Maria Cristina PACIELLO

Maria Cristina Paciello is Tenure-track assistant professor at Ca’ Foscari University, where she teaches Economic and Political Geography of Arab countries and Economic Policies of Arab countries. Her research interests focus on labour related issues and social justice in the context of neoliberal policies.

 
NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC HABILITATION TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (ABILITAZIONE SCIENTIFICA NAZIONALE)
 
·       10/N1 Cultures of Near East from the Ancient Near East, the Middle East and Africa, L-OR/10 (History of Islamic countries) (2018)
 
·       11/B1 Geography, M-GGR/02 (Political and Economic Geography) (2012)
 
EDUCATION
 
·       PhD Political Economy of Developing Countries, University of Florence, Department of Economics (with scholarship) (2007)
 
·       Master of Science in Development Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, England. Result: Distinction (2000).
 
·       Laurea in Oriental Languages and Literature, “La Sapienza”, University of Rome, Italy (Arabi language). Result: 110/110 cum laude (1998).
 
RECENT GRANTS
 
·       Scientific Coordination of MEDRESET (with Daniela Huber), EU Collaborative project HORIZON 2020. Three-yearEuropean research project led by International Affair Institute (IAI) of Rome and involving 11 Euro-Mediterranean institutions. Title of the project: “A comprehensive, integrated, and bottom-up approach to reset our understanding of the Mediterranean space, remap the region, and reconstruct inclusive, responsive, and flexible EU policies in it”. Case studies: Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey (2016-2019).
 
·       Scientific Coordination of POWER2YOUTH (with Daniela Pioppi), EU Collaborative project FP7.  Three-yearEuropean research project, led by International Affair Institute (IAI) of Rome and involving 12 European-Southern Mediterranean institutions. Title of the project: “‘Freedom, dignity and justice’: A comprehensive approach to the understanding of youth exclusion and the prospects for youth inclusion and overall change in the South and East Mediterranean”. Case studies: Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Palestinian Territories, Turkey (2014-2017).
 
 
PREVIOUS RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
 
·       At Ca’ Foscari University, Venice (Department of Asia and Mediterranean Africa).
 
- Fixed-term researcher, letter A (M-GGR/02) (06/2018-06/2021).
 
- Post-Doc Researcher (SPS 14/B2), Research title: “Public action in Morocco and its employment implications for youth (1983-2011) (06/2015-06/2017).
 
·       At International Affair Institute (Istituto Affari Internazionali/IAI), Mediterranean-Middle East Program, Rome
 
- Scientific coordinator, international project “The Euro-Mediterranean Space and Food Security”, led by IAI and OCP Policy Center of Rabat. Research area: Food security and sustainable development in the Southern Mediterranean. Main tasks: Writing the concept paper; select the researchers for writing the papers, which were presented at the conference held in Rabat (20-21 November 2014); editing the final volume and writing the first chapter (03/2015-06/2015) (see publications).
 
- Research on “The economic and social policies implemented in post-Mubarak era”, commissioned by ENI (Ente Nationale Idrocarburi) (2013).
 
- Research on “Factors of Systemic Risk in Egypt” commissioned by the Italian Parliament, project “Observatory of international policy” (2012).
 
- Research on “The Arab Spring: Socio-Economic Challenges and Opportunities”, commissioned by Consiglio Nazionale dell’Economia e del Lavoro (CNEL) (06/2011-12/2012).
 
- Scientific coordinator, international project on “The socio-economic challenges facing North African countries: youth, rural and urban development”, with the German Marshall Fund of the United States (06/2011-12/2011).
 
- Participation in a research group, international project on “The Mediterranean Microcosm in the Broader Relationship Between the West and the Arab-Muslim World”, with Brookings Institution of Washington and Robert Schuman Centre of European University Institute in Florence (11/2010- 11/2011). (see publications)
 
- Participation in a research group, international project on “Egypt: A Neo-Authoritarian State in Troubled Waters”, with theGerman Marshall Fund of the United States (09/2010-01/2011).
 
- Participation in a research group (Work Package led by IAI) within MEDPRO (EU’s 7th Framework Program), “Prospective analysis for the Mediterranean Region”, involving 17 partners from the Mediterranean (03/2010-02/2011). (see publications)
 
- Participation in a research group, international project “The dynamics of change in the Arab world: Globalisation and the re-structuring of state power”, as responsible for the political economy part, with the Swedish Institute of International Affairs of Stockholm (grant by the Swedish Riksbankens Jubileumsfond and Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo) (09/2005-10/2008). (see publications)
 
·       For other national and international institutions (most recent experiences):
 
- Participation in a research group on “The evolution of Arab Islamism”, La Sapienza University, Rome (09/2014-03/3015). (see publications)
 
- Research on “Youth empowerment in Arab countries”, commissioned by the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), Barcellona, for the 2014 Mediterranean Yearbook (12/2013-04/2014).
 
- Research on “Political and economic exclusion of Egyptian youth in the post-uprising”, commissioned by Institut français des relations internationales (IFRI), for the 2014 RAMSES report (03/2013).
 
- Research on “The Euro-crisis and the Euro-Mediterranean Relations”, commissioned by the
European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), Barcelona, for the IEMed Mediterranean Yearbook 2013 (04/2013).
 
- Participation in a research group on “Islamism and Political Transition: The Arab Countries in the post-2011 and the Role of Islamist Parties in Egypt and Tunisia”, La Sapienza University, Rome (11/2012-11/2013). (see publications)
 
- Assessment study on “A Cost/Benefit Analysis of the ENP for the EU's Southern Partners”, commissioned by the European Parliament (within the Framework Agreement/Contract between the European Parliament and the Trans European Policy Studies Association/TEPSA, Bruxelles) (10/2007).
 
- Research on “Gender dimensions of rural and agricultural employment. Differentiated pathways out of poverty: a global perspective”, commissioned by UN agencies (ILO, FAO and IFAD) (09/2008-12/2008) (see publications).
 
- Research on “Impact of labour regulations and anti-discrimination legislation on gender equality in developing countries”, commissioned by Institute of Development Studies (University of Sussex, Brighton) (grant by the Department for International Development of the UK) (02/2007-03/2007).
 
- Participation in the research activities on child labour in the Arab region at UNICEF, Rabat, Morocco (10/2005-12/2005).
 
- Research on inequality in the Middle East and North Africa, commissioned by the UN Division for Social Policy and Development, New York (06/2005-07/2005) (see publications).
 
- Research assistant at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development/UNRISD, Geneva, Program on gender issues (04/2001-09/2001).
 
TEACHING ACTIVITIES (selected courses)
 
·       Cooperation and Development in the Mediterranean, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice (from a.y. 2018/2019 up today).
 
·       Political and Economic Geography of Arabic countries, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice (from a.y 2017/2018 up today).
 
·       Economic Policy of Islamic Countries, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice (from a.y. 2013 up today).
 
·       Economics of Arab countries, Master of Oriental Languages and Culture, IULM University, Rome (from a.y 2015/2016 up today).
 
·       History of the Near and Middle East from Muhammad to Contemporary Age, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice (a.y. 2019/2020)
 
·       Political Economy of Islamic Countries, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice (from a.y. 2013/2014 to a.y. 2016/2017)
 
·       Economic and Political Geography of Arab world, “La Sapienza” University of Rome (from a.y. 2007/2008 to a.y. 2011/2012)
 
ORGANIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES
 
·       “The Middle East and the EU: New Realities, New Policies”, HORIZO2020 project MEDRESET, Brussels (6/03/2019)
 
·       “Resetting Euro-Mediterranean Relations”, HORIZO2020 project MEDRESET, AUB, Lebanon (4/06/2018).
 
·       “Key policy challenges in the Med after the Arab uprisings”, HORIZO2020 project MEDRESET, University Moulay Ismail, Meknes (14/12/2017)
 
·       “Geopolitics of a Multipolar Mediterranean”, HORIZO2020 project MEDRESET, CIDOB, Barcelona (19/04/2017)
 
·       “In the eye of the storm: South-East Mediterranean Youth struggling with coercion, precariousness and dislocation”, European project POWER2YOUTH, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice (4/05/2017).
 
·       “Youth in Morocco and in the South and East of the Mediterranean: Factors of Exclusion and Inclusion”, European project POWER2YOUTH, University Mohamed V, Rabat, Morocco (19-20/10/2016)
 
·       “Resetting Mediterranean Relations”, HORIZON2020 project MEDRESET, Luiss University, Rome (13/04/2016).
 
·       “Individual factors of youth exclusion and inclusion in the South-East Mediterranean”, European project POWER2YOUTH, “L’Orientale” University of Naples (05/04/2016)
 
·       “Linking Food Security to Sustainable Agricultural Policies in the Mediterranean: The Experts' Views”, Expo, Milan (20/06/2015)
 
·       “Building sustainable agriculture for food security in the Euro-Mediterranean area: Challenges and policy options”, OCP Policy Center, Rabat, Morocco (20-21/11/2014)
 
·       “A Research Agenda for Arab Youth Three Years On” (panel), WOCMES, Ankara, Turkey (18 /09/2014).
 
·       “Understanding youth exclusion and the prospects for youth inclusion in the South and East Mediterranean”, European project POWER2YOUTH, La Sapienza University, Rome (11/04/2014)