Postdoctoral Researcher · University of Siena
I am a Postdoctoral Researcher in Political Science at the University of Siena, where I currently work on the Horizon Europe project REDIRECT (The Representative Disconnect) and serve as its Communication and Dissemination Manager. Previously, I was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Turin, working on the Horizon 2020 project EUComMeet.
My research interests lie at the intersection of political representation, political elites, political parties, and European politics. I am particularly interested in the relationship between citizens and their elected representatives, examining how closely political elites reflect public preferences, how citizens understand and evaluate political representation, and how political parties and institutions respond to changing political contexts. My research also addresses Euroscepticism, populism, parliamentary careers, and political behaviour within the European Union.
Methodologically, my work is primarily quantitative and comparative. I rely on cross-national surveys, mass–elite datasets, longitudinal analyses, and survey experiments to investigate political attitudes, representative behaviour, and institutional dynamics. My research has been published in journals including European Political Science Review, European Union Politics, Italian Political Science Review, Acta Politica, Politics and Governance, and The Journal of Legislative Studies.
My academic training began at the University of Siena, where I completed my undergraduate degree in Political Science and International Relations and a master's degree in European Studies. I subsequently obtained a PhD in Political Science, European Politics and International Relations from the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa in 2021.
My professional appointments and research collaborations are described further down in the Academic Experience section.
My research connects the study of democratic representation with parliamentary elites, European political parties and institutions.
I study who is represented, how political representatives make decisions, and how parties and institutions respond to political change. I address these questions through comparative surveys, mass–elite data, quantitative analysis and experiments, with a particular focus on European politics and integration.
Peer-reviewed journal articles with DOI links, concise research summaries and downloadable PDFs where redistribution is permitted.
8 articles
Politics and Governance · 14 · Article 12015
Drawing on an original survey in eight European countries, this study examines citizens’ preferences for delegate versus trustee representation. It finds that ideological orientations, democratic satisfaction and national context all matter for how citizens want representatives to exercise their mandate.
European Political Science Review · 18(3), 410–428
Using mass–elite surveys from 16 European countries (2007–2017) and Earth Mover’s Distance, this article compares party representatives’ alignment with voters and economic elites. It finds an uneven economic-elite bias, most visible for European integration and cultural values, that changes over time.
Italian Political Science Review · 55(2), 121–137
Based on eight survey waves spanning 1979–2016, this study identifies a “double-sided gap”: pro-European elites are generally more supportive of integration than their voters, while Eurosceptic elites are often more opposed. Italy follows a different, more congruent pattern.
European Union Politics · 26(1), 167–184
Combining historical data on the European Parliament and eight Western European national legislatures, this study examines gender differences in incumbent exit rates. Men are more likely than women to exit after European Parliament elections, whereas the gender gap is not significant for national legislatures.
Acta Politica · 60(4), 704–722
A systematic assessment of more than 400 articles on Euroscepticism published between 1995 and 2020. The study traces how the field shifted from mainly party-centred, single-country qualitative work towards a broader range of cases, questions and comparative quantitative approaches.
The Journal of Legislative Studies · 31(3), 696–718
Examines long-run parliamentary careers in the European Parliament and the development of a more established supranational political elite.
International Journal of Parliamentary Studies · 4(2), 161–181
A comparative institutional analysis of the Italian proposal to introduce a directly elected prime minister, alongside lessons from Israel.
Interdisciplinary Political Studies · 7(2), 167–196
Using an original dataset of fact-checked claims, this article maps the misinformation and conspiracy narratives used by the League and Brothers of Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on radical-right populist communication in 2020.
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My work has involved European research consortia, comparative surveys, participatory research and international collaborations. These projects bring together empirical research, fieldwork and the communication of scientific findings.
Horizon Europe · University of Siena · 2023–2027
Communication and Dissemination Manager and postdoctoral researcher, contributing to research on democratic representation, elite surveys, dissemination strategy, and consortium-wide communication.
Horizon 2020 · University of Turin · 2021–2023
Postdoctoral research and coordination support for participatory pilots, deliberative-platform activities, qualitative assessment and international reporting.
University of Siegen · 2021–2023
Qualitative fieldwork in Italy, including interviews, focus groups and analysis on social trust, cohesion and perceptions of institutions.
COST Action · 2026–2028
Working-group member contributing to research and network activities on the relationship between Euroscepticism and populism across Europe.
Erasmus+ · 2025–2027
Research and dissemination support for an Erasmus+ project focusing on civic competences, democratic participation and European democratic life.
University of Bologna · 2021–2022
Comparative collection and coding of government policy measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Italian regional responses.
A proposed 36-month Erasmus+ Jean Monnet network linking universities and secondary schools in Italy, Belgium, Portugal and Türkiye to develop interactive EU citizenship education, teacher training and student exchange. The 2026 submission was selected (evaluation: 90/100) and invited to grant-agreement preparation in June 2026; funding and project start remain subject to the final agreement.
A funded comparative research project on Italian and German cultural diplomacy in Europe, examining the activities of Italian Cultural Institutes and the Goethe-Institut. The funding was awarded to the University of Siena in August 2026; project activities remain subject to the convention’s commencement.
Selected collaborations, research assistance and institutional simulations complementing my main project portfolio.
Focus: mapping the Italian political class at subnational, national and European levels, with attention to political representation, populist attitudes and political opinions.
Focus: experimental deliberative-democracy project in which participants discussed immigration, the economy, welfare and EU institutions through a virtual platform.
Topic: application of Article 7(1) TEU to the Hungarian case. Coordinator: Prof. Luca Verzichelli.
Teaching-assistant activities at the Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences (DISPOC), University of Siena, integrating classroom support with simulation-based learning.
TA · 2023–present
Teaching support in lectures and seminars, exam assistance, and the organisation of simulations on institutional reform and decision-making, including exercises on constitutional reforms in the Netherlands and a simulated French parliamentary commission.
Department: Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences (DISPOC) · Course convenor: Prof. Luca VerzichelliTA · 2019–present
Teaching assistance and simulation facilitation, including PlayDiplomacy: team and role allocation, negotiated scenarios, briefings, debriefings and evaluation of student work.
Department: Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences (DISPOC) · Course convenor: Prof. Pierangelo IserniaTA · 2017–2023
Teaching assistance on Italian institutions and parliamentary politics, including simulations of the Italian Parliament, party-based legislative negotiations and related classroom activities.
Department: Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences (DISPOC) · Course convenor: Prof. Luca VerzichelliA selection of my international academic conference activity from 2024 to 2026, listed chronologically from most recent.
Jagiellonian University · Kraków, Poland
University of Trento · Trento, Italy
University of Catania · Catania, Italy
University of Naples Federico II · Naples, Italy
Seoul, South Korea
University of Trieste · Trieste, Italy
University College Dublin · Dublin, Ireland
Research appointments and applied responsibilities across international projects, survey research and collaborative fieldwork.
University of Siena · DISPOC · Siena, Italy
Within Horizon Europe REDIRECT, I contribute to the study of democratic representation and political elites through cross-country survey fieldwork, recruitment and follow-up with national and regional representatives, harmonisation of elite data and qualitative research tasks. As Communication and Dissemination Manager, I coordinate public research outputs, digital dissemination, consortium communications and contributions to European Commission reporting.
University of Turin · Turin, Italy
Within Horizon 2020 EUComMeet, I supported and coordinated participatory pilot activities across ten metropolitan areas in five European countries, including participant recruitment in Piedmont and online-platform testing. I contributed to survey instruments, pre-/post-deliberation analysis, qualitative assessment of online deliberation and reporting with international partners.
University of Siegen · Germany / remote
For the SoVE social-trust research project, I conducted 15 interviews and two focus groups in Italy, supported participant engagement and contributed to transcript analysis and the interpretation of qualitative material on social trust and cohesion.
University of Bologna · Italy / remote
Contributed to the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker research environment through comparative coding of pandemic measures adopted by Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria and Molise, distinguishing restrictions, policy instruments and socioeconomic response measures in regional records.
For academic enquiries, research collaborations or discussions about political representation, parliamentary elites and European politics, please feel free to contact me.
