Serena Giusti

Serena Giusti is Associate Professor of Political Science at Link Campus University in Rome, Italy. In addition to her primary appointment, she serves as Integrative Professor at the Department of International and European Relations (DiRIE) of the National School of Administration (SNA) and is an Affiliate Researcher at the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, where she also sits on the Doctoral Program board in “Human Rights, Global Politics, and Sustainability: Legal and Philosophical Perspectives.” She is further affiliated as Senior Associate Research Fellow at the Institute of International Policy Studies in Milan within its Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia Program.

Education

• PhD in Political and Social Sciences, European University Institute, Fiesole
• Master in European Studies, College of Europe – Bruges (Warsaw branch)
• Graduate degree, “Cesare Alfieri”, University of Florence

Research Interests

Her scholarly work bridges political science and international relations with a strong focus on European affairs, disinformation studies, and foreign policy. She explores how strategic narratives, fake news, and post-truth dynamics shape democratic processes and international agendas. Additional lines of inquiry include the role of cultural diplomacy via museums, the re-emergence of national interest in global politics, and security issues in the post-Soviet space.

Publications

Across her four most recent books (2021-2023), Giusti interrogates the intersection of information manipulation and foreign policy, the re-definition of national interest in contemporary Europe, and the diplomatic power of cultural institutions. These works collectively advance debates on disinformation governance and democratic resilience.

Scientific Awards & Grants

• Three Jean Monnet grants awarded by the European Commission
• Named among the “100 experts” in international politics

Advising, Grants & Professional Service

Giusti has secured competitive Jean Monnet funding three times, enabling innovative teaching and research modules on European integration. She is a founding member and sits on the advisory board of Women In International Security (WIIS) – Italia, mentoring emerging scholars and practitioners. Previously, she served as an election observer for the OSCE, worked with UNICEF and the European Commission, and held visiting or research roles at Westminster University (London), Higher School of Economics (Moscow), and Kazakh Humanitarian Law University.

Labs & Teams

While no laboratory is explicitly mentioned, her institutional affiliations place her within interdisciplinary research teams at DiRIE, the Sant’Anna PhD program, and ISPRI’s Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia Program, fostering collaborative projects on security, governance, and human rights.