses may lead o iden i ying equen ly in angible [
32
] o ms o change ( a he han
‘imp o emen ’ o ‘added alue’ as amed in some impac deba es). The e o e, impac ep-
esen s mo e gene al, po en ially ans o ma i e e ec s leading o (e.g., social o egional)
changes (see also Hussels e al. in his special issue). We a gue ha o changing and adjus -
ing social ela ions and condi ions [
33
,
34
], momen s o phases o collec i e sense-making,
in e p e a ion, nego ia ion abou wha should be changed/adjus ed, and how he associa ed
p ocesses should be o ganised a e in eg al ing edien s in social inno a ion p ocesses.
This means ha o be e unde s and how social inno a ions con ibu e o ans o -
ma ion and change, i is necessa y o ha e a be e unde s anding o collec i e o ms o
alua ion in social inno a ion p ocesses. Th ough his collec i e app oach, i is possible
o go beyond subjec i e in e p e a ions o inno a ion and ocus on he se o alues, mo-
i a ions, and in en ions o in ol ed ac o s and how hey lea n while ac i ely shaping
inno a ion p ocesses [
35
]. Hence, social inno a ion p ocesses a e deeply in e wined wi h
alua ion p ocesses due o he collabo a i e na u e o such p ocesses. Social ela ions a e
connec ed o o ms o ag eemen and disag eemen as well as di e en o ms o communi-
ca ion and in e ac ion o nego ia e sha ed isions and pe spec i es on he changes a ge ed
by social inno a ion.
2.2. Valua ion as a Collabo a i e Socio-Spa ial P ac ice
Valuable no el y in a pa icula con ex (in ou case, u al egions) is a key dimen-
sion o social inno a ion. To ecognise no el y, hough, social p ac ices o ecognising,
a ibu ing, and comp ehending no el y a e equi ed. Likewise, i akes judgemen and
sense-making o con ibu ions in collec i e social inno a ion p ocesses o ag ee o disag ee
on wha o pu sue u he [
36
]. Collec i e nego ia ions and con es a ions, inc emen al dis-
cussions, and decision-making a e he e o e no only p ac ices ound in social inno a ion
p ocesses bu also cons i u e p ac ices o alua ion. Valua ion can hus be ega ded as being
pe o med in pa icula phases and momen s in social inno a ion p ocesses by in e ac ion
and engagemen s wi h he p ocess i sel [37].
Valua ion may be de ined as a social, in e ac i e o m by which ‘ alues a e asc ibed
o ac o s o hings based on peoples’ iews (p e e ences) [
. . .
] Valua ion is a esul o mu ual
adjus men in a p ocess in which many ac o s ake pa ’ [
38
] (p. 141). Valua ion, hence, is a o m
o judgemen and jus i ica ion, as well as o gi ing wo h o some hing [
38
]. Fo ins ance,
a g oup o inhabi an s in a illage migh ecognise ha a ecen ly abandoned a m wi h
i s a mland is wo h sa ing om decay. This g oup migh sha e an in e es in ca ing o
hei illage, i s buildings, and land. This sha ed in e es and mo i a ion hen jus i ies
u he collec i e ac ions, such as ounding a coope a i e ha se s up a solida y o m o
ag icul u e o u he use bo h a m and a mland [
12
]. Valua ion can hus be unde s ood as
an ongoing p ocess o collec i e p ac ises ha include ela ing, nego ia ing, and con es ing
wo h [
39
,
40
] ha e en ually also leads o o ganising and ins i u ionalising u he ac i i ies
(such as ounding a coope a i e). Especially in social, collabo a i e con ex s, ac o s need o
mobilise and coo dina e (sca ce) esou ces, such as ime o social engagemen . As such,
alua ion p ac ices a e inhe en ly ela ional in e ms o posi ioning ac o s and objec s [
41
].
Valua ion can also be conside ed a dialec ic p ac ice o associa ing and dissocia ing
wo h and alue o o om some hing [
42
,
43
]. Re u ning o he abo emen ioned hypo-
he ical example wi h he solida y o m o ag icul u e, he newly ounded coope a i e
alues esponsible o ms o ag icul u al p oduc ion and consump ions [
42
] by aking up
he idea o solida y ag icul u e in he o m o ecologically sus ainable local p oduc ion o
ag icul u al p oduc s. This implies he o ganising o new o ms o social ela ions among
membe s o he coope a i e, as well as be ween membe s and hei social en i onmen
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 5 o 22
ou side o i (e.g., amilies). The a ia ion in espec i e indi idual a ailabili ies due o wo k
o amily commi men s and he necessa y olun a y wo k on he a m a e se in ela ion
o each o he , nego ia ed, and planned. Simila ly, he o ms o wo k ha con ibu e o
a coope a i e mus be e alua ed in such a way ha all membe s eel equal and alued.
Hence, membe s o he coope a i e con inuously, consciously, and unconsciously asc ibe
alue [
38
] o hei con ibu ions as well as hose o membe s and se -up p ocesses and
adjus collec i e ac i i ies acco dingly. This example p o ides some idea o how bo h social
ela ions and social condi ions a e a ec ed by alua ion p ocesses embedded in wide
social inno a ion p ocesses and unde sco es ha change p ocesses (as a o m o impac )
may un old in an ongoing p ocess. E en ually, such alua ion p ocesses may mo e owa ds
o ming con en ions by legi imising and ins i u ionalising he posi ions and ela ions o
ac o s and objec s [41,44].
While alua ion may be embedded in ongoing p ocesses o mu ual engagemen (e.g.,
when bands compose music [
45
]), i migh likewise be s aged in pa icula si ua ions (e.g.,
wine as ings, s a -up pi ches) [
16
,
46
,
47
]. Howe e , ocusing on isola ed e en s o single
p ocesses migh be oo na ow an app oach o unde s anding he complex web o social
ela ions ha con ibu e o alua ion p ocesses in he social inno a ion con ex s. The e o e,
Waibel e al. a gue o in es iga ing b oade alua ion cons ella ions in which alua ion
p ac ices a e insc ibed [
17
]. By ha , hey also sugges paying a en ion o ac o s, p ocesses,
and ela ions ha may no be appa en in he e y momen o alua ion bu ins ead
link alua ion ac oss mul iple si ua ions and loca ions [
17
]. This migh be o pa icula
impo ance in social inno a ion p ocesses in u al en i onmen s in es iga ed in his pape .
A isible o m o such a ans-local dynamic ha a ec s local alue-based jus i ica ions o
ac i i ies migh be ound, o example, in mission s a emen s o agendas c ea ed ou side
he immedia e local en i onmen . Fo ins ance, e lec ing on he example used in his
sec ion, he Ge man ne wo k o solida y ag icul u e o mula es a ision as well as basic
p inciples as a sha ed common g ound ac oss di e se local ini ia i es
1
o (a) isualising
and ex e nalising sha ed no ms and alues and (b) o legi imising u u e ac i i ies.
Valua ion p ocesses a e no necessa ily seamless o con lic - ee, because equen ly
di e en social o subjec i e alue sys ems and unde s andings o wo h come oge he and
may e en collide [
40
], leading o he e a chies o app oaches o alua ions [
44
]. Ac i i ies,
go e nance mechanisms s ee ing a social inno a ion p ocess, modes o in e ac ion, and
con ibu ions o an ini ia i e a e pe cei ed and consequen ly alua ed di e en ly in di e -
en social o spa ial con ex s and among di e se social g oups, as he ac o alua ion is also
emo ional and an a ec i e a i ude [
48
]. Re u ning o abo e example, a u al coope a i e
o solida y ag icul u e may b ing oge he membe s ha ha e been li ing in he e y same
illage hei whole li e, while o he membe s ha e jus mo ed in o he illage, o e en
jus own a house he e ha hey only use du ing hei holidays o weekends. Each o
hose membe s may ca y di e en expec a ions in e ms o he u u e de elopmen o
he a m o how o o ganise ou ines and du ies on he a m. This means ha alua ion
p ac ices include in e subjec i e ag eemen o disag eemen on ins i u ionalising p oce-
du es, ou ines, and objec s o legi imising u u e ac i i ies. Likewise, alua ion equi es
nego ia ion abou c i e ia o how objec s and ac i i ies a e judged o jus i ied [
44
]. These
conside a ions unde line ha alua ion p ac ices a e he esul o mu ual adjus men s
wi hin ongoing p ocesses.
Valua ion p ocesses a e inhe en ly spa ial as well. In digi al spaces such as social media
en i onmen s, o ins ance, alua ion becomes isible in he o m o clicks, likes, dislikes,
sha es, o commen s. Li e e en s a e also p ominen examples o simul aneously localised
p oduc ion and consump ion (e.g., in music o hea e pe o mances o con e ence alks) as
well as alua ion (e.g., in he o m o applause o booing). Expe imen a ion labs, eal-li e
labo a o ies, p ojec s o conso ium mee ings, and e ea s p o ide a enas o collec i ely
alua ing ea ly ideas o (ea ly) c ea i e p oblem solu ions. Howe e , alua ion p ac ices
a e o a mul i-local na u e [
49
]. Fo ins ance, while solida y ag icul u e is se up and
o ganised in a pa icula illage, a a pa icula a m, allowing o immedia e exchanges,
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 6 o 22
discussions, in e ac ions, alua ion p ocesses happen beyond his socio-spa ial con ex .
Online communi ies also p o ide mul i-local digi al spaces whe e communi y membe s
exchange, sha e expe iences, and join ly make sense o con empo a y de elopmen s o se
u u e agendas (a o m o jus i ying and legi imising u u e ac i i ies). Likewise, mul iple
ini ia i es o solida y ag icul u e may es ablish na ional o e en in e na ional ne wo ks (see
no e 1) o ‘co-de eloping, co-de ining, nego ia ing, and legi imising u u e socie al alues’ [
50
]
(p. 10).
Agains his backd op, we in es iga e collabo a i e p ac ices, paying pa icula a en-
ion o social ela ions and condi ions. In doing so, we ie in ongoing social inno a ion
dynamics, paying pa icula a en ion o momen s and p ocesses o alua ion. As discussed
abo e, alua ion akes place in pa icula si ua ions ha a e spa ially and empo a ily lo-
calised. These pa icula momen s hus p o ide si es o o ming and os e ing social
ela ions. In ou case, such si es migh be a ms whe e social con ex s, as well as ma e ials
and echnologies, a e p o ided o collabo a i e a ming. Howe e , si es whe e alua ion
momen s ake place migh likewise be empo a y ga he ings, such as local ma ke s ha a e
a anged and equipped wi h ools and ma e ials ha os e expe imen a ion and exchange.
Social media pla o ms may also be ega ded as i ual si es o alua ion. In some in-
s ances, momen s o alua ion a e speci ically se up, in o he wo ds, ‘s aged’, unde lining
he pe o ma i e cha ac e o collabo a i e alua ion. Typically, momen s o alua ion
can be expe ienced by indi iduals and g oups and, he e o e, become ecognisable o
esea che s, which is why momen s o alua ion a e pa icula ly impo an objec s o
in es iga ion in he esea ch p esen ed he e [46] (p. 3).
Taking inspi a ion om Dewey [51], Hu e and S a k [46] s ess ha alua ion akes
place in he p ocess o p ac icing ce ain asks. This has wo consequences o ou esea ch.
Fi s , we need o engage wi h he collabo a i e p ac ices o social inno a ion p ocesses o be
able o iden i y and econs uc alua ion p ac ices. In ou pa icula case, we need o use
pa icipa o y app oaches ha allow us o in e ac wi h and obse e ac o s, ma e ial se ings,
and he ime–spa ial cons ella ion in which alua ion akes place. Second, alua ion akes
place in speci ic ields o p ac ice, which is why we ocus on social inno a ion in sus ainable
ag icul u al ood p oduc ion. Engaging wi h social inno a i e p ocesses hen also allows
us o iden i y and connec alua ion momen s ac oss si ua ions and social ields [
17
] (p. 34)
and o be able o obse e con e gen decision making [
37
] as sequen ial and i e a i e
in e ac ions wi hin he local communi y. By ocusing on p ocesses, a he han singled-ou
momen s, we seek o be e unde s and how collabo a i e alua ion e en ually may lead
o o ming con en ions and o legi imising and ins i u ionalising u he ac i i ies o a local
communi y. We hus acknowledge a b oade alua ion cons ella ion by ela ing di e en
momen s and si es o alua ion p ocesses, which will allow us o be e unde s and how
di e en judgmen de ices and o de s o wo h a e nego ia ed and shape said p ocesses
and e en ually lead o changes in social ela ions and condi ions [52].
Wi h ou pa icula ocus on momen s and p ocesses, we wish o demons a e how a
alua ion pe spec i e may con ibu e o be e unde s anding he socio-cul u al and spa ial
impac o social inno a ion p ocesses on u al de elopmen . By econs uc ing alua ion
p ocesses embedded in ongoing social inno a ion dynamics, we seek o ca e ou how
no el y, pe spec i es, and (dis)ag eemen s a e nego ia ed and es ed o u he go e n and
s ee he de elopmen , di usion, and adap a ion o ideas and inno a i e app oaches o
p oblem solu ions.
3. Resea ch Design
As Kaise [
53
] poin s ou , alues may ‘be mo e o less hidden om ou consciousness and
come o li e only in speci ic con lic si ua ions o dilemmas’ (p. 6). Since alues a e nei he
uni e sal no ixed in meaning, social ac o s may u ilise and implemen di e en alues o
may emphasise alue di e en ly in di e en si ua ions: ‘The con ex makes i also easie o
pa icipan s o e oke he alues hey deem ele an ’ [
53
] (p. 7). Fu he mo e, al hough alues
may exhibi a ce ain ine ia be o e being changed o adjus ed, hey can e en ually de elop
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 7 o 22
o e ime, in pa icula , by in e ac ing agains a backg ound o di e en alue sys ems,
belie s, o egis e s o wo h. In o he wo ds, in es iga ing alua ion p ocesses is complex,
as a gi en alue e m may no uniquely ela e o a speci ic meaning. I s meaning may
become unde s andable only i embedded in a pa icula con ex . The e o e, econs uc ing
alua ion p ocesses necessa ily equi es me hodological plu alism [
53
], an app oach on
which we d aw in ou esea ch design.
3.1. Case S udy Selec ion
In o de o be able o handle his complexi y, we ollow Kaise ’s [
53
] sugges ion o
ocus on a single con ex —in ou case, a sou he n I alian u al egion. Implemen ing a
single case s udy design [
54
], we ocus on ongoing social inno a ion dynamics in his
selec ed u al egion o iden i y and econs uc alua ion momen s and p ocesses [
46
] and
hei con ibu ion o socio-cul u al communi y de elopmen . The case s udy was selec ed
using he ne wo k Wo ld-Wide Oppo uni ies on O ganic Fa ms (WWOOF). WWOOF
ep esen s s ong alues in e ms o sus ainable u al de elopmen based on o ganic and
ecological a ming [
55
]. This ne wo k b ings oge he o ganic a me s wi h he aim o
suppo , os e , and es ablish alues o o ganic a ming as an al e na i e o he dominan
ag icul u al economies. One co e ac i i y o his ne wo k consis s o enabling in e es ed
indi iduals (WWOOFe s) o empo a ily collabo a e wi h o ganic a me s, while, a he
same ime, encou aging mu ual lea ning among a me s and WWOOFe s. Though being an
in e na ional ne wo k, a he na ional le el, WWOOF ope a es in he o m o associa ions,
in case o I aly as he non-p o i APS—Associazione di P omozione Sociale. By online
and o line e hnog aphic obse a ion o ac i i ies o he WWOOF ne wo k, we iden i ied
ou case s udy egion ha bes exempli ied he mul iple and in e wined ac i i ies con-
ibu ing o and spinning o om he ongoing p ocesses o collabo a i e a ming. As
such, he WWOOF ne wo k ac ed as he en y poin o he empi ical ield and enabled us
o con ex ualise alua ion p ocesses ha , on a mo e gene al le el, nego ia e and con es
es ablished, mos o en con en ional o ms o ag icul u al economies o which he ne wo k
s i es o o e a sus ainable al e na i e. In addi ion, he online obse a ion allowed us
o unde s and collabo a i e ag icul u al p ojec s ac oss I aly and o iden i y an ac i e
collabo a i e communi y based in he p o ince o Sale no. Th ough he pla o m, we
we e hen able o iden i y local key ac o s (e.g., a me s and ac o s o ganising u he
local ini ia i es) o pu suing he e hnog aphic ield phase. This app oach allowed us o
ocus on a pa icula social inno a ion con ex in which collabo a i e ag icul u al p ac ices
a e ega ded as po en ially bene icial o ma ginal o le -behind u al a eas by os e ing
al e na i e and collabo a i e wel a e economies [
56
]. The ocus on a pa icula egion, as
well as a speci ic ongoing inno a ion con ex , enabled us o be e shed ligh on he e ec s
and po en ial economic and socio-cul u al impac o alua ion p ocesses on his pa icula
I alian communi y.
3.2. Da a Collec ion and Da a Analysis
Fo in es iga ing ou esea ch ques ions, we implemen ed a combina ion o quali a i e
e hnog aphic esea ch me hods [
57
]. This comp ises, o ins ance, e hnog aphic in e iews
and pa icipa o y obse a ions, as well as ac i e in ol emen in collabo a i e ag icul u al
p ac ices. This me hodological app oach allowed us o econs uc he mul iple ways in
which alua ion p ac ices a e embedded in momen s and p ocesses o social inno a ion
and, he e o e, how alue is no jus disco e ed bu join ly c ea ed and ans o med h ough
he ecip ocal in e ac ion be ween objec s, places, and people [
46
]. This me hodological
app oach also allowed us o g asp ans-local spa ial dynamics o alua ion p ocesses. One
au ho became an ac i e membe o he I alian WWOOF associa ion be o e, du ing, and
a e he on-si e ieldwo k in Sou he n I aly: She engaged in online obse a ion a he
WWOOF pla o m, ollowed by pa icipa o y obse a ions in an annual na ional assem-
bly. This enabled us o closely obse e he ne wo k and i s discou ses and publica ion as
well as o iden i y a WWOOF a m ha bes exempli ied collabo a i e ag icul u e and a
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 8 o 22
deep in ol emen in local social inno a ion p ocesses. In addi ion, he same au ho also
became an ac i e WWOOFe by olun ee ing and li ing a a a m, deeply engaging wi h
he p ac ice o collabo a i e ag icul u e on si e. This enabled he o be e unde s and how
alua ion p ocesses a e in eg a ed in daily exchanges and discou ses, as well as o conduc
e hnog aphic in e iews while wo king on he a m. This da a collec ion ex ended o e
abou a yea o online obse a ions complemen ed by h ee phases o abou wo-week-long
onsi e ieldwo k: The i s phase consis ed o app oaching he case s udy by ge ing o know
he WWOOF na ional communi y and he local a m. The second phase was cha ac e ised
by ac i ely WWOOFing a he a m and pa icipa ion in communi y e en s. In he hi d
phase, addi ional da a we e collec ed a egional e en s o complemen he i s wo phases.
The obse a ions we e hen complemen ed by semi-s uc u ed in e iews wi h membe s o
he local communi y ( a me s and hei amilies, membe s o he social coope a i e Te a
di Resilienza, empo a y WWOOFe s), ep esen a i es o local ins i u ions (one mayo ),
o o ganisa ions (WWOOF, Re e Semi Ru ali, Ru al Hack), as well as long alks and o al
his o ies (e.g., one in e iew ook place du ing a long ca ip wi h ou membe s o he
communi y). The en semi-s uc u ed in e iews we e eco ded and ansc ibed e ba im,
while addi ional e hnog aphic in e iews and exchanges we e conduc ed by ac i e pa ici-
pa ion in local and na ional ini ia i es. These encoun e s we e documen ed by ex ensi e
ieldno es. Finally, a documen analysis helped o con ex ualise he communi y’s ac i i ies
ac oss websi es, publica ions (such as he Mani es o o he Ru al Social Inno a ion [
58
],
academic con ibu ions by he di ec o o Ru al Hack [
59
,
60
], WWOOF annual epo [
61
]),
and pos s on social media pla o ms.
Becoming a WWOOF membe was an impo an s a egy o accessing he esea ch
ield and in es iga ing he in e nal dynamics o he communi y. The membe ship was
a he passi e and did no include becoming a ully engaged inside . Ins ead, his s a egic
membe ship c ea ed a con ac zone be ween he ield o in es iga ion and he esea che .
This s a egy also encou aged conscious e lec ion on he esea che ’s ole in he ield
as well as he own eelings and expe iences [
62
]. Fo ins ance, h oughou he esea ch
p ocess, he esea che s had o disen angle hei own posi ions wi h hei espec i e possibly
con e gen , dissonan , o ques ionable alue sys ems wi h ega d o he eme ging alua ion
p ac ices in he ield. We ied o minimise he possible subjec i a ion o his pe sonal
in ol emen by collabo a i ely in e p e ing he case s udy’s indings [
63
]. While one au ho
was ac i ely engaged in he ieldwo k, he o he was mo e dis anced om he ield, which
enabled us o apply an inside and ou side pe spec i e on da ase s, hus assu ing a balance
be ween possible dilemmas gene a ed om he (cul u al and social) amilia isa ion [
64
]
wi h he esea ch subjec .
Da a we e collec ed by audio eco dings, a ield dia y, and audio no es be ween Ma ch
and Augus 2024. The audio eco dings we e ansc ibed e ba im h ough Sonix.ai. All
pa icipan s ga e consen o non-anonymised eco dings. The ansc ip s we e analysed
acco ding o quali a i e con en analysis [
65
], including wo induc i e coding phases. The
i s coding phase looked a he collabo a i e communi y which was add essed di e en ly
ac oss he in e iews, o example, as ‘ e i o ial ne wo k’, ‘communi y’, o o he local
(dialec ) exp essions o s eng hen he na u e o he ela ionship, such as ‘cumpa aggio’, a
e m ha indica es a s ong ela ion, like he one wi h a god a he . This coding phase also
ocused on iden i ying and unde s anding social inno a ion p ocesses by analysing, o
example, wha pa icipan s iewed as ‘new’ o ega ded as p ocesses o change and how
hese p ocesses we e achie ed. The second coding phase ocused on iden i ying ins ances
o alua ion and de ec ing alua ion sub-p ocesses ela able o ele an anecdo es, s o ies,
and e en expe ienced in he ieldwo k [44].
3.3. Case S udy Desc ip ion
The collabo a i e communi y in he p o ince o Sale no (I alian: P o incia di Sale no,
loca ed in he Campania egion) became isible h ough he WWOOF analysis as a e y
ac i e communi y wi h a ib an social en i onmen o ini ia i es add essing egional
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 15 o 22
communi y. The e-de ini ion o alue(s) pe ains o he modali ies by which he communi y
disen angles i s alue o socie y: conc e e ac ion in he o m o ci ic pa icipa ion in deba es
and p ocesses. He e, alua ion is de e minan o he consolida ion o i s alues [
44
].
Albei de e minan , he e-de ini ion o alues is no eques ed o he socie y bu a he
p ac iced by he communi y. Wo king wi h he communi y’s own capaci ies o gene a e
alue-making p ocesses is an essen ial p ac ice o ansmi and p omo e he acquisi ion o
hese alues by o he s.
In ou empi ical ma e ial, we obse ed, o ins ance, he implemen a ion o ‘new’
ag oecological p ac ices. The coope a i e’s s one mill ‘Mon e F umen a io’ symbolises no el
p ac ices o o ganising, a bo h local and egional le el, he collec ion o g ains o make
lou o he coope a i e’s membe s. Fo a egion cha ac e ised by highly agmen ed
land owne ship, land abandonmen , and demog aphic sh inking, his pooling o esou ces
comp ises a social inno a ion. The coope a i e in es s massi e wo k in disco e ing and
s udying he g ains ha a e wo h cul i a ing in imes o unaccoun able globalisa ion
p ocesses (ca con e sa ion wi h An onio, I an, Rosangela, and Valen ina) and clima e
change. Michele, I an, An onio, and o he s cul i a e wha hey call he ‘g ains o he u u e’
by no only sa egua ding old indigenous a ie ies bu s udying al e na i es o become
sel -su icien and p e en big losses due o clima e changes. They p omo e seed mix u es
o e olu iona y popula ions ha c ea e compensa ion mechanisms ha cope wi h he
s esses aced by he plan s while p ese ing biodi e si y. In his inno a ion con ex , he
‘Biblio eca del g ano’ has been de eloped o collec his a ie y in a li ing lib a y ha each
yea is sown and used as a esea ch and educa ional space. Simila e o in e-de ining
ag i- ood alues can be ound in he ne wo k ‘Slow G ains’ (pa o he In e na ional Slow
Food mo emen ), which ecognises he alue o wo king wi h local g ain a ie ies and
b ings oge he a me s and en ep eneu s om di e en geog aphical con ex s o sha e
knowledge and expe iences a ound hei p oduc ion me hods. Ano he example o new
p ac ices s emming om collabo a i e alua ion can be seen in he ‘Me ca i della Te a’
(Ea h’s ma ke s). He e, he local g oup o he Slow Food mo emen eaches ou o b oade
socie y and demons a es ha i is possible o p oduce and consume ood di e en ly.
Michele and Vincenzo o en mee o he p oduce s and clien s in his ma ke . Valuing he
unique p ice o his ood means ‘conside ing i as a good, no a commodi y ’ (in e iew Michele).
Food is associa ed wi h symbolic alue, and by engaging wi h p oduce s in he ma ke , local
and equen ly no well-known egional p oduc s can be ound a ai p ices. A he same
ime, handwo k, c a , and en i onmen al e ec s a e made isible, in luencing consume s’
decisions and e en ually hei alue sys ems. The e-de ini ion o alues can also be seen
in he example o hazelnu s. The hazelnu s’ ma ke in he Picen ini Moun ains a ea is
domina ed by global indus ial playe s who shape he p ice and de e mine he ma ke
exchange e ms wi h no conside a ion o he places, people in ol ed, o he en i onmen al
ex e nali ies o con en ional ag icul u al p oduc ion. The Ea h’s ma ke s unc ion as
ins umen s o e-de ine alues beyond ma ke p ices, emphasising he esponsibili ies o
a me s o he en i onmen .
The communi y’s wo k gene a es impac s in e ms o he socio-cul u al p ocesses
in he in ol ed owns by building educa ing communi ies. This can be obse ed on a
daily basis a Michele’s a m. He e, a collabo a i e a i ude is sha ed among he wo king
amily membe s and o he cowo ke s, who a e employed h ough a coope a ion wi h a
ecep ion cen e o people wi h immig a ion backg ounds. This collabo a ion aims o ain
hese young adul s while p o iding hem wi h inancial independence and, mo e gene ally,
li e oppo uni ies. Sha ing meals du ing wo king hou s wi h WWOOFe s, when hey a e
p esen , is a u he sign o a p ocess ha aims a social inclusion beyond me e economic
oppo uni ies. WWOOFing i sel plays a ole in he p omo ion o di e en social and
cul u al expe iences in he a m. The na ional and in e na ional olun ee s lea n, p o ide
help, and sha e hei passion o hei own na ional o egional ood cul u es. They also
sha e hei in e es s wi h he a me s who hemsel es app ecia e his o eign inpu and
sou ce o inspi a ion (in e iew Michele). This may in ol e con lic s o misunde s andings
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 16 o 22
(such as WWOOFe s’ expec a ions o a ming in ela ion o eal-li e engagemen in a ming),
bu each expe ience is la gely pe cei ed as aluable by bo h a me s and WWOOFe s.
Likewise, a I an’s a m in A ena Lucana, he summe camp o child en ‘Ciucci libe i’ (F ee
Donkeys) a emp s o p omo e inno a i e p ocesses a he socio-cul u al le el. A daily
p og am wi h wo kshops, games, and ad en u es le s younge gene a ions disco e na u e
and u al sus ainable adi ions. A a ie y o expe s, om a me s o esea che s, each
and expe ience he science and p ac ices behind wood wo ks, b ead making, wild plan s,
and o he opics wi h he kids. ‘A he end o he camp we b eak e en, no wi h any eal p o i , bu
o us he eal p o i is in c ea ing a be e en i onmen whe e ou child en can g ow up acco ding
o he p inciples and alues, we hold dea ’ (ca con e sa ion wi h An onio, I an, Rosangela,
and Valen ina).
Some in e iewees epo ed ha he i s e ec o hese p ocesses can be sensed in
a eeling o deep belonging o he place whe e one was bo n. This eeling was s ong
enough o keep a me s and o he ac o s in hese o en-neglec ed places. This obse a ion
exempli ies how alues a e consolida ed, a leas o hose locally in ol ed, mo i a ing hem
o u he in es in hese places by no only engaging wi h social inno a ions bu adap ing
inno a ions o locali ies and places h ough a p ocess o alua ion. Consolida ion a ises
om he esul o indi idual, amilial, o communal choices ha ha e been pe pe ua ed and
sedimen ed o e ime and ac oss di e en geog aphies, a he han om single momen s.
Al hough many o he communi y’s ac ions may be conside ed inno a i e o g ound-
b eaking in some espec s, none o he in e iewees claimed o ha e ‘in en ed’ any hing.
Ra he , hey said hey had buil new s o ies on he ounda ion o exis ing ones. The
communi y, o example, assumes he pos u e o he hacke as desc ibed by Gio dano
(2023): ‘hacke (
. . .
) is a gene a i e igu e, an “A isan” inno a o , who sha es an e hic o exchange
and con inuous imp o emen ha comes om collec i e wo k’ [
60
]. The inno a i e p ocess
ela ed o consolida ing alues e ol es a ound human ela ions a he han ideas, p ojec s,
objec i es, o business plans. This is demons a ed by he communi y o en ‘Il o no di
Vincenzo’ opened in la e 2023 a e ecei ing yea s o suppo om he communi y. The
social communi y o en is a p ime example o how o en- o go en membe s o socie y
can h i e hanks o he commi men o a communi y ha alues human ela ions o e
p o i , mass app o al, and indi idualism. He e, Vincenzo lea ned how o make b ead
wi h Michele and Ca melo, he owne s o a es au an in his home own. This expe ience
was c ucial o his pe sonal g ow h as a young adul wi h a synd ome ha o en leads o
cons an dependence on o he s. The e o o e-de ining alues h ough conc e e p ojec s
enabled Vincenzo o ake con ol o his u u e in a meaning ul way by being pa o a
collec i e s o y ha is capable o e-de ining alue, b inging a own oge he , and building
a place o common iden i y.
Re-de ining alues and ans e ing alues o a b oade socie y comp ise c ucial p o-
cesses o mobilising he accep ance o no el ideas and p ac ices. These alua ion p ocesses
pu pose ully engage wi h ac o s beyond immedia e bounda ies o he communi y. He e,
he o en small, localised, and empo a y ac i i ies ake on he shape o mo e es ablished so-
cial inno a ion and de elop owa ds s uc u ed mo emen s, associa ions, ins i u ionalised
pa ne ships, and educa ional and social p ojec s wi h highe public ele ance ha a e
embedded in b oade global public issues, communi y building, and de elopmen beyond
he ou each o he ci cumsc ibed collabo a i e communi y. Abo e examples demons a e
how collec i e alua ion akes place in he p ocesses o p ac icing al e na i e pa hways o
ag icul u al ood p oduc ion and consump ion. Though spa ked wi h eoccu ing momen s
o alua ion (such as he Ea h’s ma ke s), alua ion needs o be ega ded as a con inuous
ongoing p ocess ha e en ually leads o impac in he o m o changing ways o doing.
Only h ough he p ocess o pa icipa ing in no el p ac ices will inno a i e ideas and
ini ia i es become ins i u ionalised o e ime.
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 17 o 22
5. Discussion and Conclusions
This pape aimed o unde s and collabo a i e momen s and p ocesses o alua ion
embedded in social inno a ion p ocesses o ag icul u al ood p oduc ion and consump ion.
We a gue ha hese alua ion p ocesses al eady ha e some impac on u al de elopmen
ha can be o e looked when ocusing on he e ec s and ou comes o social inno a ion
a e i has been in oduced in o a ield o applica ion. The alua ion pe spec i e enabled
us o be e unde s and how collabo a i e alua ion p ocesses un old impac by discussing,
nego ia ing, making sense o , in e p e ing, and e en ually applying no el y (Table 1).
Table 1. Mic o-impac s, momen s, and p ocesses o alua ion wi hin he alua ion phases (sou ce:
own).
Valua ion Phases Ag o-Economic
Sys em
Socio-Cul u al
P ocesses Place Making
Valua ion Momen and
P ocesses
Con es a ions and
nego ia ions o no ms
•dispu ing and
c i ical engaging
wi h con en ional
ag a ian economic
models
•con es ing policy
discou ses
• e- aming u al
li es yle
•c i ical e lec ion,
bu embedded in
he economy
•asc ibing new
alue o
al e na i e o ms
o e enues
Symbolic capi al
accumula ion and
ecogni ion o ac ions
•c ea ing o a new
na a i e
•s a egic
ne wo king
•es ablishing new
habi s and
ou ines
•s aged momen s
(e.g., TEDx)
•new isual and
c ea i e o ms
(g aphic a icle,
ap on)
•spin-ou s o
unded p ojec s
wi h added
cul u al alue
Re-de ini ion o
alue(s) and hei
consolida ion in
socie y
•implemen ing
new/al e na i e
ag o-ecological
p ac ices
•building
educa ing
communi ies
•
c ea ing a sense o
belonging by
os e ing no el
human
ela ionships
•emphasis on
p ocess a he
han momen s
•adap ing
inno a ions o
locali ies and
places
Ou me hodological app oach allowed us o deeply engage wi h a u al collabo a-
i e communi y. We we e able o be e unde s and and econs uc he ac o s’ oo s,
mo i a ions, and mind-se s behind hei collabo a i e wo k. One i s key inding unde -
sco es how dis ancing om he con en ional modes o ag icul u al p oduc ion p o ides an
impo an basis o collec i ely discussing, con es ing, nego ia ing, and sea ching o al e -
na i e solu ions o his dominan ag a ian economic sys em. This ac i e and collabo a i e
con on a ion wi h he dominan economic sys em leads o a join sea ch o al e na i e
app oaches o ag a ian p ac ices ha ake in o accoun he sha ed alues o ien a ed owa ds
o ganic, collabo a i e, and ecologically sus ainable a ming.
Conside ing his b oade alua ion con ex , we iden i ied h ee alua ion phases ha
a e embedded in social inno a ion p ocesses. In he phase o con es ing and nego ia ing no ms,
we iden i ied momen s and p ocesses o join hinking, sense making, and c i ical e lec ion.
These allowed o c ea ing sha ed ideologies and p inciples ha lay he ounda ion o
decision-making o o de eloping u u e p ojec s. This phase is cha ac e ised by an open
app oach o ac o s owa ds building a sha ed no ion o a social inno a ion’s oo s and
ounda ions. In momen s and p ocesses o exchange, communica ion, and join ac i i ies,
a join posi ioning is se in a ou o o agains exis ing (pe cei ed) no ms and alue
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 18 o 22
sys ems. A he same ime, posi ioning de ines whe e o s and in he exis ing sys em by
being open o new, e ol ing phases a he han cons uc ing a igid (al e na i e) sys em.
Depa ing om such a sha ed alue ounda ion, we u he iden i ied a alua ion phase
ha leads o ecognising join ac i i ies and accumula ing symbolic capi al. This phase consis s
p ima ily o consciously se -up momen s ha depic he au hen ic p ac icing o sha ing
alues, o example, by p esen ing a key e en s, o by inding new isual o ms o pilo ing
ideas as well as es ing and demons a ing how o implemen al e na i e app oaches o
u al de elopmen . Symbolic capi al is accumula ed h ough ( i ualised) e en s, isible
daily ac i i ies as en ep eneu s, o p esence a local ma ke s. By being p esen in he
communi y and by making alues anspa en o o he s, membe s o he communi y
end no o con empla e a clea logic o plan bu y o make he bes ou o di e en ,
spon aneous o ms o encoun e s and collabo a ions. These ac i i ies s eng hen and
enla ge he communi y, as well as add ess in e es ed membe s o he egional popula ion.
The hi d alua ion phase hen in ol es he ac o s in he consolida ion o hei inno a i e
app oaches by e-de ining alues a he socie al le el. Sha ing, di using, and adap ing
pe spec i es and alue pe cep ions hus helps o change es ablished p ac ices (e.g., in
p oduc ion and consump ion o ag icul u al goods) and adjus and adap communi y
alues o in eg a e hem in o socie y. The dimension o he consolida ion o alue h ough
o ganisa ional, ins i u ional, social, o geog aphical di usion does no ocus much on
eplicabili y, o en o eseen in inno a ion p ocesses, bu on p ac ices o adap abili y o
alued objec s, in en ions, and ideas o each con ex , each communi y, and each place.
The p ocess pe spec i e sugges ed in his pape helped us o be e iden i y and
unde s and he impac o alua ion p ocesses on ongoing dynamics o u al de elopmen .
Mos p ominen ly, we obse ed an impac on he exis ing ag o-economic sys em, on socio-
cul u al de elopmen , and on place-making dynamics. He e, he impac o alua ion in ongoing
social inno a ion p ocesses s esses wo poin s: Fi s , p ocesses o change and adjus men
can be obse ed al eady in ongoing inno a i e ini ia i es. Tha means egional impac
un olds al eady way be o e he implemen a ion and di usion o a socially inno a i e
p ojec o ini ia i e. Second, ou esul s indica e, hough depa ing om an economic
con ex —namely ag icul u al ood p oduc ion and consump ion— ha u al de elopmen
can be a ec ed way beyond he immedia e economic ealms. Ins ead, p ecisely because
o he in e ac i e, ela ional, and hus collabo a i e na u e o alua ion p ocesses, u al
de elopmen clea ly includes socio-cul u al dimensions and p ac ices o place-making.
The impac o social inno a ion p ocesses does no only un old in he o m o ou -
pu s o he inno a ion i sel bu on he alue c ea ed, de-cons uc ed, and e-cons uc ed
h oughou he di e en phases. C i ically analysing he dominan ag icul u al sys em, o
example, does no lead o he de elopmen o al e na i es ha a e de ached om i . Ra he ,
he ac i e and ongoing con on a ion wi h con en ional ag icul u e leads o he c ea ion
o solu ions ha a e embedded in he exis ing sys em and a he same ime a emp o
change i , o example, by making he a ionali ies behind one’s own ac ions and decisions
isible. This in ol es adjus men s in socio-cul u al p ac ices, oo, by empowe ing he ole
o indi iduals and communi ies in b oade socie y. This o m o impac can be obse ed
in he collec i e wo k o symbolic capi al accumula ion in discussion ables, ad ocacy
ac ions, and indi iduals being e e ed o as a con ac poin o inspi a ion o a a ge ed
opic. The imp o emen o socio-cul u al condi ions is also isible in he oppo uni ies
eme ging in hese u al owns o di e en gene a ions and a ge g oups ( he possibili y o
aspi e o al e na i e and be e educa ional ac i i ies, c a ing o new job oppo uni ies,
os e ing inclusi i y, and s eng hening social ies in an o en- agmen ed u al socie y).
Fu he impac o alua ion p ocesses ela es o how places a e used, u ilised, cons uc ed,
and associa ed wi h meaning. We saw examples o how i uals, e en s, in e ac ion, and
collabo a i e p ac ise e ol e and a e o ganised a ound key landma ks o symbols (such
as o ens and mills). Again, hese changes a e gene a ed in he p ocesses o alua ion ha
a e insc ibed in social inno a ion p ocesses and cause e ec s, e en impac , du ing he
p ocesses hemsel es.
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 19 o 22
Concep ually, we depa ed om momen s and p ocesses o alua ion. Agains his
backd op, we unde s and momen s as si ua ions ha a e spa ially and empo a ily loca able.
We do ind qui e nume ous e en s ac oss he h ee alua ion phases unco e ed by ou
esea ch. Some momen s e en became ou inised as egula ly eoccu ing e en s poin ing
owa ds es ablishing i uals whe e in e ac ions (such as in he annual open o en e en s)
con ibu e o building up cul u al capi al ha also c ea es a sense o belonging o a pa icula
communi y and place [71].
E en hough some o he li e a u e s esses he impo ance o alua ion momen s in
inno a i e and c ea i e p ocesses [
15
,
16
,
46
,
72
–
74
], ou empi ical in es iga ion sugges s
a a he p ocedu al pe spec i e. This is ampli ied pa icula ly in he alua ion phase o
‘symbolic capi al accumula ion and ecogni ion o ac ions’. He e, despi e s aged momen s
o alua ion (e.g., TedX alk, documen a y p emie e), collec i e alua ion is gene a ed
ac oss a complex web o alua ion p ocesses. This, on he one hand, con i ms Waible
e al.’s [
17
] claim o be sensible o alua ion momen s ac oss social ields, bu , on he o he
hand, also s esses o ake in o accoun he nume ous mic o-impac s ha o igina e om
collec i e alua ion. These can only be econs uc ed by deeply engaging wi h he p ac ice
ields unde in es iga ion. The e o e, we applied esea ch me hods able o highligh
o en hidden bu c ucial aspec s behind he in en ions, applica ions, and de elopmen
o social inno a ions by looking a di e en momen s and p ocesses o alua ion and by
ques ioning how hese momen s a ec elemen s o he la ge sys em h ough join lea ning
and sense-making, collabo a ion, and u u e-making. Though he long- e m e ec s a e ye
unce ain, la ge and smalle spa ks o change a e di used beyond he local communi y,
no leas because o i s embeddedness in di e en local and ans-local ne wo ks and i s
openness o di e en social and economic cons ella ions. F om ou pe spec i e, alua ion
p ocesses achie e ‘small wins’ [
29
] ha migh play a ole in he economic, socio-cul u al,
and spa ial de elopmen o u al egions. The in es iga ed communi y is ully in eg a ed
in b oade social inno a ion dynamics ela ed o socio-spa ial and cul u al p ocesses ha
ha e in ol ed u al and pe iphe al a eas in ecen yea s, such as ha o collabo a i e
and mul i-local wo k [
55
,
67
]. Mos o he ac i i ies we obse ed could be ela ed o ca e
economy p ac ices oo and be seen o highligh he collabo a i e and uni ying na u e o
social inno a ion p ocesses ha include a holis ic ision owa ds economic, en i onmen al,
and social sus ainabili y. Howe e , belonging o such global phenomena ela ed o he ci ic
sphe e does no aliena e he communi y om i s capaci y o be localised and oo ed in a
place-based, au hen ic s o y.
Au ho Con ibu ions: Concep ualiza ion, F.A. and S.S.; me hodology, F.A.; so wa e, F.A. and S.S.;
alida ion, F.A. and S.S.; o mal analysis, F.A.; in es iga ion, F.A.; esou ces, F.A.; da a cu a ion,
F.A.; w i ing—o iginal d a p epa a ion, F.A. and S.S.; w i ing— e iew and edi ing, F.A. and S.S.;
isualiza ion, F.A. and S.S.; supe ision, S.S.; p ojec adminis a ion, F.A. and S.S.; unding acquisi ion,
S.S. All au ho s ha e ead and ag eed o he published e sion o he manusc ip .
Funding: This p ojec has ecei ed unding om he Eu opean Union’s Ho izon 2020 esea ch and
inno a ion p og amme unde he Ma ie Skłodowska-Cu ie g an ag eemen No. 955907. The APC
was unded by he same g an .
Ins i u ional Re iew Boa d S a emen : The s udy was app o ed by he E hics Commi ee o he
Humbold Uni e si ä zu Be lin on 6 Oc obe 2022.
In o med Consen S a emen : In o med consen was ob ained om all subjec s in ol ed in he s udy.
Da a A ailabili y S a emen : Da a is una ailable on open access da ase s due o p i acy o e hical
es ic ions.
Acknowledgmen s: We a e g a e ul o ou colleagues a he Leibniz IRS, who p o ided us wi h
sugges ions h oughou he ealisa ion o his pape . We would also like o hank he pa icipan s
o he session “Communi y-based esea ch. Ou comes and impac in ansi ioning u al egions”
a he 3 d Eu opean Ru al Geog aphies Con e ence in G oningen, as well as Co al ITN eam o
he cons uc i e eedback on an in e im e sion o he pape . Las bu no leas , we would like o
Socie ies 2024,14, 76 20 o 22
acknowledge he ime and commi men o all he pa icipan s in ou empi ical case s udy in I aly, no
only o hei openness o collabo a e wi h us, bu abo e all o hei impo an in ol emen in he
u al communi ies in which hey wo k.
Con lic s o In e es : The au ho s decla e no con lic o in e es .
No es
1
h ps://www.solida ische-landwi scha .o g/das-konzep / ision-und-g undp inzipien --> basic p inciples o solida y ag icul-
u e las accessed 26 Ma ch 2024.
2TEDx alk: h ps://www.you ube.com/wa ch? =WjmHo p3i4g, las accessed 26 Ma ch 2024.
3Documen a y: h ps://www.la e ami ienedocumen a io.com/eng/ ilm, las accessed 26 Ma ch 2024.
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