Salvatore Sberna

Salvatore Sberna is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Pisa, where he teaches Political Science and Public Policy Analysis. He also teaches International Relations and Strategic Studies at the Italian Naval Academy (Corpo di Stato Maggiore).

Research fields: Criminal justice systems; organized crime; criminal violence; political corruption.

His research focuses on criminal violence and political corruption, with a recent emphasis on criminal justice systems and their responses to political corruption and organized crime. He has been a visiting scholar at the ExLegi Institute (University of Oxford), the Department of Sociology (New York University), the Department of Political Science (UCLA), and the Department of Political Science (ITESO–Guadalajara).

Recent participation in national and international research groups.

He is currently involved in the following projects:

1) Since Feb 2024 — Researcher, Department of Political Science (University of Pisa): “State Capture and Legal Political Corruption in Italy (SCALPO)” (PRIN 2022), coordinated by Alberto Vannucci, Lucio Picci, and Benedetto Ponti.

2) Since Jan 2024 — Steering Committee member (project coordination) and Scientific Lead, WP8 (criminal law; domestic/transnational corruption); Researcher, Department of Political Science (University of Pisa): Horizon Europe “BridgeGap” (GA 101132483), coordinated by Alina Mungiu-Pippidi (LUISS).

3) Since Feb 2024 — Researcher, Department of Political Science (University of Pisa): PRIN 2022 PNRR “SOMMOSSA” (P2022YRFWS), coordinated by Alberto Vannucci and Marco Mazzoni.

4) Feb 2020 – Dec 2023 — Researcher, Department of Political Science (University of Pisa): “PolitiCanti. The Politicisation of Corruption and Anticorruption Strategies in Italy” (PRIN 2017; 2017CRLZ3F), coordinated by Alberto Vannucci.