9I制作厂免费

To begin, how would you describe yourself as a scholar? What themes and values guide your work and research?

I describe myself more as a practitioner than a scholar. I spend the most of my time designing and implementing processes aimed at contributing to broader systemic change. It麓s ongoing work, and I am fully aware of the long-term perspective inherent in social processes. My work consists of trying to provoke small changes -new perspectives and ways of seeing- that can lead to new ways of doing. The main challenge is ensuring these efforts are structured in a way that contributes to systemic transformation.

I define myself as a listener. I am particularly interested in identifying opportunities for change though listening processes. I'm also deeply invested in analysis as a tool to better understand the realities we are working within.

Could you walk us through your personal and academic journey? What experiences have shaped your approach to social innovation and community engagement?

Most of my career has focused on supporting the normalization of the Basque language鈥攃ollaboratively designing projects and initiatives to create new spaces and functions where the language can thrive. Years later, I realized this work could be framed as 鈥渟ocial innovation.鈥� I came to understand that much of what the third sector and social movements were doing was, essentially, co-creating solutions to build a better life.

Since then, my professional path has expanded to address a broad range of social issues鈥攅nvironmental, economic, and social transitions鈥攊ncluding energy communities, rural development, youth inclusion, and community engagement.

Following my practical experience, I had the opportunity to connect my work with academia at Mondragon University, within the Global Digital Humanities degree program. Redesigning the curriculum, defining professional profiles, and developing the competency map has been a truly exciting journey.

During your stay as the 2025 Etxepare Basque Institute Elbira-Zipitria Chair holder at CIRM, what are some research connections between your work and CIRM (Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Montreal)? Are there future collaborations you鈥檙e particularly excited about?

CIRM is one of the leading centres in the field of social innovation. I鈥檓 especially interested in the centre鈥檚 approach to community-based initiatives and the research and engagement projects it supports.

As a professional interested in listening processes, I鈥檓 eager to learn more about CIRM鈥檚 co-creation work in various Montreal neighbourhoods. I hope to engage in dialogue about the area鈥檚 future needs and challenges.

I am confident we will discover many collaboration opportunities - beyond the immediate ones related to listening and co-creation processes, as well as academic partnerships.

Moreover, the social, cultural, historical and environmental context of Quebec and Montreal makes the experience even more interesting!

You will be giving talks at 9I制作厂免费 on themes such as social economy, co-creation, neighborhood transformation, and urban futures. What insights do you hope to share with students and faculty through these engagements?

Rather than focusing solely on theoretical and conceptual knowledge, I hope to share insights and lessons learned from real-world experiences鈥攖he light and shadow of social interventions, and the challenges ahead.

I want to encourage students to reflect on their future roles as social designers, changemakers, or change facilitators鈥攚hatever label we choose to use.

Narrative and listening methods are central to your work. How do you see these approaches contributing to neighborhood democracy and fostering coexistence in diverse urban settings?

Democracy is about collective and collaborative governance. Listening methods help create spaces for dialogue where diverse perspectives can emerge. As our societies become more diverse, we urgently need points of connection where we can build mutual understanding.

The goal is not necessarily consensus but rather co-creating a shared understanding and envisioning our desired future together.

Urban environments offer the perfect opportunity to test and scale new experiments in democracy that can be scaled.

You鈥檝e worked extensively with developmental evaluation and mission-oriented innovation. How do you assess the impact of social interventions, and what role does theory of change play in your methodology?

Measuring the impact of social interventions is one of the hottest topics in social innovation. Social change is mainly cultural change, and it takes time.

The theory of change helps us clarify the purpose behind the changes we aim to foster. It provides collective direction for our interventions.

Developmental evaluation seeks to assess the opportunities and challenges of cultural change throughout the process, capturing both visible and hidden narratives. The theory of change acts as a guiding framework to help us interpret what we are uncovering in those narratives.

You鈥檝e created Beta, a platform for social innovation. Can you tell us more about this initiative鈥攊ts mission, activities, and the kinds of projects it supports?

Beta is my personal project. Is a modest initiative that collaborates in different innovation ecosystems. Its mission is to promote a particular vision of collaborative governance and social innovation, helping connect small and large initiatives that together can contribute to broader systemic change.

It has a clear political dimension, rooted in the belief that meaningful transformation arises from collective action.

I like to think of Beta as a tiny catalyst鈥攃onnecting different interventions so that individual impacts can grow into something greater.

You collaborate with Mondragon University鈥檚 Digital Humanities Program. What is your role there, and how does it connect with your broader work in digital participation and social intervention?

I have been co-coordinator of Global Digital Humanities degree at Mondragon University together with Aitor Zuberogoitia, who was at CIRM last year. After the first four years of the program, we undertook a full redesign to align the student profile with the needs of emerging social innovation professions.

It鈥檚 essential to recognize social innovation as a profession鈥攅ven though building a defined curriculum is challenging. Its cross-cutting nature demands the ability to transcend boundaries鈥攁cross sectors, interests, and policy areas.

Most social innovators learn through trial and error, supported by networks they create. This calls for greater interdisciplinarity in education, stronger interaction between basic and applied research, better accountability, and deeper reflection on the social effects of technological developments鈥攂oth their opportunities and challenges.

From this perspective, universities have a growing responsibility in shaping the future of social innovation.

In your view, what is the social responsibility of universities today, especially in relation to their surrounding cities and neighbourhoods? How can academic institutions act as anchor institutions for inclusive urban development?

Addressing the transitions ahead requires collaboration. We increasingly hear about the 鈥渜uintuple helix鈥� of innovation, which refers to the knowledge networks needed for open and inclusive innovation. This model is based on five principles:

1. (knowledge produced in the context of application
2. transdisciplinarity
3. heterogeneity and organizational diversity
4. social accountability and reflexivity
5. and quality control.

Universities are naturally aligned with these principles. For more inclusive urban development, we need new solutions that can be prototyped and tested. Universities must contribute to identifying, extracting, evaluating, and systematizing these experiments.

Finally, could you recommend an essay or novel by a Basque author that offers an urban perspective on the challenges facing the Basque Country today鈥攕omething that鈥檚 particularly meaningful to you?

One of the main challenges we are facing in the Basque Country is the growing number of people arriving from other countries. In the 1970s, there was significant migration from other parts of Spanish State, and in recent years, people have been arriving from across the globe.

We need to develop more inclusive ways of community engagement and listening processes, so that we can truly get to know and recognise each other.

Language can be a powerful tool for fostering a sense of community. However, the survival of the Basque language remains a key challenge for our future society. It is essential to find ways to make the language more accessible to newcomers.

One novel that speaks powerfully to these themes is Little Brother by Amets Arzallus, a Basque writer and 鈥渂ertsolari鈥� (bertsolarism is the art of singing improvised songs in Basque according to various melodies and rhyming patterns). The novel tells the difficult journey of a West African migrant to Europe. Originally written in Basque, it has been translated into French and English.

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Leire will be at 9I制作厂免费 during the week of October 27^th. Please visit CIRM website for the details.