I obtained my Master's Degree in Media, Digital Communication and Journalism with a 110/110 mark, with honnourable mention. My research work focused mainly on the exploitation of Internet memes and user-generated content for political consensus. My Master thesis examined QAnon as case study to explain how conspiracy theories make inroads into people in times of crisis, and how an Internet meme can flare up to a global phenomenon, culminated in the January 6th, 2021 Capitol Hill assault.
My areas of interest range from politics to journalism, up to gender studies, always maintaining Internet as a central analysis object. Pro-european activist since 2017, my research work aims to investigate - and, possibly, enhance - the relationship between the european insitutions and public opinion, with a special focus on EU public communication.
In deference to the NextGen EU topic "The promotion of youth policies for civic and social engagement", my doctoral thesis echoes the fil rouge of my academic career, exploring the performance of memetic creations generated by the european institutions (mainly, by the European Commission) with the goal of promoting and creating awareness around proposed and ongoing policies. The effectiveness of those creations, oad of user-generated ones, will be monitored in terms of public engagement (by counting reactions and examining the sentiment of users' comments). Focus groups with standard users, meme enjoyers and meme creators will complete the framework.
Curriculum studiorum and main research activity:
(04/01/2022 – 08/31/2022)
JUNIOR RESEARCHER (FELLOW)
"Sapienza" University of Rome
Member of the "Euromedia Ownership Monitor" team - supported by the European Union -.
Research and input of data related to mass media ownership transparency in Italy; drafting of the Italy Country Report; attendance at the mid-term conference, held in Palma de Mallorca from June 7th to 9th, 2022.
(09/12/2019 – 01/17/2021)
MASTER'S DEGREE IN MEDIA, DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM
"Sapienza" University of Rome
Thesis: How a conspiracy theory stems, arises and propagates: the QAnon case
Subject: Comunicazione politica
Supervisors: Proff. Christian Ruggiero and Fabrizio Martire
(09/09/2014 – 05/22/2018)
BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN COMMUNICATION SCIENCES
"Tor Vergata" University of Rome
Thesis: Public Opinion and Political Communication in the Web 2.0
Materia: Storia del pensiero politico contemporaneo
Supervisor: Prof. Giovanni Dessì