From Network Science to Social Impact: Rethinking Smart Cities and the Role of the Italian Third Sector
Daniel Iannaci (PhD, Director of Planning and Control – Strategy, Impact, and Governance) explores in an article published in the European Journal of Social Impact and Circular Economy how smart cities can be reimagined beyond a purely technological and infrastructural perspective, integrating social, civic, and territorial dimensions in a structural way.
The article draws on the Chinese model of the “Eight Urban Networks” (CEEC – China Eight Ecosystem Cities), which is based on a systemic and interdependent approach to urban infrastructure (health, education, culture, ecology, digital, mobility, safety, and sports), and examines its potential adaptability to the Italian and European context.
At the heart of the analysis is the role of the Third Sector, particularly type-B social cooperatives, seen not only as service providers but as true infrastructural nodes within urban ecosystems: actors capable of connecting social needs, resources, stakeholders, and local communities.
In this context, Torino Social Impact is presented as a case study and an example of a territorial platform able to enable multi-stakeholder collaboration, social innovation, and impact-oriented governance. The article highlights how ecosystems like this can serve as cross-cutting connectors, fostering network integration, interoperability, shared impact assessment standards, and strategic planning.
The work also emphasizes both the existing strengths of the Italian context—strong nonprofit presence, territorial roots, social and civic competencies—and structural challenges, such as policy fragmentation, lack of shared digital infrastructure, and the absence of a unified impact assessment framework.
Overall, the article provides a useful perspective for policymakers, researchers, Third Sector managers, and local actors interested in building cities that are not only smart but also inclusive, sustainable, and socially valuable.
