Lorenzo Zamponi

Lorenzo Zamponi is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Florence, Italy, affiliated with the COSMOS Centre on Social Movement Studies. His research focuses on collective memory, media analysis, contentious politics, and grassroots activism, particularly in the context of climate action, refugee solidarity, and anti-austerity movements. He holds a Ph.D. in Political and Social Sciences from the European University Institute and a master’s degree in Communication from the University of Padova.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Political and Social Sciences, European University Institute (2015)
  • Master in Communication, University of Padova (2008)
• Key Projects:
  • ReFuture: The Return of the Future (on democracy and governance in the climate-COVID era)
  • TRANSFORM: Environmental Governance
  • CLIMACT: Climate Action Mobilizations

His research interests include the interplay between memory and social movements, media’s role in mobilization, and direct social action in crises. He has authored monographs on memory and social movements, solidarity in crises, and street protests in Italy. Zamponi has been awarded a national qualification for associate professor roles and a prize for research on organized crime in Italian ports.

He serves on the editorial boards of Mobilization and SN Social Sciences, and holds leadership roles in ECPR’s Participation and Mobilisation Standing Group and ESA’s Social Movements Research Network. His work bridges academic scholarship with activism, emphasizing transformative political practices.