Social innovation ecosystems, sustainability, and democratic experimentation: a study in Florianopolis, Brazil

Abstract Cities have been conceived as one of the main loci for promoting changes in development patterns, and building solutions that can address the complexity of contemporary public problems. In this context, the study of social innovation ecosystems (SIE) and their effects on cities is a relevant theme, considering the socio-environmental crisis diversity and extent of the urban problems experienced. The research seeks to understand to what extent the SIE responds to problems experienced in the public arenas of the city. It proposes a pragmatist-inspired theoretical-methodological approach to cartography and analysis of SIE that is being applied in the city of Florianópolis. Through the co-construction of a collaborative digital platform, the research observes actors, their interactions and practices, to understand “whether” and “how” this network favors “public inquiry” or democratic experimentation and/or promotes more sustainable development dynamics in the city.