Sita And The Great Absence: Adolescents, Decision-making and Participation in Public Space

The interest in the participation of adolescents in public space has experienced a substantial increase in recent years, as society progressively acknowledges the value of including the perspectives of young individuals in decisions that impact their everyday lives (Checkoway, 2011). This phenomenon reflects current social trends and acknowledges the significant impact that young people can have on shaping society. The involvement of adolescents in public spaces is essential for nurturing a sense of engaged and accountable citizenship (Biffi, Pippa & Montà, 2023). Engaging in decision-making at an early stage can foster a community of informed individuals who recognize the value of what they think in shaping a diverse and welcoming society. The study included 559 adolescents, consisting of 66.5% males and 30.9% females, who were secondary school students in an urban area of Northern Italy. The average age of the participants was 16 years, with a standard deviation of 1.52 and a range of 14-19 years. 25% of students attend a linguistic high school, 27% attend a scientific high school, and the remaining 48% attend an industrial technical institute. The research design employed a mixed quantitative-qualitative matrix to gather information on the participation processes of minors. They were asked to recall a specific instance from their direct experience in which they felt they had participated in a decision that impacted them. The qualitative data were subjected to content analysis, as outlined by Krippendorff (2018), and lexical specificity analysis, as proposed by Brie and Hopp (2011). The study was carried out in compliance with the ethical guidelines for psychological research (AIP, 2022). The research was conceived within the MUSA – Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action – ecosystem, funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU, under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) Mission 4, Component 2, Investment Line 1.5: Strenghtening of research structures and creation of R&D “innovation ecosystems”, set up of “territorial leaders in R&D”. The analyses reveal that participation in decision-making processes is primarily limited to the private sphere, encompassing choices related to education, leisure activities, and food. Conversely, participation in the public sphere is only observed in a few instances. Within this context, the examination of linguistic features reveals a distinction in participation based on the age of boys and girls. Ultimately, the participation of young individuals in the arena of decision-making is an essential factor in generating resilient and all-encompassing communities. Fostering a culture that acknowledges and values the contribution of young individuals is a strategic investment in the future, as it contributes to the development of proactive, knowledgeable, and committed members of society.