Public communication and the role of social media in enhancing democratic innovation : the case of the city of Bologna

Social media represents for public administration an important area to experiment forms of democratic innovation, however this potentiality is often unexplored. This article, with a focus on the case of the city of Bologna aims to explore 1) whether and how public communication practices enhanced in local participatory processes can support a substantial form of participation; 2) which roles social media specifically play in enhancing a participatory environment; 3) which kind of dynamics of interaction emerge between public administration and citizens and the challenges which need to be addressed by a public communication oriented to the public engagement. [Publisher's text].