Authoritarianisms in Democracy
As part of the cultural initiatives promoted by the Casa della Cultura in Milan, the new series "Autoritarismi in democrazia" [Authoritarianisms in Democracy] is launching — a cycle of events aimed at exploring the political, social, and symbolic transformations that, in many parts of the world, are putting democratic institutions under pressure today.
I luoghi della Memoria
On 27 January 2026, on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day, "I luoghi della Memoria" will be staged in the historic spaces of the Ca’ Granda. The performance weaves together theatre, testimony, and music to commemorate the victims of Fascist persecution and deportation to Nazi concentration camps.
Prisons. Antigone: “2025 Leaves Us with Increasingly Dilapidated, Overcrowded and Inhumane Facilities”
Prison overcrowding continues to represent one of the most serious critical issues within the Italian penitentiary system; it is precisely within this context that the report by Professor Della Bella, presented at the Conference “Prison Overcrowding and Dignity”, held in Milan on 15 October 2025, is situated. The contribution offers an in-depth and systematic reflection on prison emergencies over the past fifteen years and on the possible tools for addressing the current phase of crisis.
Conference “Police and Social Change: The Challenges of Gender and Ethnicity in Contemporary Italy”
On January 16, 2026, will be held the final conference of the PRIN 2022 Project “Police and Social Change: The Challenges of Gender and Ethnicity in Contemporary Italy” at the Department of Legal Sciences of the University of Bologna.
AIPD Statement – On the Sentence of 15 Years’ Imprisonment Imposed by a Russian Court on Rosario Aitala, Judge of the International Criminal Court
The news of the sentence imposed by a Russian court on the Italian judge Rosario Aitala, Vice-President of the International Criminal Court, has reignited the debate on respect for the autonomy and independence of international criminal jurisdiction. In a dedicated statement, the Italian Association of Professors of Criminal Law expressed serious concern over a measure that directly affects a judge engaged in the exercise of judicial functions of supranational relevance.
The Slippery Slope of Authoritarianism – Using Human Rights to Anticipate and Prevent Conflict
The working paper “The Slippery Slope of Authoritarianism – Using Human Rights to Anticipate and Prevent Conflict” argues that rising authoritarianism accelerates human rights deterioration in ways that reliably signal heightened risks of violent conflict. Drawing on UN human rights data and case studies, it presents an analytical framework linking concentrations of power to conflict-related warning factors and outlines policy options for more effective, prevention-focused UN action.
Book Presentation: “Chaos. International Justice Under Attack” (Laterza, 2025) by Marcello Flores and Emanuela Fronza
On December 17, 2025, the book “Chaos. International Justice Under Attack” (Laterza, 2025) by Marcello Flores and Emanuela Fronza will be presented as part of the “La Statale for Peace” book presentation initiative.
Does crime breed authoritarianism? Crime exposure, democratic decoupling and political attitudes in Brazil
The article “Does crime breed authoritarianism? Crime exposure, democratic decoupling and political attitudes in Brazil” aims to analyze the influence of crime on democratic behavior through on an online survey that collect the opinions of 3,108 participants.
Monitor of Lethal Force in Latin America and the Caribbean. A Analysis of Killings by Police and Army
The volume Monitor of Lethal Force in Latin America and the Caribbean. An Analysis of Killings by Police and Army Officers, edited by Ignacio Cano, Catalina Pérez-Correa, and Carlos Silva examines the use and abuse of lethal force in eight Latin American countries, with the aim of addressing the persistent lack of information and independent investigations.
The Effects of Criminalisation on Activists: The Case of the NoTAP Environmental Movement
The article “The Effects of Criminalisation on Activists: The Case of the NoTAP Environmental Movement” examines the impact of criminalisation on NoTAP activists, showing how the more advanced phases of the repressive cycle — in particular judicial and economic repression — generate the strongest effects of demobilisation and personal suffering.