2006 – 2011 PhD in Economic Theory and Institutions, University of Roma Tor Vergata, Roma (Italy).
Thesis Title: The Economics of the Small Arms Trade.
Supervisor: Dr. Tommaso VALLETTI, Imperial College Business School, London (UK)
Brief Synopsis of Research:
The thesis investigates the trade in firearms in both its legal and illegal dimensions. While academic literature on conflicts in general and on Defense procurement is vast, little has been done, from an academic perspective, in the field of the small arms trade and many of its theoretical and empirical aspects have yet to be explored. This is even more the case for issues related to ammunition which have been excluded from all international arms control regulations and have been overlooked by academic research despite their significance: as the popular expression goes “guns don’t kill people, bullets do”. Each chapter of the thesis focuses on a different aspect related to the trade in small arms or their ammunition, contributing to recent efforts to investigate the small arms trade using economic theory and econometric tools.
Teaching (graduate):
2007 -2008 Teaching Assistant: Microeconomics – Introduction to Contract Theory, Microeconomics – Game Theory.
2003 – 2005 Laurea (Master’s degree) in International Science and Diplomacy, University of Trieste, Trieste (Italy).
Thesis title: “The Special Forces in the European Common Defense Project: reflections and prospects” (English translation – original title: Le Forze Speciali nel progetto di Difesa Comune Europea: considerazioni e prospettive).
Final Score upon Graduation: 110/110.
1999 – 2003 Laurea (Master’s degree) cum laude in Political Science, International Politics specialization, University of Pisa, Pisa (Italy).
Thesis title: “Lebanon: story of a crisis. From the origins to the multinational intervention in 1982-1984” (English translation – original title: Libano: storia di una crisi. Dalle origini all’intervento multinazionale nel biennio 1982-1984).
Final Score upon Graduation: 110/110 with Honours.
