Vol. 16 No. 32 (2025): Communities and possible worlds. Community experiences and practices of resistance in neoliberal rationality
Articles

Community Experiences and Practices of Resistance in Neoliberal Rationality

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  • Emiliana Mangone,
  • Michele Sorice
Emiliana Mangone
Department of Political and Communication Sciences, University of Salerno, Italy
Michele Sorice
Dipartimento di Comunicazione e Ricerca Sociale, Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/smp-16209

Published 2025-12-30

Keywords

  • Communication,
  • Community,
  • Inclusion,
  • Neoliberalism,
  • Practices of resistance

How to Cite

Mangone, E., & Sorice, M. (2025). Community Experiences and Practices of Resistance in Neoliberal Rationality. SocietàMutamentoPolitica, 16(32), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.36253/smp-16209

Copyright (c) 2025 Emiliana Mangone, Michele Sorice

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

This article critically examines communities as sites of resistance to neoliberal rationality. It analyses their transformative potential in reconfiguring social relations within contemporary democratic crises. The study conceptualises communities of resistance as collective entities engaged in defending and strengthening social structures against systemic threats, while advocating for the reduction of inequalities and the protection of common resources. Using interdisciplinary perspectives from critical sociology and media studies, the analysis transcends the reductionist view of neoliberalism as a mere economic paradigm and reconceptualises it as a comprehensive rationality that fundamentally alters both social organisation and subjective formation. Tracing the evolution from traditional community formations to communities of practice and finally to communities of resistance, the article examines how digital ecosystems have reconfigured participation through the logic of connective action. The study examines vulnerability as a potentially transformative resource, particularly in liminal urban spaces where resistance is manifested through participatory processes, resource redistribution systems and mutual aid networks. The conclusion emphasises the importance of social scientists adopting critical methodological approaches to contribute to the promotion of a more inclusive and supportive society.

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