Heritage crowdsourcing. Processi di qualità nella ricerca partecipata per il patrimonio archeologico italiano

Sanna Montanelli Mattia

Primo

2024-01-01

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Abstract

Taking into account the opportunities and constraints within which the archaeological sector operates in the specific European and Italian regulatory context, this volume addresses the use of strategies and methods of citizen science to encourage citizen involvement in the construction of scientific knowledge in archaeology. The volume particularly examines the method of crowdsourcing (from the English words "crowd" and "outsourcing"), which, when understood as a cooperative practice of knowledge-building, proves to be an effective tool not only in terms of supporting professional research but also in disseminating the cognitive components of the scientific method. This helps foster easier and more protected democratic access to the historical-archaeological discourse, especially at a time when information is under attack in public debate. Its successful application, certified on a global scale by general digital platforms such as Wikipedia, has been known for several years in the archaeological field, starting with the MicroPasts project. Unlike other publications on the topic, the approach followed in this work is inspired by theories developed within the field of quality management systems used in complex organizations. Appropriately adapted to the objectives of research, education, and protection, these theories allow for the development of a method useful in archaeology as well. It extends total quality management principles (such as those related to risk management, quality assessment, and quality assurance), already in use in professional settings, to organizations and citizens who directly or indirectly influence the production of knowledge in this sector. To achieve this, the methodology used in the study integrates the analysis of the main models of participation management used in archaeology, with the review of over two hundred multidisciplinary scientific titles focused on studies of citizen science, knowledge management, and legal theory, along with a robust body of regulations, policies, and standards. The result is a sort of handbook, useful not only to archaeologists engaged in research, conservation, and freelance work, but also to policymakers, educators, and cultural operators who wish to explore the different dimensions through which participatory knowledge-building in archaeology unfolds. Without any claim to exhaustiveness, the volume offers a small contribution to the ongoing debate in Italy on the relevance that public archaeology can have in contemporary societies, particularly regarding the construction of more mature and responsible social cohesion through heritage.