Francesca Strumia

Professor Francesca Strumia is a distinguished academic at City St George's, University of London, where she joined in August 2022 as a member of the City Law School. Previously, she served as Senior Lecturer (2017-2022) and Lecturer (2014-2017) at the University of Sheffield School of Law. Her academic career is complemented by extensive practical experience as a legal practitioner, having been a member of both the New York Bar and Italian Bar, with practice experience at major international law firms including Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton and Kirkland and Ellis International LLP.

Education

• SJD, Harvard Law School, United States
• LLM (completed and waived), Harvard Law School, United States
• PhD in Comparative Analysis of Law, Economics and Institutions, Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy
• Laurea in Giurisprudenza, Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Advance HE

Professor Strumia's research focuses on the role of citizenship beyond the national domain, with particular attention to supranational citizenship, the relation between citizenship and international migration, the cosmopolitan role of the state, and the regulation of skilled migration. Her work spans legal theory, political philosophy, and practical migration policy, consistently examining how European integration transforms traditional notions of citizenship and state sovereignty. She approaches these topics through the lens of social contract theory, examining how free movement rights reshape the relationship between citizens, migrants, and states.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated examinations of citizenship in a transnational context. Her work has evolved from examining specific legal doctrines of EU citizenship to developing broader theoretical frameworks that connect legal concepts with philosophical foundations. A notable trend is her development of the 'cosmopolitan statist' perspective, exploring how states embrace cosmopolitan obligations toward others 'from within' as an indirect effect of advancing the transnational interests of citizen-migrants. Her recent scholarship increasingly bridges legal doctrine with political theory, particularly through social contract theory and republican concepts of non-domination.

Scientific Awards and Recognitions

• Italian Chamber of Commerce in the UK (2017) Young Talented Italians Award - One of eight UK-resident Italians under 40 to receive the prize for 'outstanding contributions to the relations between Italy and the UK'
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Professor Strumia actively supervises research in her areas of expertise and has established herself as a significant voice in EU citizenship and migration law. Her professional activities include partnership in the European Narratives Project with the Transnational Democracy Initiative at the European University Institute and consultancy for the Embassy of Italy in the UK, where she serves on an advisory group on Brexit and citizenship. She has delivered keynote lectures at prestigious events including the Annual Summer School on National Minorities in Border Regions at the European Center for Minority Issues and international conferences at the Human Rights Centre 'Antonio Papisca' at Università degli Studi di Padova.

Fluent in five languages (English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish), Professor Strumia brings a genuinely European perspective to her work, reflecting her extensive academic and professional background across multiple jurisdictions. Her research continues to shape scholarly and policy discussions on citizenship, migration, and European integration.