Dipartimento di Scienze politiche

The Department of Political Sciences promotes research methodologies able to emphasize an interdisciplinary approach, experimenting its potentials with respect to a variety of themes that are well suited to be studied by historians, geographers, economists, statisticians, psychologists, demographers, sociologists, jurists, philosophers and linguists with the help of the experts on the languages. Among these issues we particularly remark the insights concerning the methodologies of: data investigation, welfare and its recent transformations, local development, sustainability, market regulation, the role of macroeconomic and monetary policies, migration, identity and cooperation, explanatory and predictive models of economic and social behavior, evolution of national, European and international relations and institutions, crime dynamics.

Further information: Research

Research output (2011-2013)

Data on the research output of the Department are extracted from the 2011-2013 Research activities Review (SUA-RD)

Staff

Data on the Department Staff is taken from the institutional website of the Italian Ministry of University and Research

Research projects

PRIN

  • PRIN 2015 ; Environmental Risk Migration: geo-historical interpretations and local governance
    National Coordinator: prof. Claudio Cerreti. Chief of OU: prof. Vittorio Amato.

  • PRIN 2011-2013 – Synallagmatic relationship between disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation: strengthening of international treaty obligations and tackling nuclear terrorism
    Title of RU: Disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation: strengthening of the IAEA control system
    Chief of OU: prof. TalithaVassali di Dachenhausen. The research deals with the strengthening of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) control system in the context of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, with the aim to analyze the role assumed by the IAEA in international security, to identify more efficient verification tools, to examine the possibility of coordination of the IAEA with other international organizations dealing with disarmament, as well as the effects of bilateral agreements concluded by the United States.

  • PRIN 2008 – Between the Cold War and the post-bipolar world: the United States and Europe dealing with the problems of security and balance from Near to Far East
    Title of RU: A "limited sovereignty": the United States and Italian politics in Islamic countries of the Near East Mediterranean after the Suez crisis
    Chief of RU: prof. Matteo Pizzigallo. The Research Unit has focused on reconstructing methodically the bilateral relations between Italy and the Islamic States of the Mediterranean Near East during the Fifties and the Sixties, throwing light on political and economic initiative and on the USA reactions.

  • PRIN 2008 – Identity, ritual and memory in modern and postmodern
    Title of RU: Nation and collective identity in modern and contemporary age
    Chief of RU: prof. Vanda Fiorillo. This project has analyzed the problems of the political identity, related to the conceptualization of fatherland and nation in the modern and contemporary age. The methodological orientation was determined primarily by the aim to raise awareness of the theoretical theses of the ‘classical’ authors of the political philosophy, to which, in relation to the subject of fatherland and nation, it has not yet been given due consideration by Italian and foreign critics.

Other typologies of project

  • ESHET/ECB Grant 2016-2018 “Minimalism vs. Activism in Central Banking”
    Coordinator: prof. Lilia Costabile; other members: prof. Gerald Epstein, Umass at Amherst. This grant is financed by the European Central Bank and assigned by the European Society for the History of Economic Thought. This project proposes to analyze the principles and theories inspiring Central banks’ policies, with reference to the objectives of macroeconomic and financial stability.

  • SCHOOL-GEN2 2017-2018 “Strategies of school inclusion and social cohesion opportunities of the children of immigrants in Italy”
    Responsible: Dr. Giuseppe Gabrielli. The project, funded by the University of Naples Federico II, aims at analyzing, through a multidisciplinary scientific approach, the processes of school inclusion and cohesion opportunities among peers of immigrants born in the context of destination (second generation) or arrived in Italy before the beginning of their education.

  • STAR-Linea 1, 2014 (2015-2017) "The Use of Violence and Organized Crime. A socio-economic analysis of the case of Camorra clans in Campania"
    Principal Investigator: prof. Monica Massari. The use or even the threat of the use of violence is one of the resources used by organized crime in order to maintain power and competitiveness of its businesses, strengthen its reputation, and impose territorial control. This project carries out an in-depth and systematic analysis on the use of violence by Camorra clans – responsible for almost half of all mafia homicides documented in Italy during the past 30 years – in four different areas of Campania, through the tools of sociological, economic and socio-historical research.

  • STAR-Linea 1, 2014 “SHAPE ; Statistical models for human perception and evaluation"
    Coordinator: prof. Maria Iannario. The research project concentrates on alternative classes of models for ordinal data generated by rating surveys with the aim to compare them from methodological and empirical point of views. The main objective is to offer a real support to decisions based on advanced statistical models, flexible to use and easy to interpret, which expresses intentions of respondents with higher fidelity. Some data sets will be identified to check the performance of the methods and the possible validity of further extensions.

  • COEDU ; For a Educating Community – 2014
    Coordinator: prof. Marco Musella. The project, funded by the province of Naples, aims to study the phenomenon of early school leaving and to propose interventions to be carried out in secondary school.

  • POR FESR 2007-2013 ; UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY ; Regional Observatory of University System in Campania
    Coordinator: prof. Giancarlo Ragozini. The Research Project steams from the cooperation of all the seven University of Campania. It has been managed by University of NaplesL’Orientale as project leader. Main aim of the project is to propose and implement a set of statistical and economical models and methods for monitoring, analyzing and evaluating the university system. The project consists in four main research lines: 1) analysis of data coming from administrative databases related to student careers and job placement; 2) research evaluation; 3) teaching evaluation; 4) new services with a special attention to internationalization process.

  • Economists’ Historical Archives – 2013
    National Coordinator: prof. Lilia Costabile. Funding: Fondazione delle Assicurazioni Generali. This project, an initiative of the Italian Economists’ Society, was previously funded by MIUR (Projects of Relevant National Interest) and by the Bank of Italy. It promotes a better understanding of Italian economists’ contributions to economic theory and policy.

  • Programa Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica de Excelencia 2013-2016 SPAIN ; La historia de la literatura española y “El exilio republicano de 1939”
    Coordinator: prof. Manuel Aznar Soler, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. People involved: prof.ssa Laura Mariateresa Durante. The project aims to upgrade the six volumes in Castilian published between 1976 and 1978 by Taurus in Madrid, under the direction of José Luis Abellán, entitled “El exilio español de 1939”. The project, conceived within the GEXEL literary research group, aims at updating Castilian literature history, and for this purpose the current objective only concerns the fourth volume of the series, entitled Cultura y literatura, published in 1977.

  • Valuing the intelligence in recruitment systems of PP.AA. – 2013
    Coordinator: prof. Marco Musella. The project aims to evaluate the use of new technologies in recruitment for public administrations.

  • Social economic role for Human Development of the South of Italy; 2012-2014 – 2012-2014
    Coordinator: prof. Marco Musella. The project intends to deepen the issues of South development in a Senian perspective by building specific indicators and methods for assessing the degree of development of the Italian southern territories.

  • PON 2007-2013 ; SIRET. Integrated recruiting and training
    Coordinator: prof. Vittorio Amato.

  • PON 2007-2013 ; AUTOMOTIVE ENTERPRISE 2.0 ; Methodologies and social and semantic techniques for Automotive
    Coordinator: prof. Vittorio Amato.

  • FEI 2012 – An including school: training, mediation and networking
    Coordinatorf: prof. Salvatore Strozza. The project aims to support teachers, administrative staff, students and other foreign families, primarily from China, about the difficulties of access, communication and integration in school due to cultural barriers.

  • FARO 2012 ; Archetypal analysis for the definition of types of behavior
    Coordinator: prof. Francesco Palumbo. The research project has primarily focused its attention on the application of the Archetypal Analysis for behavior and psychological profiles description. Archetypal analysis is a statistical approach aiming at identifying a small group of observed or not observed statistical units, in large multivariate dataset, whose linear combinations can represent the entire population, with negligible residuals. Results have been compared with most known traditional exploratory data analysis techniques.

  • FARO 2012 ; Dimensions, measures and determinants of immigrant integration in the destination country
    Coordinator: prof. Salvatore Strozza. The research aims to address the issue of integration of immigrants in an interdisciplinary perspective in order to build a detailed picture of the various Italian and European territorial realities.

  • FARO 2012 ; The third sector as a territorial development actor: administrative networks, economy and society
    Coordinator: prof. Vittorio Amato. The aim of the project is to analyze the role of social enterprise as a tool for balanced development of the territory and mapping the regional networks that have been activated over the last fifteen years between institutional and third sector.

  • FARO 2011 ; Employment, job satisfaction and worker productivity
    Coordinator: prof. Marco Musella. The project aims to build a theoretical interpretation model of the links between the monetary and non-monetary factors and the employee’s satisfaction in the perspective of Sen’s analytical categories.

  • FEI 2011 ; Common Good. Build positive relationships between migrants and public administration
    Coordinator: prof. Marco Musella. To improve knowledge of the problems associated with migration, to analyze the critical issues in the link "Public administrations ; migrants" in terms of access to services, to build opportunities of discussion between the different actors of administrative processes and social welfare to promote improvements in the paths integration.

Libraries, labs and facilities

Laboratories

The technical coordinator of all laboratories is dott. Vincenzo Lapiccirella.

  • Statistical Laboratory – Scientific manager: prof. Marcella Corduas. The Statistical Laboratory provides support to the teachings of the Master of Science in Statistics for decisions. There are practice sessions, seminars and activities that require IT support. The laboratory is equipped with Office programs, language R, Gretl.

  • Multimedia languagelaboratory “Edvige Schulte” – Scientific manager: prof. Amelia Bandini. Technical manager: dott. Cinzia Della Monica. The multimedia language laboratory provides support to lectures and exercises, as well as seminars and supplementary courses related to English, German and French. It is also an aid for the activities of the PhD in English for Special Purposes, with the use of software AntConc for text analysis and seminars held by Italian and foreign guests.

  • Educational and Research Laboratory of GIS – Scientific manager: prof. Vittorio Amato. Technical manager: dott. Carlo De Luca. The Educational and Research Laboratory of GISprovides the study and production of thematic maps and implementation of GIS for the teaching and research of the Department. The Laboratory also provides support to educational activities (seminars, lectures and courses) on geographical information systems and for the cartographic component of the three-year,specialist and doctoral thesis. It participates actively in research projects carried out by the Department.

  • Laboratory for psychological and social research “Roberto Gentile” – Scientific manager: prof. Francesco La Barbera. The Laboratory for psychological and social research is dedicated to empiricalresearch, experimental and non-experimental. We used tools and procedures in such as computer-based experiments, experimental auctions, video-feedback, detection of physiological indices. We also conduct the statistical analysis procedures ; quantitative ; the most widespread in the social sciences and the PLS path modeling.

  • Laboratory for the Statistical Analysis of Data (LASt) – Scientific manager: prof. Domenico Piccolo. Technical manager: dott. Stefania Capecchi. The laboratory for the Statistical Analysis of Data develops basic exploratory analysis and quantitative analytical procedures necessary for a proper and efficient use of information and ensure the provision of software in environment R. It also offers support for teachersand for students engaged in thesis for Degree in Statistics for decisions.

  • Centre for publishing services, printing, electronic documentation – Technical manager: dott. Caterina Rinaldi. The Centre for publishing services, printing, electronic documentationis responsible for drawing, editing, layout and revision of scientific papers and publications of research results, production and printing of information and communication for conferences, courses and events organized by the Department, the reproduction of electronic documentation.

Third mission

Due to its nature and composition, the Department of Political Sciences, both in terms of scientific areas and in terms of the degree programs offered, is open to the territory and carries out its research activities in collaboration with government agencies, professional associations and individuals belonging to the third sector and non-profit sector. It’s continuous the attention of teachers and students to the issues that drive the public debate and which are often the subject of study and research.

Patents and Spin-off

Due to its specific characteristics, the Department of Political Sciences is not committed to the creation of patents or other intellectual property rights, either directly in cultural heritage protection or the protection of health, as well as it seems limited the possibility to generate spin-off in the strict sense. Nevertheless, the Department is in the process of promoting an organization called LIVES by initiative of some students of the course “Policies and strategies for fund raising” and that has produced, along with other city institutions, an operating crowdfunding platform named “Meridonare”. Moreover, the creation of APEUR (Association of European Project Makers) was promoted, which deals with the spread of European culture and in particular the project techniques. The Department indirectly supports such associations with specific agreements.

Professional consultancy activities

The activities for third parties take place mainly with public or private entities devoted to local development and territory. There are also examples of works for subjects of international importance. Among the other projects we recall:

  • Certification of skills on behalf of FOSVI, CONSVIP, Consorzio Informa, SFC
  • Research and teaching in higher education courses
  • Seminars and educational activities for the Inter-university Consortium of Lifelong Learning (Campania)
  • Preliminary study for the construction of an information system for evaluation (and projection/anticipation) of the risk of humanitarian emergencies with specific reference to the target “women and children” teaching activities on behalf of Save the Children International
  • Consultancy on the construction of statistical databases and training on statistical techniques on behalf of Action contre la faim
  • Agreement for scientific supervision of the European project “Experiencing methods of social reporting” and consultancy within the project “Women for Development”
  • Agreement with the ODCEC (Order of Accountants) of Naples for training activities in Rating Advisory

Lifelong learning

  • The Department is a partner of RUIAP, the Italian University Network for Lifelong Learning, which brings together about 30 Italian universities involved in the promotion of University Lifelong Learning
  • Advanced Course on “Policies and strategies for fund raising”
  • Advanced Course on “Rating advisory”.
  • Interdepartmental Advanced Course in “European Union Law: protection of rights”
  • Advanced Course on “Immigration and public policies for hospitality and integration” co-financed by the EIF 2013, the City of Naples and co-designed with the Cooperative Dedalus (2013).
  • Higher Education Course in Techniques for the Prevention and Suppression of Crime Phenomena (2016-2017)
  • Advanced Training Course in “Multicultural Policies and Intercultural Interaction” in collaboration with the Italian Women’s Centre
  • Higher Education Course in Public Policies and Analysis of Criminal Phenomena
  • Higher Education Course in “Mafia-type” organization and terrorist-purpose organization, regulatory differences and links
  • Advanced Training Course in “The Third Sector reform” in collaboration with the Urban Agency for local development and the City of Naples (2016)
  • Activities of German FL e-learning on eTandem, a website specially created for students and implemented with a wiki software.
  • We held training courses on behalf of professional associations, notably in collaboration with the Order of Lawyers, the Order of Chartered Accountants, the Order of Journalists, the Italian Association of Rating Advisory and the Order of Social Workers, such as: Local Welfare: Tools and Practices of Subsidiarity (2015); Social Reporting (2015); Professional Courses devoted to State Police Operators (2015); Graphic expertise in the criminal process. Seminar for Judicial Police Operators (2015); Seminars on “Integrated Social Services” and “Family Relief: Organization and Care” (2014).

Further details can be found in Post Laurea

Public Engagment

  • The Department contributed by providing technical and methodological support to the realization of the “Survey on the foreign presence and the level of integration of foreign immigrants in the Campania region” within the Regional Service of Cultural Mediation ; Por Campania ESF 2007; 2013.
  • It promoted the conferral of honorary degree in Statistics for decisions to Ignazio Visco, Governor of the Central Bank of Italy.
  • The Department is partner of the project LaRES, the network of social Economy created by 51 subject of the third sector and the public sector about the goods confiscated from organized crime.
  • It participates in the project against food waste in Naples, with other partners together with “Qui Foundation” and Anci (Association of Italian Municipalities). The project aims to organize a network for the recovery and redistribution of unsettled food and meals, as well as to develop a virtuous model of resources optimization and enhancement. It is also meant to be integrated into the environmental project “Campania Differenziata”, funded by the Ministry of the Environment and aimed at supporting municipalities of Campania region in their management of urban waste.
  • The Department promotes several orientation activities and relationships with high schools, children, young people and students, including: “Orienti-Amo”, orientation and guidance week devoted to high school students (2016); Job Orientation Days: “Work Destination” (2016); Workshops focused on strategies for effective job search; “Party per l’Europa” (Go to Europe). Opportunities for young people in Europe; ReGINA Project, coordinated by the Youth Desk of the Municipality of Naples (2014); Days of Statistics, in collaboration with Istat, the Italian National Statistics Institute (2014); “Cattedra della Cittadinanza”, Citizenship studies (2014).
  • The Department participates in many events, such as: Week of Human Rights; Amesci International Meeting; Simulation Game, United Nation Model (MSOI; Napoli); Globe; UNIVEXPO: Student fair of Campania; OrientaSud 2016; Futuro Remoto, Science education festival; “Job meeting” with Leroy Merlin; Young International Forum; The European Youth Week; European Civic Days; LAB Europe; European Parliament Simulation; Club de Lectura dell’Istituto Cervantes; Ignition of Olympic torch in Olympia (2016); Organization of the exhibition “Poles and Germans. Stories of a dialogue”; Prevention to improve life (June 2016); Visit to the confiscated assets (former organized crime goods and premises in Campania region)
  • Several professors collaborate with national and international newspapers (eg. “il Mattino”, “la Repubblica”, “la Gazzetta del Sud”, “Corriere del Mezzogiorno”, “La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno”, “L’Occidentale”, “Hokkaido Shimbun”, “Revista Vegueta”) or radio-television programs as commentators or opinionists (eg. RAI TG1-Unomattina, Oltreradio, Tg-Sky, Radio F2, Radio Radicale).
  • The Department organizes and promotes seminars and public meetings, aimed at sharing and deepening specific themes.
  • Teaching staff provide educational publications on specific research topics.