Francesco Amoretti

Born: 12.12.1958; Place of birth: Naples (Italy); Email: amoretti@unisa.it
Francesco Amoretti (BA, University of Naples; PhD, University of Florence) is Associate Professor of Political Science at the Department of Political, Social, and Communication Sciences of the University of Salerno, Italy. He teaches “Political Science and Communication” in the first level degree course in “Communication Sciences” and “E-democracy and E-government Policies” in the second level degree course in “Business and Public Communication”. The latter has been the first university course introduced and designed in Italy on digital policies.
Professor of Political Science since 2001, Amoretti has also been professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Naples, Faculty of Sociology. Over the last fifteen years, his scholarly research has been mainly focused on the relationship between media and political systems, and on the technological innovations and institutional changes.
In 2000 he started, as local coordinator, a research project, with prof. Mauro Calise (University of Naples, IT) and Theodor J. Lowi (Cornell University, US), called «Hyperpolitics: A platform for online hypertextual elaboration of political science concepts» that led to the publication of an online interactive dictionary (http://www.hyperpolitics.net/). Hyperpolitics developed a new theoretical and methodological approach to the study of political science concepts, which addressed the growing complexity of political science disciplinary domains. It is also an innovative and helpful teaching instrument, both for teachers and students.
From 2001 to 2003 he has been member of the national research project on “E-Government: visions, plans, implementation”, and from 2004 to 2006 he has been involved as local research unit coordinator in the two-years project «The Electronic Citizenship: analytical categories, structured communication methodologies and empirical indicators of e-democracy». The results of his research activity in this field have been presented in many international conferences. In September 2002 he joined the «First Pan-European Conference of the ECPR Standing Group on the European Union» in Bordeaux (France) and presented a paper «The e-government: A New Frontier of the constitutionalization processes?». In July 2003 he presented the paper «E-Government and Regime Changes» at the XIX IPSA (International Political Science Association) Congress, in Durban, South Africa. In May 2004 he joined the Universal Forum of Cultures in Barcelona, and participated in the Dialogue ‘Communication and Cultural Diversity’, with the paper «Towards What Kind of Information Society Are We Moving?». In May 2004 he took part in the International Workshop on E-government in Anacapri withthe paper «The E-Government policies between institutions and rights». In June 2004 he joined the ECPR (European Consortium for Political Research) Second Pan-European Conference in Bologna, presenting the paper «E-Government policies: what place for rights and cultural identities? The European experience». In September 2005, in Cagliari, he presented, at the SISP Congress, the paper «The Digital Revolution and the European Constitutionalization Processes. E-democracy between Ideology and Institutional Practices», which we can consider a seminal article in the context of this application. In July 2006 in Fukuoka, he participated in the XX IPSA Congress with the paper «International Organizations ICTs Policies: E-Democracy and E-Government for Political Development».
From 2008 to 2010 he has been local research unit coordinator in the national project «Presidential Communication», focusing on presidential media strategies. One of the main empirical findings has been the implementation of a dynamic database of the national leading newspapers (la Repubblica and il Corriere della Sera) coverage of Italian monocratic bodies.
As shown by his research activity, Amoretti has been one of the first Italian scholar to contribute creatively to the debate focused on electronic democracy, e-government, the digital revolution and their relationship with the process of constitutionalisation, with many papers and articles published in leading political science journals. In 2009 he was also the editor of a book, titled “Electronic Constitution: Social, Cultural and Political Implications”, published by IGI-Global.
He supervised some doctoral theses in the fields of electronic democracy, models of democracy and international organizations and online aid management platforms. Over the years he has raised money for research projects, involved young researchers, organized workshops and seminars, coordinated working groups.
In Italy Amoretti has been productively involved in the debate on political communication. His first monograph was about the transformations in this domain. He has been interviewed several times by national media, as a recognized expert in the field. He’s an active member in the Italian community of scholars, supervising the work of some young researchers that are part of his research team. In recent years, he has contributed to keep the hype on the field of electronic democracy.
In September 2007 he presented in Catania, at the XXI SISP Congress, the paper «Administrative Space and Policies for E-Government. Towards a European Public Sphere?», co-written with Fortunato Musella (University of Naples). In 2008 he presented the paper «Normative Policies of Cyberspace» at the XXII SISP Congress, Pavia, with Mauro Santaniello, and “The Digital Revolution and Europe’s constitutional process. E-democracy between ideology and Institutional practices” at the VII Congreso Espagnol de Ciencia Politica Y de la Administration, in Madrid. In 2009, at the XXIII SISP Congress he presented the paper “From Material to Virtual Membership? Electronic Citizenship between Processes of Constitutionalization of the Web and Dynamics of exclusion” with Enrico Gargiulo (University of Turin) (then published in “Politica del diritto”, n. 3, 2010).
In 2012 he presented three papers co-written with Diego Giannone (Second University of Naples): “Evaluation of the media in the media: assessing political and methodological aspects of measuring freedom of information” (International Conference “La médiatisation de l’évaluation”, Universitè de Paris Nord 13, Paris, 15-16 March); “Democracy and freedom of information under observation. Critical issues and limits of measurement” (IPSA 22nd World Congress in Madrid, 8-12 July), and “Contested Presidentialization. The changing role of the Italian Head of State during the Second Republic” (International Workshop on the presidentialization of politics, Anacapri, 28-29 September). Furthermore at the IPSA 22nd World Congress he presented «Electronic Regimes» with Mauro Santaniello and supervised «Tracking the diffusion of Open Data policy in the EU» by Francesca De Chiara, former doctoral student in his group. He is part of the Panel RC-10 Electronic Democracy of the International Political Science Association.
He is actively contributing in the national debate on the reform of higher education, and he’s part of the Italian National University Council (CUN) since 2006. He’s also part of the Executive Committee of the Italian Political Science Association. As editor, he is member of the Editorial Board of the Journal Comunicazione politica since 1999; as evaluator, he serves as referee for PRIN and FIRB research projects since 2001; he exercises regular refereeing activity for International Journals, in particular «Information, Communication and Society Review» since 2008. In 2012 he became member of the Public Policy Scholars Community (http://crcm.ou.edu/yearbook/person/searchbyname).
His most important contribution to international excellence is the monograph «The Electronic Constitution», as the result of the activity of the transnational research network he has established and led since 2007.
He coordinated two working groups in 2006 and 2010, within the Italian Political Science Association. In 2006 the results of this research activity have been published in a special issue on e-democracy of the Journal «Comunicazione politica». In 2010 he published, as editor, a special issue of the Journal «Politica del diritto» (vol. 3, 2010) dedicated to citizenship rights. He’s the author of the article – From Material to Virtual Membership? Electronic Citizenship between Processes of Constitutionalization of the Web and Dynamics of exclusion. This article is focused on the roots of the process of constitutionalization of the Web, analyzing the alternative theories on this process and underlying the risks of exclusion that are brought by it.
As previously shown, his research in the field of e-government has been focused on the methodological aspects and theoretical approaches (Amoretti, 2006, Amoretti, 2008, 2008b). He’s been interested in the diffusion and use of new information and communication technologies at various political and institutional levels. In particular, attention has been paid to the importance assumed by the e-government policies in Europe, first with a study of their contribution to the creation of a supranational public sphere (Amoretti, 2007), then with a discussion of their impact on the structuring of a common administrative space (Amoretti, 2009; Amoretti-Musella, 2011). Regarding the processes of constitutionalization, the research questions Amoretti is trying to answer in his scholarly work are: what is their role within the processes of constitutionalization? And how and under what institutional-constitutional profiles, do innovation policies influence? This research line – both theoretical and empirical – has found several areas of application: from the more general level concerning the critical discussion of the dominant paradigms – in the legal field (Amoretti, 2010) and at the implementation level (2007) – to the more specific ones of digital divide (2008a , 2010b) and productive dynamics (2009d). A unique laboratory testing the implications of new digital technologies for the development and refinement of hypotheses and research methods can offer an original interpretation of the actual location of power – eg: States and Corporations – and the transformations of democratic practices (Amoretti, 2009, 2009g).

Selected Publications
AMORETTI, F. (ed.) (2014). Introduction. The HyperReality of Italian Democracy. The Berlusconi Years: 1994-2014. COMUNICAZIONE POLITICA, n. 3, p. 421-436, ISSN: 1594-6061.
AMORETTI F, M. SANTANIELLO, (2014). Governing by Internet Architecture. SOFT POWER, vol.1, p. 109-127, ISSN: 2389-8232
AMORETTI F, M. SANTANIELLO, (2013). Electronic Regimes: Democracy and Geopolitical Strategies in Digital Networks. POLICY AND INTERNET, vol. 5, p. 370-386, ISSN: 1944-2866
AMORETTI F., MUSELLA, F. (2011). Towards the European administrative space. The role of e-government policy. EUROPEAN POLITICAL SCIENCE REVIEW, vol. 1, p. 35-51, ISSN: 1755-7739.
AMORETTI F. (ed.) (2010). Diritti e sfera pubblica nell’era digitale. POLITICA DEL DIRITTO, vol. XLI, 3, ISBN: 9788815135599.
AMORETTI F., ENRICO GARGIULO (2010). Dall’appartenenza materiale all’appartenenza virtuale? La cittadinanza elettronica fra processi di costituzionalizzazione della rete e dinamiche di esclusione (From Material to Virtual Membership? Electronic Citizenship between Processes of Constitutionalization of the Web and Dynamics of exclusion). POLITICA DEL DIRITTO, vol. XLI, 3; p. 353-389.
AMORETTI F., FORTUNATO MUSELLA (2010b). Governing Digital Divides: Power Structures and ICT Strategies in Global Perspective. In: Patricia Randolph Leigh. International Exploration of Technology Equity and the Digital Divide. p. 193-209, Hershey – New York: IGI Global,
AMORETTI F. (2009). Il cyberspazio tra Stati, corporation e…pratiche democratiche. COMUNICAZIONE POLITICA, vol. 1; p. 109-119.
AMORETTI F. (2009a). A strategic but, as yet, little established sector. The offer of political and public communications studies after the ministerial decree 270/2004, in collaborazione con Franca Roncarolo. ITALIAN POLITICAL SCIENCE, vol. 3; p. 1-9
AMORETTI F. (2009b). La comunicazione politica nelle democrazie post-elettorali. L’esperienza italiana dopo la fine della Prima Repubblica. COSMOPOLIS, vol. 2; p. 71-83.
AMORETTI F. (2009c). A Research Agenda for the Future. In: AMORETTI FRANCESCO ED.. Electronic Constitution. Social, Cultural and Political Implications. p. 242-246, HERSHEY: IGI Global.
AMORETTI F. (2009d). Community of Production, in collaborazione con Mauro Santaniello. In: PAGANI MARIA A CURA DI. Encyclopedia of Multimedia Technology and Networking, Second Edition, 3 voll. p. 1-7, HERSHEY: IGI Global.
AMORETTI F. (2009e). The European Administrative Space and E-Government Policies. Between Integration and Competition, in collaborazione con Fortunato Musella. In: AMORETTI FRANCESCO ED.. Electronic Constitution. Social, Cultural and Political Implications. p. 71-84, HERSHEY: IGI Global.
AMORETTI F. (2009f). Prefazione. In: AMORETTI FRANCESCO ED.. Electronic Constitution. Social, Cultural and Political Implications. p. XIV-XXIV, HERSHEY: IGI Global.
AMORETTI F. (2009g). Electronic Constitution: A Braudelian Perspective. In: AMORETTI FRANCESCO ED.. Electronic Constitution. Social, Cultural and Political Implications. p. 1-19, HERSHEY: IGI Global.
AMORETTI F. (2008). Indicators and Measures of E-Government, with Fortunato Musella. In: MEHDI KHOSROW-POUR, ED. Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Second Edition. (pp. 1923-1929), HERSHEY-NEW YORK: IGI Global (UNITED STATES).

AMORETTI F. (2008a). From Digital Divides to Digital Inequalities, with Clementina Casula. In: MEHDI KHOSROW-POUR, ED. Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Second Edition. (pp. 1114-1119), HERSHEY-NEW YORK: IGI Global (UNITED STATES).

AMORETTI F. (2008b). INSTITUTIONAL ISOMORFISM AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES, with Fortunato Musella. In: MEHDI KHOSROW-POUR ED. Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Second Edition. (pp. 266-271), HERSHEY-NEW YORK: IGI Global (UNITED STATES).

AMORETTI F. (2007). International Organizations ICTs Policies: E-Democracy and E-Government for Political Development. REVIEW OF POLICY RESEARCH, vol. 24; p. 331-344.
AMORETTI F. (2007a). Spazio amministrativo e politiche del governo eletrronico. Verso una nuova sfera pubblica europea?. COMUNICAZIONE POLITICA. vol. 2, pp. 235-252. In collaborazione con Musella Fortunato.
AMORETTI F (2006). La rivoluzione digitale e i processi di costituzionalizzazione in Europa. L’e-democracy tra ideologia e pratiche istituzionali. COMUNICAZIONE POLITICA, vol. 1, p. 49-75, ISSN: 1594-6061
AMORETTI F (2006a). Benchmarking Electronic Democracy. In: ANTTIROIKO, A. AND MALKIA, M. EDS.. Encyclopedia of Digital Government. p. 135-140
AMORETTI F (2006b). Digital International Governance. In: ANTTIROIKO, A. AND MALKIA, M. EDS.. Encyclopedia of Digital Government. p. 365-370, HERSHEY (PA):IDEA GROUP INC.
AMORETTI F (2006c). E-GOVERNMENT REGIMES. In: ANTTIROIKO, A. AND MALKIA, M. EDS.. Encyclopedia of Digital Government. p. 580-587, HERSHEY (PA):IDEA GROUP INC.
AMORETTI F (2006d). E-Government at Supranational Level in the European Union. In: ANTTIROIKO, A. AND MALKIA, M. EDS.. Encyclepedia of Digital Government. p. 501-506
AMORETTI F (2004). Comunicare è Governare. COMUNICAZIONE POLITICA, vol. 1, p. 109-124, ISSN: 1594-6061
AMORETTI F. (2000). Mass media,azione giudiziaria e trasformazioni istituzionali. Alcune riflessioni a partire da Tangentopoli. COMUNICAZIONE POLITICA, vol. 1
AMORETTI, F. (1997). La comunicazione politica. Un’introduzione. LA NUOVA ITALIA.