Assistant Professor, University of Eastern Piedmont
I am a political theorist interested in the realist tradition - both its classic authors like Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes and Weber, as well as its contemporary revival rekindled by Williams and Geuss. My main research interest is in the normative side of political realism, i.e. on the grounds upon which realist authors could praise or criticize both political actors and institutions, despite a broad scepticism of traditional moral norms.
I've recently developed a functionalist understanding of such realist political normativity. I argued that functions can be attributed objectively, and they can be used to ground normative judgments. Simply put, just as knives are good when they are sharp and armies are good when they are trained to fight, political institutions are good when they discharge their functions. One key political function is issuing binding collective decisions despite widespread disagreement. Institutions that fail to do so might be defended on moral grounds, but are politically undesirable. This argument also prompted a lively debate, since critics of realism replied to it and I offered some further thoughts in response.
Selected publications
2023 - No Virtue like Resilience – Machiavelli’s realistic justification of democracy, Political Studies
2022 - Getting Real about Taxes: Offshore tax sheltering and realism’s ethic of responsibility (with. Arlen, G.) Ethics & International Affairs
2021 - The Sources of Political Normativity: The case for instrumental and epistemic normativity in political realism (with Destri, C.) Ethical Theory & Moral Practice
2020 - Political Normativity and the Functional Autonomy of Politics, European Journal of Political Theory
2019 - A Realistic Conception of Politics: Conflict, order and political realism, Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy
I also write for the general public
In 2017 I worked as main writer and narrative designer for The King's Dilemma, a board-game about tragic political choices. The game is translated in 8 languages and is nominated for the Kennerspiel des Jahres 2020 - the most prestigious award in the field. In 2022, I also have been writing its anticipated sequel: The Queen’s Dilemma.
In 2010, I co-authored a philosophical dialogue on freedom of information, commissioned by italian newspaper Corriere della Sera and performed at the renowned milanese theatre Franco Parenti.
I also published several opinion articles on various newspapers and blogs, like OpenDemocracy, EUvisions and Messaggero Veneto.