The B-Youth Forum Research Lab: Youth Emancipation Through Research. First Reflections On Research Approaches And Methodologies

This study intends to explore the initial phases of a research project focusing on youth participation and public spaces in Milan within the framework of MUSA (Multi-layered Urban Sustainability Action), and more specifically in the context of the B-YOUth forum, a research laboratory dedicated to young people inside the University of Milano-Bicocca. In line with theories of youth geographies and public pedagogy, urban spaces – and particularly public squares – are examined as hubs of democratic participation and continuous learning, as sites where young people’s actions and narratives serve as political acts, contributing to democratic citizenship. The research – conducted as part of the B-YOUth Forum activities – has been implemented on youth engagement with the public squares in the Bicocca district. This research adopts a participatory, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational approach to explore how young people engage with urban transformations. Using qualitative methods such as observation, interviews, and audio recordings, enriched by artistic languages, the research allowed for authentic youth participation.