The research cluster on Europe brings together scholars interested in European integration processes, covering its philosophical, political, legal, sociological, economic, and historical determinants. Studies of the cluster focus not only on the European institutions and their interrelations, but also on their impact on the national systems and societies of European States, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The scope of the research pursued by the members of the cluster is wide, covering issues such as the transformation of the European democracy in relation to multiple recent crises, centre-periphery institutional relations and the role of populist parties in the European Parliament, environmental participatory democracy, intra-European trade and the impact of technological change on job markets, attitudinal dynamics in member states and economic variables, inequality and anti-discrimination policies, rule of law, market regulation and protection of fundamental rights, regionalism and federalism in the EU. The general approach of all this research is to map the evolution of the European integration process, analyzing some of the most relevant current trends in relation not only to the previous situation, but also with regard to the possible future developments of the European Union, an issue that is widely debated in order to respond to the existential challenges that Europe faces in relation to the world crises, which have a multiple and synergic nature. The research activities are connected to the teaching activities of the School of International Studies, both in the Ph.D and in the Master's programmes. Moreover, they are often pursued in cooperation with other Departments of the University of Trento, as well with other Italian and foreign universities and research centres.

Clusters' Members

  Research interests
Antonino ALI' EU Law, Interaction between EU Law and International Law, Protection of Human Rights in Europe, EU Counter-Terrorism Law
Luisa ANTONIOLLI Comparative Law, EU Law, Private Law
Stefano BENATI Voting Games, Cluster Analysis, Decision Science
Luigi BONATTI Growth Theory and Theory of Sustainable Development, Macroeconomics and International Economics, Rationality and Public Choices
Matteo BORZAGA International, European and Comparative Labour and Social Law
Mauro CASELLI International Economics, Development Economics
Sondra FACCIO International Investment Law; Public International Law; International Economic Law; International Arbitration
Andrea FRACASSO International Economics, European Economic Integration, Chinese Economy, TFP externalities
Georgios GLOUFTSIOS Critical Security Studies, International Political Sociology, Science and Technology Studies, Surveillance and Policing, Borders and Migration, Data Politics
Sara LORENZINI International History, Contemporary European History, Development Aid
Emanuele MASSETTI

European and Comparative Politics, Political Parties, Ethno-territorial Politics, Federalism and Devolution, Populism

Michele NICOLETTI International Political Theory, Ethics, Religions and International Politics
Louisa PARKS Transnational Social Movements, Civil Society, European Union Politics, European Parliament, Global Environmental Politics, Political Ecology.
Alessandra RUSSO International Relations; Security Studies; Comparative Regionalism (international and regional organisations in the former Soviet area); EU External Relations
Carlo RUZZA

Organised civil society at EU level, Ethnonationalism, Anti-politics and populism, Anti-discrimination Policy

Stefano SCHIAVO International Economics, Network Analysis
Umberto TULLI European Integration History, U.S. Diplomatic History, Human Rights History, Transatlantic relations
Jens WOELK Comparative Constitutional Law, Federalism/Regionalism, Minority-protection, Constitutional Issues of EU Integration, Constitutional Transitions in South Eastern Europe