My PhD focused on the study of public participation in Italian community archaeology. Making use of qualitative and ethnographic methods, I investigated the participatory dynamics promoted by three Roman excavation projects. Stakeholders interacted with each project in different way: a local archaeological society was involved in the management; citizen scientists enjoyed the excavation environment; a resident community supported the archaeological research with in kind services
Some projects turned out to provide breeding ground for specific participatory dynamics, having an influence on the present and the future of the stakeholders and the surrounding territory. Although case studies present differences and similarities, the overall analysis suggests that models like participatory governance may work for the future developments of community archaeology projects.