Introducing the FUS Faculty: Elisa Volpi

Assistant Professor, Comparative Politics

Ph.D. European University Institute, Italy
Master of Research European University Institute, Italy
M.A. University of Florence, Italy
B.A. University of Florence, Italy

Office: Kaletsch Campus, Office 3
Phone: +41 91 986 53 33
Email: evolpi@fus.edu

Elisa Volpi received her Ph.D. from the European University Institute (Florence, Italy) in 2019. Her dissertation was awarded the prestigious ECPR Jean Blondel Ph.D. Prize in 2020. Before joining Franklin, she was post-doctoral researcher at the University of Geneva (2018-2022), where she also coordinated the doctoral program in political science.

Her main research interests are political elites and political parties that she studies with a comparative approach, using historical techniques and experimental designs.

Elisa Volpi participated in several international conferences and she was invited to give talks at leading foreign universities. Her work has been published in prominent peer-reviewed journals, such as "European Journal of Political Research", "Party Politics" and "Parliamentary Affairs".

She is currently working on a project in collaboration with the University of Geneva on citizens’ and elites’ perception of economic inequality. She is also part of an international project (including the Swiss universities of Geneva and Lausanne) on how elected politicians perceive the public opinion and relate to the inputs coming from it. In the framework of this project, Elisa Volpi interviewed several Swiss national legislators.

Professional Experience

Post-doctoral researcher and lecturer, University of Geneva, Switzerland (2018 – 2022)

Coordinator of the doctoral program in Political Science for Western Switzerland, Conférence Universitaire de Suisse Occidentale (CUSO) (2021-2022)

Invited Lecturer, University of Lucerne (2018 and 2022)

Visiting Scholar, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin, Italy (2021-2022)

Visiting Researcher, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium (2017)

2024-2025 Courses

POL 100	Introduction to Political Science	FALL 2024
Basic concepts of the discipline are discussed in this class with a focus on the evolution of the state and the role of the individual from historical, ideological, and comparative perspectives.
POL 254	Designing Political Representation	FALL 2024
n contemporary democracies, citizens' main task is the (s)election of politicians to represent them. The rules and policies that define how this (s)election is made are therefore of vital importance for the good functioning of democracy. Indeed, the rules of the electoral game determine who can run for office and vote, and how votes are translated into seats. This affects the party system that is formed, the types of identities that become politicized, and also the characteristics of the individuals who get elected. In recent years there has been an increasing focus on ensuring the inclusion of women and minority groups in politics. This course will discuss questions about how electoral systems are designed, with a focus on issues related to the inclusion of women and minorities in politics. It will talk about the incentive structures created by differing electoral systems, how they may affect which identities end up being politicized, talk about what constitutes "women's interests" or "group interests", and look at the effects of changing who is in power.
POL 497	Readings and Methods in Political Science and International Relations	FALL 2024
This course serves as a capstone for departmental majors. It focuses on classical and contemporary contributions in our fields and directly addresses the methodologies which students need to write their final theses. Students will be required to actively prepare and discuss class readings. They will also have the opportunity to work on their thesis projects and to discuss these in class.
POL 100	Introduction to Political Science	SPRING 2025
Basic concepts of the discipline are discussed in this class with a focus on the evolution of the state and the role of the individual from historical, ideological, and comparative perspectives.
POL 231T	The Politics of Organized Crime (Sicily)	SPRING 2025
While popular media often depicts Italian criminal organizations through clichéd portrayals in movies and literature, scrutinizing actual data—such as court records, investigative findings, and crime statistics—debunks many long-held beliefs about Italian mafias. This course aims to provide students with a nuanced understanding of these complex criminal networks by dispelling commonly held myths. It delves into the inner workings of Italy's mafia organizations, exploring their unique codes, symbols, and operations in both legitimate and illicit sectors. Additionally, the course investigates the mafias' ties to political and societal institutions. To offer a broader perspective, the course also compares Italian organized crime with its counterparts in other nations. Such comparative analyses will help students differentiate between various forms of organized crime and identify commonalities and variances in their origins and sustainability across different countries. Furthermore, the course encompasses an overview of anti-crime policies and community-led efforts aimed at mitigating the impact and spread of mafia influence in local economies and societies.
SEM 372	Unveiling Power: Exploring the Intersection of Media and Politics (Honors Seminar)	SPRING 2025
In today's media-saturated world, popular culture and propaganda are deeply intertwined, with entertainment mediums often serving as powerful vehicles for political messaging and societal influence. From catchy songs to blockbuster films, pop culture not only reflects societal values but also shapes and manipulates public perception in subtle ways. This Honors Seminar invites students from diverse disciplines to explore the intricate ways in which politics permeates popular culture. We will begin by defining popular culture and examining its pervasive role in shaping societal norms and values. The course will delve into how pop culture serves as a vehicle for propaganda and political messaging, investigating who finances these cultural products and for what purposes. Through critical analysis of various media – including movies, novels, music, television, radio, and sports – we will uncover the underlying messages and genres that convey different political ideologies. Special attention will be given to the Eurovision Song Contest, dedicating several sessions for an in-depth exploration of its historical and contemporary political significance in the year when Switzerland is hosting this most popular event.

Areas of Research:

Elisa Volpi’s primary research interests are political elites and their attitudes and behavior. Her work lies at the intersection between legislative studies, party politics, and political economy. In particular, during her Ph.D., she studied the determinants of legislative party switching. Later, during her post-doc, she focused on elites' perceptions of economic inequality. Methodologically, she combines historical and comparative analysis with experimental research.

Publications:

Peer-reviewed:

Ceron, Andrea and Elisa Volpi (2022). "How do parties react to defections? Electoral strategies after a valence loss". In: European Journal of Political Research, https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6765.12516.

Ceron, Andrea and Elisa Volpi (2021). "Breakups hurt: Party switching and perceived proximity between politicians and their party". In: Party Politics, Volume 27, Issue 4, Pages 656-666, https://doi.org/10.1177/1354068819880138.

Volpi, Elisa (2019). "Ideology and party switching: A comparison of 12 West European countries". In Parliamentary Affairs, Volume 72, Issue 1, January 2019, Pages 1–20, https://doi.org/10.1093/pa/gsx079. Article selected as Editor’s Choice for the issue.

Book chapters:

Volpi, Elisa, Lorenzo Cicchi and Tobias Widmann (in press). "Pandemic frames: How is the European Union narrated by Italian (populist) parties during Covid-19’s first wave in Italy" in Populism in Contemporary Italian Politics: Actors and Processes in Times of Crisis, Edited by: Calossi, Enrico and Paola Imperatore. Pisa University Press.

Other:

Andrea Ceron and Elisa Volpi. "Don't sweep it under the carpet! How parties react to defections"
(link), The Loop, April 2022.

Elisa Volpi. "The so-called crisis of political parties is, in fact, evidence of their adaption. Here's why"
(link), The Loop, January 2021.

Andrea Ceron and Elisa Volpi. "Non tutte le scissioni vengono per nuocere. Vedi il caso Pd-Iv"
(link), Il Foglio, 21 February 2020

Elisa Volpi. "Il trasformismo? Si ferma con i regolamenti parlamentari"
(link), LaVoce.info, 12 June 2018

Elisa Volpi. "Elezioni Regionali in Piemonte: vittoria del centrosinistra o disfatta del centrodestra?"
(link), Centro Italiano di Studi Elettorali, 28 May 2014

Awards and Honors:

"5 Women for Restarting", award by the regional government of Tuscany to "five women who distinguished themselves for their achievements and contributions to their fields and the society" (03/2021)

ECPR Jean Blondel Ph.D. Prize for best thesis (2020)

Other:

Current projects:

Inequality in the Mind, with Prof. Nathalie Giger, University of Geneva

Rep Project, with Prof. Frédéric Varone (University of Geneva) and Prof. Pirmin Bundi (University of Lausanne)