Federico is currently a PhD Candidate in Political Science at the Department of Political Science of LUISS Guido Carli in Rome, where he also works as a Research and Teaching Assistant in Political Science. His research interests are in the fields of electoral studies and party competition, and his doctoral thesis analyses the determinants of intrafamily ideological differentiation by studying Western European social democratic parties in the last 30 years.
How did you come to join the European Institute?
I was selected into the first cohort of what was at the time the newly launched MSc in Global Europe: Culture and Conflict. There was nowhere else I wanted to go to but the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, I still remember the sheer shock and jubilation of the moment when I got the email I had been dreaming of for ages!
What was the European Institute like while you were here?
To me it was and still is my second home. The perfect place where to land, grow and be looked after as a 21-year old bird who had never left his nest in Central Italy yet, but wanted to learn and get to know more of the world.
What was the most memorable moment during your time at the EI?
It must be my very last day in the office. Context: I stuck around an extra year and started working at the EI Professional Services Staff office as I was finalising my MSc Dissertation. As I worked part-time at the EI, I took the chance of working on my research project and applications for PhDs across the UK and Italy. It was a very beautiful but at times frustrating time, as I kept getting either straight rejections or funding-less offers. Until the very last day in the office, Friday July 26 2019: I had my one-way ticket back to Italy booked in 3 days time, and I switched on my computer to the acceptance email of LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, where I am currently based. I couldn’t believe the timing of it (to be honest, I still can’t!). I ended up inviting all the office for lunch: still to date, the best hefty bill of my life!
What was your favourite thing about being at the European Institute?
Well… being at the European Institute. Being at the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, in the heart of London. Getting to know the most remarkable people I have ever met, who were concentrated so densely in such a small and friendly environment. Also, starting to find my way and making sense of what I wanted to do and to pursue as my ‘Plan A’, academia. Not to mention Friday beers at the George with everyone, but especially Adam!
What makes the EI a special place?
Its people and, academically, the interdisciplinary outlook on Europe. And I might be biased due to past professional experience, but let me add: the incredible panel of events and speakers lined up for the EI community. Simply unparalleled throughout Europe, there is nothing else quite like it.
What excites you about the future of the EI?
The ambitious plans for its growth as an academic community, including through co-operation with leading international institutions in Europe and beyond!
What’s your favourite place on ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ campus?
I love the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre and I’ve always found it to be the heart of campus, with so much going on and so many cool spaces. I’d also like to mention 32 Lincoln’s Inn Field: perhaps a bit off campus, but a great and very underestimated building.
What is your favourite place to visit in Europe and why?
As of now I am madly in love with Paris, where I am spending a visiting research period at Sciences Po. But, in terms of more or less unsung heroes, I have a passion for Central European countries, and elsewhere I would also like to mention that Portugal is such an incredible and often overlooked country compared to others in Western Europe. The people, food, nature and history are simply amazing and I would recommend it as a destination to anybody.