The seminar will feature Dr Francesca Rispoli (University of Pisa) and Dr Roberto Mincigrucci (University of Perugia), who will present their recent research on the social construction of corruption through public narratives and their circulation within today’s media ecosystem. Drawing on an analysis of social media discourse in Italy, the speakers examine how narratives of corruption are structured and disseminated, offering new insights into the relationship between media, storytelling, and public accountability in the digital age.

Speakers:

• Francesca Rispoli is a post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Political Science of the University of Pisa, where she earned her PhD in Political Science (specialization in Sociology, History and Political Culture) and a second-level Master’s degree in Analysis, Prevention and Contrast of Organized Crime and Corruption. Her research focuses on corruption, anti-corruption, and civic mobilizations, with particular attention to the social construction of corruption, citizen participation dynamics, and preventive strategies through civic monitoring. She has carried out research activities within several national and international projects, including the Italian PRIN projects POLITICANTI, SCALPO, and SOMMOSSA, as well as the European projects Open the Whistle and YOU MONITOR. She is the author of the book In piazza contro la corruzione. Le mobilitazioni in Italia nel periodo 1984–2022 (Meltemi, 2023) and of essays and articles published in Italian and international peer-reviewed journals.
• Roberto Mincigrucci is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science of the University of Perugia. His fields of research are journalism, corruption and the analysis of the different forms of political communication. His works have been published in international journals such as European Journal of Communication, Journalism, International Journal of Press/Politics, International Journal of Strategic Communication, and Social Media + Society.
• Sarah Seif is a postdoctoral Research Associate on the RESPOND.EU project, based in the School for Government. Her research on the project focuses on media and corruption, and how both legacy and digital media are captured.
• Roxana Bratu is a Senior Lecturer in Public Policy in the School for Government, The Policy Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences and Public Policy. Roxana’s research interests and publications focus on anti-corruption public policies and practices, digitalization and its impact on (anti)corruption, narratives of corruption and integrity development, ethics and integrity in public policy and artificial intelligence public policies and regulations.
• Jonathan Gray is a Reader in Critical Infrastructure Studies at the Department of Digital Humanities, Faculty of Arts & Humanities. He is also Co-Founder of the Public Data Lab; Research Associate at the Digital Methods Initiative (University of Amsterdam) and Research Associate at the médialab (Sciences Po, Paris). Jonathan's work explores the role of digital data, digital methods and digital infrastructures in the composition of collective life.