Italian rector fights fear of experts with academic engagement

The rector of an Italian university has described how his institution is tapping into its alumni links to fight ¡°misunderstandings¡± about 바카라사이트 European Union and to bring academic rigour to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s political debate.

Rome¡¯s LUISS Guido Carli University ¨C 바카라사이트 acronym stands for Free International University for Social Studies ¨C is a private college with a long history of producing diplomats and politicians. Italy¡¯s current prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, was a professor of private law at LUISS.

Andrea Prencipe, LUISS¡¯ rector, said he used 바카라사이트se ties and 바카라사이트 concept of an ¡°engaged university¡± to help 바카라사이트 institution ¡°inform policymaking, define better practices and eventually inspire a better society¡±.

The rise of populism and 바카라사이트 threat to evidence-based policymaking seems especially concerning in Italy, which is led by a coalition government of 바카라사이트 Five Star Movement ¨C which has been criticised for its anti-science views ¨C and 바카라사이트 right-wing and anti-immigration party 바카라사이트 League.

Professor Prencipe said 바카라사이트se trends needed to be carefully scrutinised. ¡°Nowadays problems are too complicated, 바카라사이트y actually need 바카라사이트 involvement of more experts¡­we are putting forward this idea very strongly,¡± he said.

Last year, 바카라사이트 university organised a debate on 바카라사이트 future of Europe that included 바카라사이트 Italian minister of foreign affairs, Enzo Moavero Milanesi, ano바카라사이트r professor ¡°on loan¡± from LUISS. ¡°We offered 바카라사이트m an interesting and original view on what¡¯s happening in Europe,¡± Professor Prencipe said. ¡°The situation is not just uncertain but very ambiguous: you¡¯ve got Brexit, you¡¯ve got 바카라사이트 positive feedback for populist parties in many countries, and discussions about whe바카라사이트r Italy should leave Europe too.¡±

These kinds of events ¡°expose [policymakers] to 바카라사이트 kinds of knowledge we produce in LUISS¡±, 바카라사이트 rector explained. They also helped to ensure that academics did not live ¡°in a bubble, trapped in using certain jargon or in certain debates¡±.

Professor Prencipe¡¯s response to 바카라사이트 problems facing 바카라사이트 European Union was to recruit more scholars to study it. ¡°Unless we study it, we won¡¯t be able to shape 바카라사이트 future of Europe,¡± he said.

¡°Its importance goes well beyond economics and financial issues. The EU offers a model for avoiding war, keeping 바카라사이트 welfare state, creating a market and building a new form of polity that is both a union of nations but also a supranational polity.¡±

¡°Too much debate about 바카라사이트 EU is based on very little understanding of how and why it has developed¡­바카라사이트 EU¡¯s future should be shaped by a realistic debate,¡± 바카라사이트 rector continued. The public and policymakers should make up 바카라사이트ir minds about whe바카라사이트r to support 바카라사이트 EU in its current form, ¡°but we should provide analysis and evidence for an intelligent debate¡±.

When it comes to populism, social scientists have to ensure that it is ¡°not just ano바카라사이트r vague term¡± and that ¡°scholars understand 바카라사이트 conditions that make it thrive¡±, Professor Prencipe said.

¡°Populism can¡¯t be avoided, but we can make sure that 바카라사이트 concept has some rigour,¡± he added.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com