Still ‘fire in the (full) belly’? Anti-establishment rhetoric before and after government participation

Scholars argued that anti-establishment parties use a populist rhetoric that appeals to the worst instincts of people. Indeed, populist politicians are often viewed as charismatic leaders that have fire in their belly. While in the past these parties heavily relied on anti-establishment platforms and communication rhetoric, their increasing electoral success along with the growing duties linked with government membership transform them into more established parties, rather than pure outsiders, and cast doubts on the feasibility of keeping a populist rhetoric. This paper compares right-wing and non-right-wing populism, investigating whether populist leaders change their rhetorical strategy once in office, decreasing the level of negativity and adopting a more forward-looking and inclusive style of communication, with a stronger focus on fulfilling the policy proposal made during the electoral campaign rather than blaming political rivals. For this purpose, we collected a new corpus of political speeches extracted from video messages posted on Facebook by four anti-establishment party leaders in three countries (Austria, Italy and Spain), from 2016 to 2018, i.e., immediately before and immediately after their access to power. Overall, 30 h of recorded audio from 215 videos (amounting to around 140 million visualizations) have been analyzed using topic models and well-established semantic psycholinguistic dictionaries. The results highlight slight changes in the rhetoric of populist leaders once in power, mostly for non-right-wing populists, as their language becomes less negative, less assertive and more focused on government duties

'ndrangheta e impresa mafiosa a Mantova : le conseguenze sull'economia locale

Questa ricerca si propone di analizzare la diffusione del fenomeno mafioso nell\u2019area mantovana e, soprattutto, le relative conseguenze sul tessuto economico locale. Il principale obiettivo che si prefigge \ue8 di elaborare alcuni indicatori quantitativi capaci di cogliere l\u2019entit\ue0 della penetrazione mafiosa nel territorio e di dimostrare adeguatamente le conseguenze negative di questa presenza sull\u2019economia locale. Inizialmente verr\ue0 delineata l\u2019evoluzione storica della presenza mafiosa sul territorio mantovano, con un\u2019attenzione particolare alle caratteristiche e alle peculiarit\ue0 del modello attuale, e poi verranno approfondite le conseguenti ripercussioni nel settore imprenditoriale. Si fornir\ue0 pertanto una chiave interpretativa teorica per comprendere la fondamentale funzione strategica che l\u2019imprenditoria ricopre nella prospettiva di colonizzazione del clan cutrese Grande Aracri. Si identificheranno i settori economici maggiormente colpiti e, infine, si dimostrer\ue0 statisticamente che la presenza di questa imprenditoria mafiosa sta direttamente causando un impoverimento dell\u2019economia mantovana.This research aims to analyze the spread of Mafia phenomenon in Mantova and its impact on the local economic system. The main goals are to define quantitative indicators able to grasp the extent of mafia penetration in the territory and to properly demonstrate the negative consequences of this presence on the local economy. Initially is outlined the historical development of \u2018ndrangheta clans settlement, giving particular attention to the current organizational structure, then is investigated how this infiltration upsets local economic framework. In order to understand the pivotal function that mafia entrepreneurship plays in the colonization strategy, performed by Grande Aracri clan, a theoretical interpretative key is provided. Finally, the hypothesis that claims mafia entrepreneurship negatively affect Mantova economy is statistically demonstrated by an OLS mode

Sensitivity of Modern Lighting Technologies to Rapid Voltage Changes

Rapid Voltage Changes (RVCs) are one of the Power Quality disturbances that are recently receiving a lot of attention from the point of view of international standards. However, although they can cause or contribute to flicker, IEC 61000-4-15 only addresses periodic amplitude fluctuations and more effort is needed to regulate the occurrence of RVCs, according to their effect on flicker perceptibility. Alongside, flicker perception is challenged by the integration of modern lighting technology, whose response is different from the traditional incandescent lamp. This paper studies the connection between the increasing importance of RVCs and the evolution of illumination technologies. Sensitivity of modern lighting technologies to RVCs is studied by measuring flicker with a high precision light flickermeter. A large set of modern lamps is tested and the relationship between RVCs parameters and flicker perceptibility is analyzed

Intergenerational Dependence in Italy : Exploring Changes in Households Composition and in Family Social Support Exchanges

This work is developed within the theoretical framework of intergenerational solidarity, developed principally by Vern L. Bengtson, who identifies the western modernization process as main cause of changes into the nuclear family\u2019s structure. One of these changes is the rise of vulnerability concerning two generations, the oldest and the youngest ones, which results in increased intergenerational dependency, in the sense of greater need of support and family solidarity. An ecological time series analysis was carried out on several indicators gathered at the national aggregate level, starting from 1994 to 2010: measures of vulnerability and intergenerational dependency. Results go in support to the validity of Bengtson\u2019s thesis. Indicators used were chosen to weigh social phenomena having household as unit of analysis. This forced to assume a structural perspective on the concept of family and don't allow to get important characterizations and functions of families. For this reason, a second stage of the research centered on the relational dimension of families has to be performed. Here particular importance shall be given to produce empirical evidence to corroborate the hypothesis that Italian families are expanding intergenerational solidarity networks, in which functional dimension (giving and receiving support) is predominant. Particularly suitable would be perform a longitudinal analysis on data collected in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, measuring increases in intergenerational exchanges, especially of support and help, over the past decade

MULTIGENERATIONAL HOUSEHOLDS IN ITALY. WHEN ADULT CHILDREN RETURN TO PARENTAL HOME, DETERMINANTS AND IMPLICATIONS

The general aim of this thesis is to establish a foundational understanding of the phenomenon of young people returning to the parental home (boomerangers) in Italy, unfolding its main determinants and understanding whether and to what extent it was affected by the economic crises of 2008. Using nine waves (from 2006 to 2014) of the Eurostat Longitudinal Survey on Income and Living Conditions was possible to compare the period of the crisis (2008-2012) with the one before (2006-2007) and the one after (2013-2014). The longitudinal design of the survey allowed to situate returning home phenomenon in the framework of life-course transitions, inquiring how it is related to other individual\u2019s life course turning points. Furthermore, the panel-data structure of the dataset made possible the use of longitudinal models. The empirical analysis is mainly oriented to define the effect of economic uncertainty on the residential careers of individuals in the 18-34 age group, specifically on their return to the parental home. Since residential careers are embedded in social and cultural contexts which reproduce specific mechanisms of social inequalities, the analysis is also oriented to understand the role that individual characteristics (mainly educational level, gender, and age), social class and familiar resources (household disposable income and tenure status) have on mediating the returning home phenomena. The main findings suggest that, in Italy, the quota of young people boomeranging into the parental home is relevant (especially for those in their 20s). The analysis highlights a significant rising trend during the period of economic crises, especially in the second more severe phase (from the half of 2010 to 2012), emphasizing the determinant effect of economic hardships (condition of unemployment and inactivity) and marital instability. Regarding the economic transition markers, it appears that is not so much the type of shift in the employment status (like getting unemployed), but the change in employment status itself, to be a good predictor of home returning. The most relevant findings, however, are about the interaction between social class and economic status. What primarily emerges, is that, in a period of economic uncertainty and hardship, family serves as a form of protection mainly for young people of the high class (in a status of unemployment/inactivity), who get residential support until the achievement of a high-level and stable job which can fulfill their expectations

Multigenerational households in Italy : how ageing and economic crisis are affecting individual trajectories and family forms

In the last decade Italy, as other European country, has witnessed a process of transformation and pluralization of family forms. This work aim to understand how significant demographic changes and the economic crisis have affected generational interdependence, family structures and solidarity networks in Italy. This country is particularly interesting for being the oldest in Europe, with one of the most high youth unemployment rate. My work takes in consideration major changes in family living arrangements, focusing on the multi-generational household types, both from a structural and a relational perspective. The family realm is a pivotal mediating force between societal changes and individual lives. Recalling the concept of linked lives, we can state how individual life expectations, constrains and choices are largely constructed within the family field and consequently the transitions of one member affect trajectories of all close others. Nowadays these trajectories have to be framed in a structural context where consequences of society aging and social events arising from the Economic crises (unemployment, illnesses, poverty, increase etc.) are impacting on the way families form, develop, and dissolve. A particularly suitable theory that allows to account the interplay of structure and agency in human behavior is the one of Bourdieu. Avoiding a straight bourdesian positioning, I\u2019m using some of his key concept to frame my methodological approach that I would like to present. I\u2019m proposing a sequential mixed-method designs, where quantitative methods are used to understand the objective factors that contextualize the increase of multigenerational households and qualitative methods to understand the subjective processes involved in the management of this kind of living arrangement. In the first phase, descriptive statistics and logistic regression are used to understand the most important macro-structural factors that influence the context within family members interact. Then, in a second phase qualitative methods, mainly life courses interviews will be performed to investigate how those structural factors shape habitus and affect individual trajectories. Here intergenerational ambivalences are central: the negotiations done among family members to live together, the tensions which can may occur between expectations on roles and individual behavior, as well as possible challenges to reciprocity norms and family obligations. Passing from speculative methodological proposal to pragmatic operationalization, I can broadly state to take a longitudinal perspective to grasp change over time. I\u2019m confronting two waves (collected respectively five years before and after 2008, considered roughly the beginning of the crisis) of a repeated cross-sectional survey: the Multipurpose survey on households. Results elaborated from descriptive analysis and logistic regression models will be presented. Another key aim of the quantitative phase is to define some homogeneous clusters, detecting the recurrent biographical events (job losses, insufficient income, separations, divorces, illnesses) and individual features (mainly gender and age), which rise the risk to drive individual trajectories toward multigenerational living arrangement. On this taxonomy will be defined the criteria to set up a reasoned sampling for the qualitative analysis

The cyclical nature of corruption. Modeling how corruption comes about, diffuses, and declines

Previous investigations on the topic of corruption tend to fall into one of these four classes: first, studies on the causes of the emergence of corruption (how corruption comes about). Second, studies about the processes through which corrupt practices spread among individuals (corruption diffusion). Third, studies about the conditions that hamper the reproduction of corrupt behavior (corruption decline). Fourth, studies about the relationship between individuals\u2019 perception of corruption and the real corruption level in their society (perceived vs actual corruption level). Each of these classes focuses on one phenomenon related to corruption, and provides a number of explanations of the social processes involved. However, observational evidence points at the fact that these phenomena are intertwined with one another. The emergence, diffusion and decline of corruption, for instance, can be regarded as phases of corruption cycles. Our work explores theoretically and empirically the idea that the last piece of the puzzle, namely the difference between perceived and actual corruption, is crucial to explain how corruption moves through these phases. Thus, our aim is to combine these partial explanations and develop a comprehensive theory of corruption which accounts for its cyclicality. To do so, we develop a formal and computational model implementing the processes concerning corruption emergence, diffusion, decline and its relationship with individuals\u2019 perception of corruption. The model is meant to generate simulated trends of corruption in a population, trends in individuals\u2019 perception of corruption, and trends in the frequency of news reports about corruption episodes. Focusing on the case of contemporary Italy, we calibrate the model\u2019s parameters and test its predictions against different sources of empirical data. In particular, we measure individuals\u2019 perception of corruption and its changes over time through survey data. The media coverage of corruption-related news is measured by crawling news agencies\u2019 Twitter accounts

Challenging Mafia territorial power. Operate among market and culture to sanction Cosa nostra, a case study on Addiopizzo

Addiopizzo is an anti-mafia movement established in Palermo (2004) to struggle extortion racket. It aims to sustain, spread and consolidate a culture based on legality, as well as an economic development free from mafia constraints. Addiopizzo association have fostered the creation of a community composed by entrepreneurs who refuse Mafia protection system. We argue that refuse to pay pizzo and above all the willing to denunciate any extortion attempt , question the legitimacy of mafia\u2019s territorial power. Consequently these attitudes can be conceptualized as a sanction against Cosa nostra. For a shopkeeper, joining Addiopizzo network assumes the meaning of sharing the aforementioned attitudes and entails to signal it out. This implies an increasing perception of a possible change, namely a market field where is possible to avoid relationship with the mafia realm and to remain consistent with an ethical orientation founded on anti-mafia values and a culture of legality. Our paper intends to inquire the dynamics that make Addiopizzo\u2019s experience so effective and lasting. In particular, how a community can organize a sanction system, jointly at economical and culturall level, to challenge territorial power of crime organizations. One crucial point concern the role played by values and culture in this process. The aim is to contribute understanding the possibilities of change in a context marked by a rooted presence of organised crime through the use of a post-heroic approach, that is an incremental transformation driven by a collective action of actors otherwise weak and powerless