Teaching | Manuela Caiani

Teaching Experience

Manuela Caiani received her Italian License for Full Professorship in Political Science and in Political Sociology in 2017. She currently works as an Associate Professor in Political Science at the Scuola Normale Superiore and associated faculty at the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) in Vienna, in addition to teaching numerous guest lectures and supervising students at the PhD, graduate, and undergraduate levels.

Courses

PhD Level

Scuola Normale Superiore (Florence) - Annual Summer School on "Democratic backsliding" (yearly)

Pontificial Catholic University of Chile - Course on "Social network analysis and political partecipation2, at the Summer School on "Mixed Method" (EVMM), Pontificial Catholic University of Chile, Santiago (organizers: Prof. C. Rovira Katwasser, Carla Alberti, Catherine Reyes-Housholder) (6-11 January 2025)

Scuola Normale Superiore (Florence) - Summer School on "Visual Analysis & Contentious Politics", co-organizer (with Prof. Trenz) and instructor, Cortona, Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy (2020-2024)

Scuola Normale Superiore (Florence) - Semester courses on: Comparative European politics; Europeanization; Qualitative methods for social research; Populism and radical right politics; Research design in Comparative politics; Methodological Practices in Social Movement Studies, Movement-Parties Politics (since 2015- present)

Scuola Normale Superiore (Florence) - Crash courses on "Visual and musicological analysis”, "Social network analysis” (since 2020 - present)

Pontificial Catholic University of Chile (Santiago) Course on ‘Social network analysis and political partecipation’ (6th-11th June 2025)

Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies - Course on “How to Study the Radical Right and hate speech" at the Summer School on "Denialism and Conspiracy Theories in EU", Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy (June 2023)

Scuola Normale Superiore (Florence) - Annual Methodological Crashcourses (4-6 hours) on "Visual analysis; Social network analysis; Focus Groups; computer assisted qualitative data analysis" (since 2019 - present)

Scuola Normale Superiore (Florence) - Annual courses on "Qualitative Methods for social research" (Basic/Advanced); Methodological Practices in Social Movement Studies; Comparative Research Design; The Politics of the Far right; Key Concepts in the study of Populism; Comparative politics: "Movement-parties"; European contentious politics and Europeanization; (since 2015 - present)

University of Trento, School of International Studies - Course on "Qualitative Research Methods", PhD program in International Studies (January 2019)

University of Trento, School of International Studies - Course on "Qualitative Research Methods in International Studies", PhD program in International Studies (November-December 2018)

Cattolica University of Milano - Seminar, "Causes of Populist Radicalization", International PhD in Criminology (Centre TransCrime) (29 May 2018)

European University Institute, Fiesole - Seminar, "Populism in Europe" (3 May 2018).

University of Trento, School of International Studies - Course on "Qualitative Research Methods in international Studies", PhD program in International Studies (November-December 2017)

Brno University (Czech Republic) - Course on "Europeanization from Below: European integration and civil society" (Fall 2016)

Cattolica University, Milan - Seminar, "The Causes of violent radicalization and social movements", International PhD in Criminology, Transcrime (2-3 May 2016)

European Commission (Brussels) - Course on "Qualitative Methods in Social Research, for the EACEA (Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency)" (June 29-July 1 2016)

University of Trento, School of International Studies - Course on "Qualitative Research Methods in international Studies", PhD programs in International Studies (Winter I 2016)

Scuola Normale Superiore (Florence) - Course on "Methodological Practices in Social Movement Studies" (Fall 2015)

Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), Department of Political Science (Vienna) - Semester courses on "Qualitative Methods for Social Research; Europeanization; Comparative European Politics" (2009-2015)

Catholic University of Milan, Milan - Lecture, "The causes of violent radicalization leading to terrorism", Transcrime Doctoral program (8 May 2014)

Luiss University, Rome, Italy - Seminar, "Il Web Nero: organizzazioni di estrema destra e politica online" (11 December 2013)

University of Siena, Italy - Lecture, "European and American Extreme Right Groups and the Internet" (10 December 2013)

The Centre for Social Movement Research at Gothenburg University, Gothenburg - Lecture, "Studying the extreme right through the lens of social movement theory" (04 December 2013)

University of Pisa, Italy - Lecture, "European and American Extreme Right Groups and the Internet" (25 November2013)

Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), Dept. of Political Science (Vienna) - Course on "Qualitative Methods" (Fall 2013)

European University Institute, Florence - Seminar, "Social Network Analysis and Social Movement Research", ECPR Summer School (17 September 2013)

University of Mannheim - Lecture, "Extreme right movements and online politics", MZES (the Mannheim Centre for European Social Research) (21April 2013)

European University Institute, Florence - Seminar, “Social Network Analysis: How and When in Social Movement Research”, Methodological seminar (18 April 2013)

Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), Dept. of Political Science (Vienna) - Course on "Qualitative Methods" (Spring 2011)

University of Siena - Lecture, "Extreme right organizations and the European Union: frames and discourses of right wing actors in Italy and Germany", Jean Blondel lectures’ series (26 October 2010)

University of Brno, Czech Republic - Seminar, at the Summer School on "Current Themes in the Research of the Non-profit Sector and Civil Society in Europe", CVNS Summer School (30 August - 4 September 2010)

RAND Corporation and (DHS S&T), Washington DC, USA - Seminar, at the "Case Study Methodologies Workshop" (April 2009)

University of Florence, PhD program in Sociology (Florence, Italy) - Teaching Assistant for "The Europeanisation of Contentious Politics" (June 2008)

University of Florence, PhD program in Sociology (Florence, Italy) - Teaching Assistant for "A European Civil Society? Networks and Mobilisation of Social Movements in Europe" within the course "Sociology of Europe" (April 2008)

SUM-Istituto di Scienze Umane, Florence - Seminar, "How to Build a Codebook", within the PhD program in Political Science at SUM (February 2008)

SUM-Istituto di Scienze Umane, Florence - Seminar, "The Analysis of Documents: Frame Analysis and Claim-making Analysis", within the PhD program in Political Science at SUM (December 2007)

MA and undergraduate level

University of Florence, Italy - Course (12h) on “Social movements and Democracy”- Political Sociology, Dept. of Political Science and Sociology (“Cesare Alfieri”) (Spring 2025)

University of Florence, Italy - Semester Course on “Introduction to Political Science”, Dept. of Political Science and Sociology (“Cesare Alfieri”) (Fall 2022)

Luiss University, Rome - Course (12 h.) on “Qualitative Methods” (Winter 2022)

Luiss University, Rome - Seminar “Metodi e Tecniche della Ricerca Sociale” (26 April 2022)

Scuola Normale Superiore (Pisa/Florence/San Miniato/Napoli/Pavia), Italy - Annual Orientation Summer Courses SNS and Seminars “La Normale a Scuola” on: “Radical Right contentious politics”; “Populism and democracy”; 2Radical Political Mobilisation and the Internet”; “Qualitative Methods”; “Social Movements and conflict” (Since 2015)

Various Universities - 1-2 day Seminars on “Qualitative methods”; “Social Movements”; “Comparative far right politics; theories of radicalization” for: Cattolica University (Milan); University of Florence; University of Pisa; Aalborg University (DK); Luiss University (Rome), Brno University (CZ); Vienna University (AT) (2015-2020 (regularly))

Webster University, Wien, Department of International Relations - Course on “Topics in Comparative Politics: Political Mobilization and Non-state actors” (Spring 2015)

Webster University, Wien, Department of International Relations - Course on “The Art Case Studies and Textual Analysis” (Fall 2014)

Webster University, Wien, Department of International Relations - Course on “The Art Case Studies and Qualitative Approaches to IR” (Fall 2013)

Webster University, Wien, Department of International Relations - Course on “Qualitative Methods’ (Spring 2013)

Webster University, Wien - Seminar “Social Movements and Political Violence” (07 November 2012)

University of Brno, Czech Republic - Lecture on “Right Wing Extremist Social Movements and Political Violence on the Web” (10 October 2012)

Webster University, Wien - Seminar, “Social Movements and the Causes of Violent Radicalization” (07 September 2012)

University, Florence, Department of International Relations, Lorenzo de Medici - Course on “Italy and the EU” (Fall 2011)

Webster University, Wien – Seminar, “Civil society associations and How to Study Them II” (11 November 2011)

University of Wien - Lecture on “Extreme Right Mobilization in Europe”, Inex Talks (10 November 2011)

University of Brno, Czech Republic - Lecture, “Extreme Right Movements and Internet Politics” (9 November 2011)

Webster University, Wien - Seminar, “Civil society associations and How to Study Them I” (5 October 2011)

University of Pisa, Department of Political Science - Lecture on “Social Movements and Political Communication on the Web” (23 May 2011)

University of Florence, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Lecture on “New Social Movements in Europe”, Jean Monnet seminars” series (20 May 2011)

University of Florence - Teaching assistant, Course of International Relation, course on “The causes of violent political radicalization” (two units) (December 2009)

University of Florence - Teaching Assistant, course in Sociology of Europe on “Anti-Europeism and the Extreme Right in Europe” (May 2009)

University of Florence, Department of Political Science - Course on “Political Science” (Spring 2009)

American University Lorenzo de Medici, Florence, Department of International Relations, Rome - Course on “Economics of the European Union” (Spring 2009)

American University of Rome, Department of International Relations, Rome - Course on “Political Movements in Europe” (Fall 2008)

American NYU, Florence - Teaching Assistant, “Political Radicalization and Violence”, seminar (two units) (April 2007)

Invited Talks

Key note speaker, year 2026 11th May Sorbonne, Paris; 15 April, University of Lisbon; 18 October, Poland, IPSA Conference

Invited lecturer, 10-11 April 2025, “The Transnationalization of the radical Right in Europe: Observations”, Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Brighton, UK

Invited presentation, 7-8 April 2025 “Processual perspectives on the transnationalisation of the Far-Right in Europe: Networks, collective identity and practices”, “Transnationalization of the Far-Right” workshop SAIS-Johns Hopkins University, Bologna, Italy

Invited presentation, 27 March 2025, “The Transnationalization of the Illiberal Right” ‘Democratic backsliding and the autocratic appeal in consolidated democracies" Conference, European University Institute, Florence

Invited lecturer, 14 March 2025, “The Global Radical Right”, Seminari “Le destre europee del XXI secolo tra radicalizzazione e istituzionalizzazione”, Fondazione Gramsci, Rome, Italy

Invited lecturer (online), 17 Feb 2025 “Radical Right Movement Parties in Europe”, Lunch Seminars Series, ESA (European Sociological Association) RN 32 Political Sociology

Invited lecturer, 12 Feb. 2025, “The transnationalization of the far-right between movements and parties”, CEU Central European University, Vienna, Austria

Invited presentation, October 14-15, 2024, “Movement-parties and backlash politics: A relational approach to study movement-parties’ impact on contemporary democracies” workshop, WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Germany

Invited presentation (online), 27 November 2024, “The Transnationalization of the Illiberal Right: Ideas, Frames, Events and Networks”, Authlib International Event

Invited presentation (online), 14 November 2024, “Transnational networks, identities and practices of the Illiberal radical right in Europe”, workshop, CEU Budapest, Hungary

Invited presentation, 19-20 November 2023, “The Radical Right and the anti Vax protest: The Italian case”, FARRIO Kick-off Workshop “The Far Right and International Organizations”, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Guest Speaker, 27 June 2023, Program on Extremism Event, The George Washington University (online)

Guest speaker, 15-16 June 2023, University of Groningen, Summit on Social Movements on “Social movements and European identities”

Guest speaker 1-2 June 2023, Madrid, ETUI: Training course on combatting the far-right, on “How to debunk far-right myths and counter hate speech”

Guest Speaker, June 2023, “How to Study the Radical Right and hate speech”, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Summer School, “Denialism and Conspiracy Theories in EU”, Pisa, Italy

Guest Speaker, 16-17 March 2023, “Hate Speech and the Radical Right” and “The dark side of the web: extreme right organizations and the internet in Europe and the USA” , Coimbra Portugal.

Guest Speaker, 14-15 March 2023, “Radicalization on the Internet”, 4th conference of the ECTC Advisory Network on terrorism and propaganda, Europol, the Hague, NL

Guest Speaker, 26 January 2023, ISPI, “Nazionalismi, femminismi e destre”, Evento Giornata della Memoria, Milano, Italy

Guest Speaker, 12 December 2022 University of Losanna, Switzerland (organizer: Oscar Mazzoleni ), on Populism. Roundtable, Symposium “Challenges in Political Sociology: Europe and Civil Society in an Age of Populism”, University of Trento

Guest Speaker, October 2022, “Populism, Populisms”, University of Losanna, Switzerland

Guest Speaker, 26 September 2022, the European Policy Centre, “Italian election analysis”, Brussels

Roundtable 9 May 2022, "Social Movements and Anti vax protest", Opening Roundtable of the Study Days Event of the Standing group SISP "Social movements and Political Participation", University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

Guest speaker, November 2021, "Uncivil Society: Perspective on Right wing Violence and Terrorism", Goethe Institute, Bruxelles

Invited presentation, 29 October 2021, "Radical Right Organizations and Mobilization on the Internet", Conference "Dissent and Communication", Valencia, Spain

Guest speaker (online), September 2021, ‘Radical Right as a social Movement’ University of Kassel and WZB

Invited presentation, 5 December 2019, “Muslims in the West and the rise of the new populists: The case of Italy”, at the "Populism, Religion and Gender Conference", University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy

Invited presentation, May 2019, “EU elections, party realignment and the ‘bloc’ of the radical right: the Italian case”, Conference on "La derecha in Southern Europe", Fundacio Nexe, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

Invited presentation, 12-13 March 2019, “Populism, religion and Muslims the Italian case”, report ), Brookings Institute Meeting 12-13°, Washington DC, USA

Key note speaker, 23 January 2019, "The Dark Side of the Web: radical right groups and the Internet", Conference on "Trade unions and the threat of populism and far right", ETUI, Bruxelles, Belgium

Key note speaker, Dec. 2018, "Making sense of Populism(s) in Europe in time of Cris(e)s", Conference organized by the EESC (Comitato Europeo economico e Sociale) on "Civil society in the age of populism: A new blueprint for a thriving democracy in the 21st century", Brussels, Belgium

Guest speaker, 14 June 2018, “La destra radicale in movimento: fra successi elettorali e nuove strategie online”, Feltrinelli workshop, Cattolica University, Milano, Italy

Guest speaker Madrid, June 2018, "The role of the Internet for extremist right-wing organizations", International Congress "Political Violence and Extreme Right Terrorism: From the sixties to today", Computense University, Madrid, Spain

Guest speaker, 21 May 2018, “The Radical Right and the online communication”,ISPI, Milano, Italy

Invited presentation, 19-20 September 2017, “European and American Extreme Right Groups”, "Media meets literacy Conference", Evens Foundation, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Erzegovina

Guest speaker, 2-4 March 2017, International Dissidence Conference, "Populism and the European crisis in Europe: Insights from the Itaian case", Frankfurt, Germany

Guest speaker, 18-22 November 2015, “Radical Politics Online: Empirical evidences from the Extreme Right in Europe and the USA”, Lunch seminars, Political extremism (VOX-Pol) project, King's College, London, UK

Guest speaker, 10-12 November 2015, “Extreme right movements in Europe and the U.S.”, Workshop on "Mobilization and the Picture of the Enemy", ELTE Faculty of Social Sciences, Budapest, Hungary

Guest speaker, 28-29 August 2014, “Extreme Right Movements and online Politics”, Conference on online political extremism (VOX-Pol project), King's College, London, UK

Guest Lectures and Seminars

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Centre TransCrime, International PhD in Criminology (Milan) - Seminar on Causes of Populist Radicalization (May 29, 2018)

European University Institute (Fiesole) - Seminar, ‘Populism in Europe’ (May 3, 2018)

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Centre TransCrime, International PhD in Criminology (Milan) - Seminar on The Causes of violent radicalization and social movements (May 2-3, 2016)

Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), Dept. of Political Science (Vienna) - Semester courses on Qualitative Methods for Social Research; Europeanization; Comparative European Politics (2009-2015)

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Centre TransCrime, International PhD in Criminology (Milan) - Lecture on ‘The causes of violent radicalization leading to terrorism’ (May 8, 2014)

Luiss University (Rome) - Seminar on ‘Il Web Nero: organizzazioni di estrema destra e politica online’ (December 11, 2013)

University of Siena (Siena) - Lecture on ‘European and American Extreme Right Groups and the Internet’ (December 10, 2013)

Gothenburg University Centre for Social Movement Research (Gothenburg) - Lecture on ‘Studying the extreme right through the lens of social movement theory’ (December 4, 2013)

University of Pisa (Pisa) - Lecture on ‘European and American Extreme Right Groups and the Internet’ (November 25, 2013)

European University Institute, ECPR Summer School (Fiesole) - Seminar on ‘Social Network Analysis and Social Movement Research’ (September 19, 2013)

European University Institute (Fiesole) - Methodological Seminar on “Social Network Analysis: How and When in Social Movement Research” (April 18, 2013)

University of Mannheim, MZES, Center for European Social Research (Germany) - Lecture on ‘Extreme right movements and online politics’ (April 21, 2013)

University of Siena, Jean Blondel Lecture Series (Siena) - Lecture on ‘Extreme right organizations and the European Union: frames and discourses of right wing actors in Italy and Germany’ (October 26, 2010)

University of Brno, CVNS Summer School (Czech Republic) - Seminar on ‘Current Themes in the Research of the Non-profit Sector and Civil Society in Europe’ (August 30-September 4, 2010)

RAND Corporation and DHS Science and Technology Directorate (Washington DC, USA) - Seminar at the ‘Case Study Methodologies Workshop’ (April 2009)

SUM-Istituto di Scienze Umane, PhD program in Political Science (Florence, Italy) - Seminar on ‘How to Build a Codebook’ (February 2008)

SUM-Istituto di Scienze Umane, PhD program in Political Science (Florence, Italy) -Seminar on ‘The Analysis of Documents: Frame Analysis and Claim-making Analysis’ (December 2007)