Italy

This course aims to provides a cultural perspective on human development. Specifically, the course emphasizes the usefulness of (cross-)cultural approaches to understanding parenting and psychological functioning, to assess culturally diverse children and families, and to implement culturally sensitive interventions. The course draws from specific examples from the Italian culture, and particularly the Roman one. This means that students are given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the culture and the characteristics of the city and its peoples. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be knowledgeable about the role of culture in human development and in socialization processes, as well as to identify the risk and protective factors involved in the adaptation of relocated families.

This course provides a foundation in both leadership and business administration, emphasizing various leadership styles and their application in organizational settings. Students from diverse disciplines — including sociology of work, economics, business administration, communication, and the arts — develop the skills needed to lead and manage organizations effectively by addressing the challenges of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (POLC). Key topics include the evolution of management thought, business ethics, organizational culture, and social responsibility. A strong focus is placed on the ethical responsibilities of leadership, with real-world case studies examining how leaders navigate moral dilemmas and foster ethical practices within organizations. These case studies include examples from industries where leadership plays a crucial role in balancing business goals with broader cultural, environmental, and societal concerns. Students also explore how leadership can address issues like diversity, sustainable development, and the global impact on business operations. This course is ideal for students interested in management, economics, business administration, sociology of work, and communication, offering valuable insights into leadership, management, and the role of ethics in decision-making, with particular relevance to sectors connected to art, food, and society in Rome and Italy.

Prerequisite: A fair understanding of psychological constructs like intelligence, cognitive functions. General knowledge about neuropsychological assessment.

At the end of the course students have critically understood: how to compare the major approaches to the study of cognitive functions from an individual differences perspective; the experimental methods used to study individual differences, and more specifically intelligence and cognitive functioning at individual level; the importance of individual differences in different cognitive domains.

Course topics include: Introduction to the study of individual differences in cognition. Must-know concepts in personality, intelligence, neuropsychology & research methodology; The paradox of individual differences: study what is common to understand what is not. Difference between nomothetic and idiographic approach; Relation between individual characteristics and cognitive functioning; "hot" intelligence and performance; Evolutionary approaches to the study of human cognition; Individual specificities in cognitive functioning. Single case studies and group studies. The role of normative data for determining normal performance. Premorbid intelligence. Cognitive reserve; Role of culture, personality, education, age and lifelong experiences on individual cognition; Graphical representation of individual differences; Domain-specific and domain-general individual differences.

The ability of the natural environment to dispose the waste of anthropogenic activities (keeping unchanged degree of regeneration) is not infinite (downstream “scarcity”). This kind of “scarcity” justifies using the tools of economic theory to face environmental problems. In this regard, two circumstances should be adequately emphasized. Firstly, today the most important (at least perceived) environmental problem is climate change due to the anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide. Secondly, more than 80% of carbon emissions are due to energy production and consumption. As a consequence, fighting climate change requires to adequately study the interaction between energy and environmental issues with the aim to understand how to mitigate global warming through (but not only) the decarbonization of energy supply. The analysis of this interaction is the principal mission of this course. The course is divided into three parts: 1) The first part focuses on how economic theory can help policymakers to design environmental policies. The main environmental tools are described and analyzed (environmental taxation, emissions trading, standards, voluntary agreements, etc.); 2) the second part introduces the main energy markets (crude oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear power and renewable energy). Great attention is dedicated to the perspectives of deployment of Renewable Energy Sources (RES), their competitiveness and the possible supporting mechanisms (quantity, pricing and hybrid supporting mechanisms); 3) The third part focuses on the policies aimed to achieve the net zero emission target, especially at the EU level. 

This course emphasizes the pivotal role of data and innovation in transforming society, with a deep dive into the implications of data utilization and technological advances. It highlights the transformative power of AI in fostering innovation and societal change. Starting with an overview of innovation in service systems, with a particular focus on public services, the course offers a comprehensive curriculum that explores the foundational principles of AI technologies such as machine learning and natural language processing. Students will investigate how these innovations drive significant changes across various public sectors, including healthcare, urban development, education, arts and culture, and the operations of international organizations. Enhancing the learning experience, the course will feature guest speakers from diverse fields, providing firsthand insights into the challenges and successes of AI implementation. Additionally, case studies will be integrated throughout the course to offer real-world contexts for the concepts discussed, and on-site visits to organizations actively utilizing AI will give students practical exposure to the dynamics of AI in action. The course aims to equip students with the knowledge, analytical frameworks, and practical skills to: •Develop strategies that enhance service efficiency and value, particularly in the public context; •Create innovative solutions to societal issues using AI and Machine Learning.

The course presents the conceptual and methodological elements that characterize the ethnopsychological approach to clinical psychology. Students are guided in the analysis of some content, applied research and some conceptualizations aimed at acquiring those methodological competencies designed to intervene in clinical situations. The lectures are interactive and require active participation on the part of the students. Experts with long-lasting experience in clinical services are involved in order to show certain practices regarding the course content. The course provides basic knowledge of ethnopsychology and the development of the following competencies: Competence to recognize and manage cultural differences; competence to recognize and manage one's own cognitive filters; competence to identify methodological practices regarding an ethnopsychological intervention; cultural competencies in Health Service.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. This course focuses on the following topics:

1. Market failures in health insurance: a) Adverse selection b) Moral hazard c) Other inefficiencies
2. Economic rationales for government intervention and redistribution
3. Insurance design and payment systems
4. Regulatory intervention and the public/private mix in health insurance
5. Comparative social insurance markets

At the end of the module, students: have knowledge of law and economics theories applied to insurance and social insurance markets and have insights on national, international, and comparative case studies; know how to utilize quantitative and qualitative information to analyze the impact of regulatory instruments on the efficiency of insurance and social insurance markets design, and critically develop proposals for optimal policy design.

The course provides students with the fundamental coordinates of modern political conceptuality (individual, the State, conflict, freedom, people, representation, etc.). The lessons focus on a series of classic authors of the history of political thought, addressed in their specific characters and supported by the reading and commentary of texts in the classroom. The course follows a monographic red thread - the birth and (presumed) end of modern political conceptuality - and does not claim to cover the entire history of political thought. Fundamental authors live in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, just as essential foundations are laid by ancient and medieval thought. The purpose of this monographic choice is to investigate those passages that best allow the questioning and exposition of the implicit assumptions of our contemporary political life. In particular, two key moments are analyzed: the birth of modern political conceptuality (16th-17th centuries), and the point of greatest tension of this conceptual apparatus in the XXth century. In outlining its fundamental passages, we constantly wonder about the persistence or the crisis of this conceptual apparatus in our contemporaneity: how modern is the implicit assumptions of our political action? What contemporary transformations have instead radically changed the scenario? How have the relationships between society, the State and market changed historically? Are there constants of human action and is it possible to study them?

At the end of the course, students: know the fundamental features of the modern and contemporary History of Political Thought; know the main forms of political communication and understand the complex relationships between ideas and facts; know the most important political doctrines and are able to critically analyze them in connection with the relevant cultural, institutional, historical and social context; are able to understand the most important political and institutional changes in Western history.

The course explores the unique landscape of sustainable fashion in Italy, highlighting the interplay between its rich historical, cultural, and artisanal heritage, and the contemporary surge in experimental and high-tech practices driven by R&D centers and emerging brands. Students examine how these two facets intertwine – both theoretically and in practice – shaping a dynamic and contemporary sustainable fashion scenario. Thus, the course delves into Italy’s artisanal legacy in fashion and textile, presenting case studies of local craftsmanship and companies, accompanied by an overview of contemporary cutting-edge experiences, to assess their role in the current sustainable paradigm.

To this extent, students are primarily introduced to the historical development and meaning of sustainable fashion in the Italian context, to then focus on more recent trends in material innovations, design, and production processes. The contents of the course also cover the foundations of sustainable fashion as a global phenomenon, to critically reflect on its definition and to explore key sustainability principles. Classes are scheduled according to macro themes and employ a hybrid approach, blending theoretical knowledge (traditional lectures) with practical application through class activities (hands-on or meta design projects). An interdisciplinary perspective is adopted to demonstrate the possibilities of integration of ecology, philosophy, science and art in the design perspective. The course features field visits to local museums, institutions, and designers’ studios to witness sustainability in action. Additionally, guest lectures from field experts and scholars provide specific insights or address key challenges.