The Department of Social Sciences of the Federico II University of Naples promotes knowledge and skills for understanding the phenomena of contemporary societies through three-year and master’s degree courses and is also a meeting place and synthesis of the interests of Universities, Institutions and the Territory. The Department carries out didactic and scientific research in the fields of sociology, communication, education, cultural and social change, expressive languages, youth creativity, digital media, innovation processes and work. A central and transversal theme, both on education as well as scientific research, is the digital transformation involving all social, cultural, technological and economic sectors.

Over the course of time, the Department has built up a complex of solid relations with national and local policy makers and with different categories of stakeholders: since 2003, it has been collaborating with the Municipality, the Metropolitan City of Naples (formerly the Province) and the Campania Region through the OTG – Territorial Youth Observatory (www.giovani.unina.it), under the scientific coordination of Prof. Raffaele Savonardo. It is a permanent observatory on the condition of young people, with the aim of monitoring and investigating the discomforts, deviations, needs, values and different modes of expression and socialisation of young people, and to provide the necessary tools to interpret the problems. of the territory, in order to identify interventions and services in favour of the world of youth. The Observatory’s investigations focus on the various dimensions affecting the youth universe, from work to discomfort, from deviant values and behaviour to education, with particular reference to cultural consumption, also conducting research-action, animation, training. and communication activities.

The Department also has the mission of disseminating scientific culture and supporting the dissemination of the results of academic research. To this end, it has implemented the technological infrastructure, develops professional skills and provides the necessary services for the operation of the university web radio Lab F2 www.radiof2.unina.it, an information, communication and orientation platform aimed at the university community, consisting of students, lecturers and practitioners, and other communities involved in training and cultural production. The radio station annually trains speakers, sound engineers and editors from among the students of the university. In 2014, in collaboration with the City of Naples and the Osservatorio Territoriale Giovanile (Youth Observatory), the radio station launched a radio programme dedicated to the activities of the Department of Youth, Creativity and Innovation of the City of Naples, entitled Bit Generation, which periodically promotes interviews and in-depth analysis on the city’s issues with reference to the universe of youth.

Finally, the Department is committed to supporting the enhancement of historical, artistic and cultural heritage, youth creativity, innovation processes, the culture of entrepreneurship and the competitiveness of the local production system. In this regard, among other numerous activities, 2014 saw the launch of the Contamination Lab Naples www.clabnapoli.it, a nationwide pilot project financed by the MIUR (Ministry of Education, University and Research) and the MISE (Ministry of Economic Development) as part of the Startup – Line 4 call, a training and educational contamination course, aimed at young people under 35 in Campania from different disciplinary and professional backgrounds, aimed at promoting new models of collaborative learning and the development of young entrepreneurial start-ups.