Abstract

In the article, innovative mechanisms of civic engagement and new activities of political institutional structures are revealed. The example of innovative model of civic engagement is given. This model based on analysis of activities of Italian mass protest movement. The Five Star Movement in Italy is represented as an effective institutional structure with growing number of members and new innovative approaches to civic engagement mechanisms. It is stated that new practices and mechanisms of civic engagement are connected with E-democracy, direct democracy, social networks and social dialog virtual platforms. The article follows discussion with a focus on using IT for enhancing civic engagement. This paper presents studies from Italian mass protest movement activities, which exhibit different approaches to the problem of enhancing civic engagement practices, building infrastructures for e-democracy. The projects represent the most ambitious civic engagement projects in Italy yet.