ABOUT
I am an international relations expert. I work as a Marie Curie Fellow at the Complutense University of Madrid, a position funded by the European Union (grant no. 847635). I am also an Associate Researcher at the University of Sydney, and an Associate Fellow at the Italian Institute of International Affairs (IAI), a global top-20 international relations think tank.
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My fields of expertise comprise Australian and Italian foreign and security policy; middle and great power theory; the Indo-Pacific; and irregular migration. I was awarded my PhD in International Relations in 2019 by the University of Sydney.
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My research has been published by top-tier scientific journals, including International Affairs, International Political Science Review, European Political Science, Contemporary Politics, and many others. I have co-edited a volume on Italy-Australia relations, and another one on "Awkward Powers", a new concept in international relations. My latest book is "The foreign policy of irregular migration governance". I regularly conduct peer-reviews for the leading journals and publishers in my fields (see this website's "research" section).
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I have taught a number of courses in different universities, including World politics and international relations, International security, Contemporary global issues, European politics, Migration politics, Development politics, and Australian foreign and security policy.
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I have a strong institutional engagement. I have been invited as an expert several times at the Italian Parliament (both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies) and the Spanish Ministry of Defence (IUGM Institute). I often cooperate with policymakers and diplomats on areas of common interest.
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I have an extensive experience with media and public relations. Prior to joining academia, I worked in television (EcoTv) and radio (SBS) broadcasting companies, as well as in political foundations (UniVerde), dealing with domestic and global political affairs. I am often interviewed by media on international relations and security issues.
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At the beginning of 2024 I was Visiting Fellow at the FIERI Institute, a leading think tank in Turin; in 2021-2022 I was Honorary Research Associate at ACIS, the Australasian Centre for Italian Studies. I have been named one of Italy's "most brilliant researchers in Australia" in 2022. I have been Vice President and Board Member of the Dante Alighieri Society Sydney (a not-for-profit) from 2017 to 2022.
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I am a member of the International Studies Association (ISA), the Italian Political Science Association (SISP), and the Australian Political Science Association (APSA). I serve as a member of the International Relations Standing Group (SGRI) at SISP, and a member of the Research Group on International Migrations (GEMI) at the University of Madrid, two well-known research groups with international impact.
I read, cook, and write whenever I can, and when I don't I'm usually travelling somewhere new. Whether you'd like to request an interview or expert advice (consultation), or simply enquire about something, please feel free to contact me.
EDUCATION
RESEARCH FIELDS
Australian Foreign and Security Policy
PhD in International Relations
University of Sydney, 2019
Italian Foreign and Security Policy
Middle Power Theory
Great Power Theory
MA by Research in International Relations
University of Sydney, 2016
BA in Political Science
Roma Tre University, 2011
Indo-Pacific
National Power
Irregular migration governance