The joint research project "BePart" has published a critical analysis of the concept of social innovation under the title "Soziale Innovationen. Implicit assumptions and analytical potential", a critical examination of the concept of social innovation has been published in the social and cultural science journal "Behemoth".  The article presents the theoretical perspective of the project on social innovation and thus also positions it in the academic debate on the concept of social innovation.

Essentially, we argue that the term should be broadened in its current usage and that its normative implications in particular should be taken into account. Currently, social innovation is primarily thought of from the perspective of socialentrepreneurship and consequently associated with the start-up scene, which addresses local problems and finds (digital) solutions to them. In contrast, we point out that the experiences and interpretative routines of those in whose lifeworld social innovations are to be implemented must be taken into account. In this way, it becomes clear that the assessment of an intended innovation as a social innovation is always accompanied by social evaluation mechanisms that are not self-evident. It also shows that a future-oriented willingness to optimize and change cannot simply be taken for granted in the population.

Key points of the article were also presented and discussed at various conferences in the fall of 2023. At the annual conference of the DGS Cultural Sociology Section in Weimar (21-22.9.23), the annual conference of the DGS Social Problems Section in Hanover (17-18.11.2023) and at the TUDiSC Conference in Dresden (6-7.12.23), we were able to present our ideas to various parts of the specialist community and received valuable feedback.