Abstract

In the rhetoric, social innovation refers to a set of practices that aim to meet social needs in a better way than the existing solutions, in part by being more inclusive in its ends and means than traditional approaches to problem-solving. But, does this emphasis on participation go beyond the rhetoric? Is social innovation inclusive or participatory? Using a systematic review of literature on social, public and collaborative innovation (2000 to 2019), we seek to identify participatory practices across innovations. By investigating the what, who and how of participation in such processes of innovation, we offer a detailed empirical picture. Drawing upon critical perspectives on participation, we consider how the objectives of social innovation are affected by the participatory practices used. We also engage critically with the methodology to highlight the unequal practices of knowledge production. We conclude with a research agenda to address empirical, methodological and theoretical gaps.