Fragilities: participation as resilience

The commentary proposes an analysis of a case study conducted on a self-managed shelter for homeless migrants based in Italy. The shelter was created in 2015 by a group of young activists within an abandoned barrack located in the city centre of Bologna. The shelter was run by the activists in collaboration with the homeless migrants, who were invited to take active part in the shelter’s management. The chapter analyses this experience through the concept of “resilience”, seeking to disentangle the complex relationship between fragility and participation. In so doing, the analysis reflects on how participation can develop as a form of resilience to fragility and discusses the characteristics distinguishing a participation originating from vulnerability. Analysing practices of participation of fragile people and communities through the lenses of resilience sheds light on the combination of dynamics of adjustment and of change in their forms of engagement. In this perspective, the role of the context emerges as crucial in shaping young people’s possibilities to react with resilience to adversity. On the basis of this analysis the chapter draws a comparison with the case studies conducted on the refugees and homeless youth in Manchester (chapters 8 and 9) and reflects on issues of legitimacy and recognition across different contexts when engaging with those living at the margins of society.