Comments&Opinions
Beyond polarisation: listening to young people, understanding conflict
The events in Milan continue to occupy a prominent place in public debate. Major national newspapers—and others beyond Italy—have reported on the demonstrations, frequently resorting to sensationalist headlines and delegitimizing labels such as “thugs” or “maranza” to describe the young people who took part in the protests, thereby producing an undifferentiated representation of the demonstrators.
detailFrom “secure” rights to security “at the cost” of rights: the paradigm shift of the latest security decree
The new security decree, Legislative Decree 24/02/2026 no. 23, converted into law on 24 April 2026, represents the latest crucial turning point in a gradual paradigm shift. Criminal law, which should constitute the extrema ratio, to be used only when all other forms of public policy intervention have failed, becomes the legislature’s first response to any sign of social conflict. This is a securitarian drift that strikes at the very essence of the liberal democratic state.
detail“We want change but not like this”: Iran between violence and the desire for liberation
What is the relationship between violence and freedom? Can violence truly emancipate? Taking the situation in Iran as a starting point, this is a reflection on one of the most persistent promises in recent political history: that violence can be an instrument of liberation. A promise that, in practice, so often turns out to be a betrayal.
detailThe case of the ‘Weekend Snipers’ in Sarajevo and violence as a consumable practice
Reflecting on the Commodification of Violence: The Case of the ‘Weekend Snipers’.
detailInitiatives
Peace Among School Desks
“Peace Among School Desks” is an educational and workshop-based program promoted by the University of Milan as part of the “La Statale for Peace” initiative and the PNRR guidance pathways supporting the transition from school to university.
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Not Just Limits. Encountering Restorative Justice in Prison
The project “Encountering Restorative Justice”, funded by the “Not Just Limits” call from the University of Milan and in partnership with the Dike cooperative and the Bollate prison, aims to promote the culture of restorative justice within correctional institutions. This will be achieved through the implementation of a program called "Restorative Dialogue" (pursuant to Article 53 of Legislative Decree 150/2022). The program will provide a productive framework for addressing the negative effects of crime and exploring tangible ways of reparation.
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UNIMI joins the Network of Universities for Peace
The University of Milan has joined the Network of Universities for Peace (RUniPace), promoted by the Conference of Italian University Rectors. The Rector of the University of Milan, Prof. Marina Brambilla, has appointed Prof. Roberto Cornelli as the University’s representative in RUniPace.
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