Giovanni Semi

Giovanni Semi is a Full Professor in Urban Sociology at the Interuniversity Department of Territorial Sciences, Planning and Policies (DIST) at Politecnico di Torino. His academic career spans multiple institutions, with significant teaching contributions to doctoral programs at both the University of Milan and University of Turin over the past decade.

• University of Milan (2013-2023): Multiple cycles of Sociology and Methodology of Social Research
• University of Turin (2016-2018): Sociology and Methodology of Social Research

His research focuses on three interconnected areas: urban studies (particularly gentrification, platform capitalism, and public spaces), migration studies (Mediterranean circulations and daily multiculturalism), and sociology (ethnographic methods, class analysis, and housing dynamics). Semi's work bridges theoretical frameworks with empirical fieldwork, often employing qualitative methodologies to examine contemporary urban transformations.

Semi's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on the evolving nature of urban inequality, particularly examining how short-term rental platforms, post-pandemic conditions, and gentrification processes reshape urban landscapes and social relations. His work often centers on Turin as a case study while maintaining broader theoretical implications for Southern European urban contexts.

As an academic, Semi has contributed significantly to methodological discussions through his practical guide to participant observation, now in its second edition. His research has appeared in prominent journals including Cities, European Urban and Regional Studies, and Identities.

His work on urban sociology, particularly concerning gentrification processes and the impact of platform economies on housing markets, has established him as a significant voice in contemporary urban studies, with particular expertise on Southern European urban contexts.