Mercoledì dalle 15.00 alle 17.00. Si prega di contattarmi via email per prendere appuntamento. Il ricevimento si tiene in presenza oppure online.

On Wednesday from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Please contact me via email to schedule an appointment. The meeting can be held in person or online.

I am Assistant Professor of Political Science at the Department of Political and Social Sciences of the University of Florence. I hold a Ph.D. in Political Science from Scuola Normale Superiore (Florence). I have been a Visiting Researcher at the University of Copenhagen and Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona). Before joining the University of Florence, I was a Postdoctoral Researcher at Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies (Pisa). My main research interests include public and social policy, public administration and management, policy process theory and methods, and critical policy studies. My work has appeared in several journals such as Policy and Society, Policy Sciences, Public Management Review, Social Policy & Administration, Journal of European Social Policy, Environment and Planning C, Territory Politics Governance, International Review of Administrative Sciences, Review of Policy Research, European Journal of Industrial Relations, European Security, Journal of Language and Politics, European Journal of Social Security, Rivista Italiana di Politiche Pubbliche, and Politiche Sociali. I am the author of “Health System Decentralization and Recentralization: Ideational and Institutional Dynamics in Italy and Denmark” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019).

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Current position

Assistant Professor of Political Science, Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Florence, Italy (Mar 2023 – present)

Previous positions

• Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute of Law Politics and Development (DIRPOLIS), Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (Dec 2019 – Nov 2022)
• Adjunct Professor, University of Florence, Italy (Feb 2020 – Apr 2022)
• Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Legal Sciences, University of Florence, Italy (May 2018 – Nov 2019)

Accreditations

• National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor in the Italian Higher Education System for the disciplinary field 14/A2 (Political Science) – Validity: From 6 June 2022 to 6 June 2032
• Honorary Fellow (cultore della materia) in Political Science, University of Florence, Italy (2019 – 2020)

Education

• Ph.D. in Political Science, Department of Political and Social Sciences, Scuola Normale Superiore, Florence, Italy (Jan 2014 – Jan 2018)
• Advanced Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Social Change (MAPS), Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin, Italy (Oct 2012 – Oct 2013)
• M. A. in Political Science and Decision-Making Processes, University of Florence, Italy (Sept 2009 – June 2012)
• B. A. in Political Science, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Italy (Sept 2004 – June 2009)

Visting positions

• Visiting researcher, Centre for Health Economics and Policy (CHEP), University of Copenhagen, Denmark (Apr – May 2016)
• Visiting researcher, Centre for Research in Health and Economics (CRES), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain (Jan – Mar 2016)

Teaching

• "Welfare Systems" (Sistemi di Welfare), M. A. in "Planning and Implementing Social Policies" (Disegno e Gestione degli Interventi Sociali) (SPS/04 – Political Science), University of Florence, Italy (42h) (Oct – Nov 2023) [in Italian]
• "Applied Policy Process Theories", EUROMED Migration V (EMM5) Training for Young Migration Professionals, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Regional Office for the Mediterranean, Malta (6h) (Sept 2023)
• "Applied Policy Process Theories", EUROMED Migration V (EMM5) Training for Young Migration Professionals, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Regional Office for the Mediterranean, Malta (6h) (May 2023)
• "Health Systems and Governance", UNISI master programme in "Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action", University of Siena, Italy (6h) (Feb 2023)
• Applied Policy Process Theories", EUROMED Migration V (EMM5) Training for Young Migration Professionals, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Regional Office for the Mediterranean, Malta (6h) (Sept 2022)
• "Applied Policy Process Theories", EUROMED Migration V (EMM5) Training for Young Migration Professionals, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Regional Office for the Mediterranean, Malta (6h) (May 2022)ù
• "Health Systems and Governance", UNISI master programme in "Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action", University of Siena, Italy (6h) (Feb 2022)
• "Crisis and European Integration: Actors, Institutions, and Public Policies" (Teaching tutor), Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (9h) (Oct – Nov 2021) [in Italian]
• "Organization of Social Work Services" (Strutture e Processi dei Servizi Sociali), B. A. in "Social Service" (Servizio Sociale) (SPS/04 – Political Science), University of Florence, Italy (42h) (Feb – May 2021) [in Italian]
• "Health Systems and Governance", UNISI master programme in "Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action", University of Siena, Italy (6h) (Feb 2021)
• "Organization of Social Work Services" (Strutture e Processi dei Servizi Sociali), B. A.in "Social Service" (Servizio Sociale) (SPS/04 – Political Science), University of Florence, Italy (42h) (Feb – May 2020) [in Italian]
• "Health Systems and Governance", UNISI master programme in "Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action", University of Siena, Italy (6h) (Jan – Feb 2020)
• "Comparative Health Care Systems", CIEE Global Institute, Rome, Italy (45h) (Apr – May 2018)
• Training courses in "UN Diplomacy and Research Methods", "Negotiation I", "Negotiation II", and "Negotiation III" for the Model United Nations Program, University of Florence, Italy (12h) (Jan – Feb 2018)
• Training course in "Negotiation III" for the Model United Nations Program, Liceo Righi, Cesena, Italy (4h) (Feb 2018)

Invited lectures

• "A new kid on the block? The Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan as a socio-technical governance instrument" within the course "Politics of European Integration" – M. A. in "International Relations and European Studies" – University of Florence, Italy (22 November 2023)
• "Participation, deliberation, and policy design" within the course "Public Policy Analysis and Evaluation" – M. A.
  in "Politics, Institutions, and Markets" – University of Florence, Italy (12 May 2023) [in Italian]
• "Narratives, knowledge, and policy design" within the course "Public Policy Analysis and Evaluation" – M. A. in
  "Politics, Institutions, and Markets" – University of Florence, Italy (11 May 2023) [in Italian]
• "Research agenda on health systems and governance" – Management and Healthcare Laboratory (MeS Laboratory), Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (28 Nov 2022)
• "Health systems, intergovernmental relations, and the COVID-19 pandemic" – CET Florence, Italy (14 Nov 2022)
• "Comparative health systems and governance" – Seasonal school "InnovACtion in health care: strategy, performance and data management", Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (3 Oct 2022)
• "The digitalization of public and social policies between myth and reality" – University Orientation Day (Scuola di Orientamento Universitario 2021), Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (29 June 2021) [in Italian]
• "European Semester and pensions: A supranational policy evaluation subcycle?" (with Igor Guardiancich and Mattia Guidi) – Observatory on Institutional and Administrative Capacities, University of Padua, Italy (6 Dec 2020)
• "Parliament and social policies: Thirty years of reforms" (with David Natali) – Seasonal School in "Innovation, Challenges, and Ideas of Representative Democracy", Sant’Anna School of Avanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (1 Dec 2020) [in Italian]
• "(De)centralization: The territorial structure of government" within the course in "Comparative European Politics" – M. A. in "European Union Policy Studies" – James Madison University, Florence, Italy (4 Nov 2019) 
• "Global health governance" within the course in "International Organizations and Law" – Kent State University, Florence, Italy (4 Apr 2019)
• "Health systems, intergovernmental relations, and change" within the course in "Comparative Local and Regional Government" – B. A. in "Politics, Institutions, and Markets" – University of Florence, Italy (29 Mar 2019) [in Italian]

Participation in research projects and other activities

• National School of Administration (Scuola Nazionale dell’Amministrazione) – "Policy advice in decision-making
  – Phase II" (Scientific director: Andrea Lippi) – Research collaborator (Feb 2023 – present)
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) – Provision of a systematic literature review on the drivers and impact of deforestation and policy options toward more sustainable agrifood systems (Supervisor: Antonio Scognamillo) – Policy analyst (consultant) (Apr – July 2023)
• University of Canberra, Australia – "Democratic resilience: The public sphere and extremist attacks" – Production of case report and accompanying data (Supervisor: Andrea Felicetti) – Research collaborator (Feb – May 2023)
• Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy – "Welfare reform: business and new technologies" (Supervisor: David Natali) – Research collaborator (Feb – Mar 2023)
• European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) – "Guaranteed minimum income for retired persons" – Provision of an expert study on poverty risks across Europe, EU minimum income schemes across all ages, and EU anti-poverty strategies (with David Natali (Feb – Mar 2022)
• Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) – "A Comparative Study of ASEM Partners’ Pension Policies" – Provision of an expert study on four EU member countries’ pension systems (Denmark, the UK, Italy, Slovenia) (with David Natali) (July – Sept 2021)
• "Business and Welfare: Preferences and Collective Action in Europe (BAWEU)" (Principal investigator: Sabrina Colombo) financed by the European Commission (DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) – Member of the Sant’Anna School of  Advanced Studies research team (Dec 2020 – Nov 2022). https://baweu.unimi.it/
• Research Project of National Relevance (PRIN) "Who advises what, when and how? Policy analysis capacity and its impact on Italian policy-making" (Principal investigator: Giliberto Capano) – Research collaborator (Mar 2020 – Nov 2022)
• European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) – European Commission funded project "ETUC SociAll - Social Protection for all" – Provision of an expert study on "Access to social protection for all at the time of Covid-19: Opportunities for more adequate protection of old age through EPSR and NGEU" in the framework of the ETUC SociAll Project (with David Natali) (May 2021)
• European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) – European Commission funded project "ETUC SociAll - Social Protection for all" – Provision of an expert study on "The impact of Covid-19 on the future of pensions in the EU" in the framework of the ETUC SociAll Project (with David Natali) (Mar – May 2021)
• Research Project of National Relevance (PRIN) "Comparing governance regime changes in higher education: systemic performances, national policy dynamics, and institutional responses. A multidisciplinary and mixed methods analysis" (Principal investigator: Giliberto Capano) – Research collaborator – "Content analysis: an in- depth study" (Supervisor: Matteo Turri) – Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods, University of Milan, Italy (July – Aug 2020)
• EU Horizon 2020 project "RESPOND: Multilevel Governance of Mass Migration in Europe and Beyond" (Project Reference: 770564) – Member of the University of Florence research team (May 2018 – Nov 2019). https://www.respondmigration.com/
• Scuola Normale Superiore, Florence, Italy – "Independent Regulatory Agencies: Improving Policy-making or Escaping Accountability?" (Supervisor: Mattia Guidi) – Data collection and analysis (qualitative content analysis of text data) (Feb – May 2019)
• EU Horizon 2020 project "SIRIUS: Skills and Integration of Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Applicants in European Labour Markets" (Project reference: 770515) – Member of the University of Florence research team(May 2018 – Apr 2019). https://www.sirius-project.eu/

Conferences, seminars, roundtables, and workshops

• Participation as a speaker – Ph.D seminar "Strategic foresight: Between institutionalization and training" – National School of Administration (Scuola Nazionale dell’Amministrazione), Rome, Italy (23 Nov 2022)
• Panel chair and discussant – "The strategic management of grand challenges: Building capacity for organizing long-term and large-scale policy interventions" (with Giovanni Esposito) – SISP Conference, University of Genoa, Italy (14 – 16 Sept 2023)
• Paper giver – "Reactions to extremist attacks from a discursive standpoint: A case study from Italy" (with Andrea Felicetti) – SISP Conference, University of Genoa, Italy (14 – 16 Sept 2023)
• Paper giver – "Comitati scientifici e COVID-19: una mappatura del policy advice in Italia" (with Mattia Casula and Anna Malandrino) – SISP Conference, University of Genoa, Italy (14 – 16 Sept 2023)
• Panel chair – "Megatrends and megaprojects: Governing long-term and large-scale policy interventions" (with Giovanni Esposito) – 6th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP6), Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada (27 – 29 June 2023) 
• Paper giver – "Between rules and narratives: Understanding collective action in innovation policy processes" (with Giovanni Esposito and Gaia Taffoni) – 6th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP6), Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada (27 – 29 June 2023)
• Paper giver – "The Panopticon reloaded: A critical analysis of performance management systems in the Trans-European Transport Network" (with Giovanni Esposito) – Critical Political Economy Research Network (CPERN), University of Naples "L’Orientale", Italy (8 – 10 June 2023)
• Coordinator – "EU Talks" roundtables on the theme "Cultural Heritage" – Florence, Italy (Apr 2023 - present)
• Paper giver – "Between rules and narratives: Understanding collective action in innovation policy processes" (with Giovanni Esposito and Gaia Taffoni) – Conference on Policy Process Research (COPPR), University of Colorado, Denver, United States (12 – 14 Jan 2023)
• Paper giver – "How can the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) empower students? Reflections on pedagogy, teaching, and class labs" (with Claudio Radaelli) – NPF Working Group Meeting (20 Oct 2022)
• Paper giver – "Altered europeanisation revisited: EU influence on the Italian education and healthcare policy strategies after the pandemic" (with Emmanuele Pavolini and David Natali) – Workshop "Post-Pandemic Recovery: Changing Socio-Economic Policies in the EU" – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (6 Oct 2022)
• Paper giver – "National Recovery and Resilience Plans, elderly care, and pensions" (with David Natali) – Workshop "Post Pandemic Recovery: Changing Socio-Economic Policies in the EU" – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (5 Oct 2022)
• Paper giver – "The role of employers organizations in the European Union" – Business and Welfare. Preferences and collective action in Europe (BAWEU) – Project final conference – Brussels, Belgium (26 – 28 Sept 2022)
• Paper giver – "Narratives of external migration control: European Union southern border management in Spanish, Italian, and Maltese media" (with Eugenio Cusumano and Martina Abisso) – SISP Conference, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy (8 – 10 Sept 2022)
• Paper giver – "Smart city development as pubic entrepreneurship: An in-depth case study analysis based on Actor-Network Theory" (with Giovanni Esposito) – SISP Conference, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy (8 – 10 Sept 2022)
• Panel chair – "The welfare state for the elderly: new perspectives in the context of ageing, Covid-19 and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan" (with David Natali) – XV Espanet Italy Conference, University of Bari, Italy (1 – 3 Sept 2022)
• Paper giver – "Minimum income across all ages: a focus on elderly people" (with David Natali) – XV Espanet Italy Conference, University of Bari, Italy (1 – 3 Sept 2022)
• Paper giver – "The social policy preferences of EU employers’ organizations: An empirical analysis" (with Igor Guardiancich and David Natali) – XV Espanet Italy Conference, University of Bari, Italy (1 – 3 Sept 2022)
• Paper giver – "Subnational policy advisory systems: The case of the Italian response to the COVID-19 pandemic" (with Giliberto Capano, Mattia Casula, Anna Malandrino, and Federico Toth) – 3rd International Workshops on Public Policy (IWPP3), Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary (28 – 30 June 2022)
• Paper giver – "The social policy preferences of EU employers’ organizations: An empirical analysis" (with Igor Guardiancich and David Natali) – 11th Biennial Conference of the ECPR Standing Group on the European Union, Luiss University, Rome, Italy (8 – 10 June 2022)
• Paper giver – "Minimum income across all ages: a focus on elderly people" (with David Natali) – ETUI-ETUC workshop (19 May 2022)
• Paper giver – "Guaranteed minimum income for retired persons" (with David Natali) – ETUC-ETUI webinar on minimum income and minimum pensions (30 Mar 2022)
• Participation as a speaker - Roundtable "Combining the pillars of technology and integrity for ethical progress and good use of Recovery Funds" – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (15 Oct 2021) [in Italian]
• Panel chair and discussant – "Ideas, narratives, and change in public policy, administration, and management" (with Laura Cataldi and Giovanni Esposito) – SISP Conference (9 – 11 Sept 2021)
• Paper giver – "Closing the cycle? The European Semester and the evaluation of pensions" (with Igor Guardiancich and Mattia Guidi) – SISP Conference (9 – 11 Sept 2021)
• Paper giver – "The discursive construction of a smart city: the case of the "Intelligent Territory" call for projects in the Walloon Region" (with Giovanni Esposito, Massimo Guarino, and Nathalie Crutzen) – SISP Conference (9 – 11 Sept 2021)
• Panel chair and discussant – "Social policies between the green transition and technological innovation" (with Maria Tullia Galanti and David Natali) – XIV Espanet Italy Conference (8 – 11 Sept 2021)
• Paper giver – "Covid-19 and pension reform: the cases of Italy, Denmark, and Hungary" – XIV Espanet Italy Conference (8 – 11 Sept 2021)
• Paper giver – "The discursive construction of a smart city: the case of the "Intelligent Territory" call for projects in the Walloon Region" (with Giovanni Esposito, Massimo Guarino, and Nathalie Crutzen) – XIV Espanet Italy Conference (8 – 11 Sept 2021)
• Panel chair and discussant – "Discourse and policy narratives in megaprojects administration and management: Complexity, uncertainty, and conflictuality" (with Giovanni Esposito) – 5th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP5), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain (5 – 9 July 2021)
• Paper giver – "Managing performance in global megaprojects: A critical analysis of the Lyon-Turin high-speed rail" (with Giovanni Esposito and François Pichault) – 5th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP5), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain (5 – 9 July 2021)
• Paper giver – "The limits of participatory governance in megaprojects: the Lyon-Turin high-speed railway between structure, agency, and democratic participation" (with Giovanni Esposito and Andrea Felicetti) – 5th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP5), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain (5 – 9 July 2021)
• Paper giver – "Pensions at the time of Covid-19: Challenges and policies across Europe" (with David Natali) – ETUC SociAll webinar on pensions at the time of Covid-19 (3 May 2021)
• Paper giver – "The promise and peril of digital government: Implications for the welfare state" – 13th "ESPAnet Italia" Annual Conference (17 – 19 Sept 2020) [in Italian]
• Paper giver – "Narratives in power and policy design: The case of border management and external migration controls in Italy" (with Gliberto Capano) – RESPOND Conference, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (17 – 19 Oct 2019)
• Paper giver – "The clash of worlds: Competing narratives over the Lyon-Turin high-speed railway megaproject" (with Giovanni Esposito) – SISP Conference, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy (12 – 14 Sept 2019)
• Paper giver – "Narratives and policy design: The case of border management and migration controls in Italy" (with Gliberto Capano) – SISP Conference, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy (12 – 14 Sept 2019)
• Paper giver – "Narratives and policy design: The case of border management and migration controls in Italy" (with Giliberto Capano) – ECPR General Conference, University of Wroclaw, Poland (4 – 7 Sept 2019)
• Paper giver – "Applying the Narrative Policy Framework to the study of migration governance: The case of border management and migration controls in Italy" – 16th IMISCOE Annual Conference, Malmo University, Sweden (26 – 28 June 2019)
• Paper giver – "Taking europeanisation back to the people: From macro politics of migration to micro debates on the European Union in Hungary and Italy" (with Umut Korkut and Daniel Gyollai) – EUSA Sixteenth Biennial Conference, Denver, CO, United States (9 – 11 May 2019)
• Paper giver – "From macro politics of migration to micro debates on the European Union in Hungary and Italy" (with Umut Korkut and Daniel Gyollai) – 69th PSA Annual International Conference, Nottingham, United Kingdom (15 – 17 Apr 2019)
• Paper giver – "Dynamics of health system decentralization and recentralization in Italy and Denmark: Ideas, discourse, and institutions" (Ph.D. thesis draft) – CCCP Research Seminar, Cologne Center for Comparative Politics, University of Cologne, Germany (10 July 2017)
• Panel chair - "Welfare state and health care. Promises and perils of decentralization" – Workshop "Welfare State. Crisis and Development Perspectives", Turin, Italy (26 – 28 Oct 2016) [in Italian]
• Paper giver – "Explaining health system decentralization and recentralization: Italy and Denmark compared" – 24th IPSA World Congress, Poznan, Poland (23 – 28 July 2016)
• Paper giver – "Dynamics and varieties of health system decentralization: A comparative analysis of Italy and Denmark" – ESPAnet Italy Conference, University of Salerno, Italy (17 – 19 Sept 2015)
• Paper giver – "Dynamics of health system decentralization in unitary and federal polities: Italy and Canada compared" – ECPR General Conference, University of Montreal, Canada (26 – 29 Aug 2015)
• Paper giver – "Varieties of health system decentralization and geographical (in)equity in access to health services: Italy, the United Kingdom and Sweden in comparative perspective" – Graduate Network Conference, European University Institute and Scuola Normale Superiore, Florence, Italy (4 – 6 Mar 2015)
• Discussant – Graduate Network Conference – European University Institute and Scuola Normale Superiore, Florence, Italy (4 – 6 Mar 2015)

Editorial activity

Referee for: Palgrave Macmillan, Edward Elgar Publishing, East European Politics, Public Policy and Administration, Innovation, International Review of Public Policy, Rivista Italiana di Politiche Pubbliche, Nazioni e Regioni, Interdisciplinary Political Studies, Politiche Sociali, Review of Policy Research, Regional Studies and Local Development

Memberships

• Member of the ECPR Standing Group on the European Union (SGEU)
• Member of the Italian Political Science Association (Società Italiana di Scienza Politica, SISP)
• Member of the International Public Policy Association (IPPA)
• Member of the SISP Standing Group on Political Science and Public Policy
• Member of the SISP Standing Group on Regional Studies and Local Policies

Public and social policy, public administration and management, policy process theories and methods