SETS aims at reflecting with critical instruments and theories on socio-ecological transformations in times of crisis – with a special focus on everyday life and the sphere of social and ecological reproduction. In particular, the seminars aim at eliciting reflection on the different practices and “fields” where struggles and transformative action take place. The seminars…
Autore: Francesca Forno
I am an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Trento, where I teach general sociology and sociology of consumption within the Department of Sociology and Social Research and the Centre for Agriculture, Food and Environment (C3A). I hold a PhD from the University of Strathclyde and earned my Sociology degree with honours from the University of Urbino. My teaching experience spans several Italian universities, including Bergamo, Urbino, and Palermo, and I regularly lead master’s courses at various institutions.
My research centres on civic participation, sustainable consumption, alternative economies, and food governance. I have published extensively on political consumerism, bottom-up innovation, and collaborative action in leading international journals such as the Journal of Consumer Culture, Food Policy, and European Societies. I have coordinated and contributed to numerous international projects on food democracy, sustainability transitions, and collective action, often employing participatory and transdisciplinary methodologies.
I co-founded the CoACT (Collective Action, Change, and Transition) research unit and formerly co-directed the CORES LAB at the University of Bergamo. Committed to public engagement, I collaborate closely with local governments, civil society, and community initiatives to foster eco-social innovation and strengthen democratic practices. My outreach includes collaborative urban sustainability projects, living labs on food policy, and the blog Socio(eco)logico, where I share research insights and reflections.
I have also held research and visiting professor roles at the University of Strathclyde (UK), Utrecht University (Netherlands), Columbia University (USA), and the Federal University of Santa Catarina (Brazil).
Politiche per la casa e disuguaglianze abitative
Giovedì 16 Novembre 2023 | Ore 14:00 -16:00 Aula 19 BM – Dipartimento di Sociologia e Ricerca Sociale SpeakerSonia Paone – Università di PisaModera: Francesca Forno – Università di Trento Sonia Paone è professoressa associata in Sociologia dell’Ambiente e del Territorio presso il Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche dell’Università di Pisa. Il seminario rientra nel ciclo di incontri O.C.I.S….
MAKING FOOD DEMOCRACY. Investigating and experimenting with how food policies work.
Start date: 30.11.2023 | End date: 29.11.25 Consult the website of the project HERE Research units: The need to develop sustainable forms of food production, distribution and consumption is at the core of the ecological transition. Over recent years, the international community has gradually acknowledged that the way food systems are evolving needs to be…
NUEcity: Mapping and Critically Assessing New Urban Economies in Three Metropolitan Areas
Start date: 15.10.2023 | End date: 14.10.25 Research units: NUECity envisions a novel ‘conceptual grammar’ to capture the complex processes of the rescaling of territorial organizations under a capitalistic economic system which has been put under considerable pressure (e.g. 2007-2008 financial crisis, the 2020 Pandemic), by boosting a multiscalar framework of relationships and a diversifying…
SURFIT: Scaling Urban Regenerative Food Systems In Transition
Start date: 1.2.2024 | End date: 31.1.27 Research consortium: One of the key challenges for sustainable urban food systems is to shorten the food supply chain by connecting food producers directly to consumers locally, or regionally. Sustainable food networks (SFNs) try to achieve this ambition, but struggle with scaling their often isolated and marginal position….
Lifestyles and consumption practices a.y. 2023-2024
Lifestyles and consumption practices Master course in Sociology and social research – University of Trento Prof. Francesca Forno For student reception hours see [HERE] Contents The course discusses the main social, cultural and economic changes in contemporary societies by analysing consumption patterns and practices transformations. Lectures are divided into three parts a) an introductory part in…
Istituzioni di sociologia a.a. 2023-2024
Istituzioni di sociologia Corso di laurea in Sociologia – Univrsità di Trento Prof. Francesca Forno, Mattia Andreola, Michela Giovannini Per il ricevimento studenti si veda [QUI] L’obiettivo del corso è quello di offrire uno sguardo complessivo dei principali temi attorno ai quali si è sviluppata la ricerca sociologica, concentrandosi in particolare sulle tendenze e i…
GenerAzioni Sostenibili
A TAVOLA CON LA SOSTENIBILITA’ Una bellissima collaborazione tra l’Associazione ADA e il nostro gruppo di ricerca! Un percorso di conoscenza sui cambiamenti che interessano la nostra società e sugli stili alimentari e i consumi sostenibili per la salute umana e dell’ambiente. Un dialogo tra generazioni che si è svolto all’interno di due istituti alberghieri,…
CoAct Methods School
Introduzione ai metodi di ricerca dell’azione collettiva L’analisi dell’azione collettiva, nella maggior parte dei casi, non dispone di un dato secondario già disponibile , come il micro dato tipico delle indagini statistiche. L’unità di analisi è l’attore collettivo o l’individuo come membro di un gruppo, le cui azioni rispondono a logiche collettive più che individuali,…
Socio-Ecological Transitions Seminar (SETS) A.Y. 2022-2023
SETS aims at reflecting with critical instruments and theories on socio-ecological transformations in times of crisis – with a special focus on everyday life and the sphere of social and ecological reproduction. In particular, the seminars aim at eliciting reflection on the different practices and “fields” where struggles and transformative action take place. The seminars…
Saperi in Transizione – Edizione Trentina
Il Master di I livello “Saperi in Transizione. Strumenti e pratiche per una cittadinanza ecologica e globale“ è promosso dalle Università di Trento, Verona e Parma e dal Laboratorio TiLT|Territori in Libera Transizione. Saperi in Transizione rappresenta la proposta più avanzata in Italia – e tra le prime in Europa – di Master rivolto a chi è attivo…
FOOdIVERSE: Diversifying sustainable and organic food systems
Project period [read the UniTrentoMAG news] Five European Universities located in five different countries contribute to the project FOOdIVERSE (see the EU Teams): Food consumption significantly influences resource use and the environmental effects of food production and distribution. Currently, a rather homogenous group of well-educated and affluent consumers is strongly interested in organic food. The mainstream…
Academic Research Blog 