Understanding Political Concepts

Mauro Calise is Emeritus Professor of Political Science, University of Naples Federico II and past President of the Società Italiana di Scienza Politica (2008-10). He is the Editor of the Rivista of Digital politics.

Werner J. Patzelt is Research Director of the Brussels MCC, and formerly full professor of Comparative Government at the Technical University of Dresden (1992-2019) and a senior fellow at the MCC Budapest (2021-22).

Fortunato Musella serves as a professor of political science at the University of Naples Federico II, where he brings extensive expertise in government studies, presidential politics, and political party dynamics. From 2010 to 2017, he shared his knowledge as a teacher of political concepts in doctorate programs at the Scuola Superiore Normale di Pisa. His influence in Italian academia extends through his service on the Italian University Council (CUN) and the Executive Board of Federica Web Learning, where he contributes to advancing distance education innovation.

Dr. Valentina Reda serves as Head of R&D and Strategic Partnerships at Federica Web Learning, University of Naples Federico II, where she leads innovative initiatives in digital education while maintaining her role as a researcher specializing in public opinion analysis and polling methodologies. As project manager of IPSAMOOC, she oversees the first comprehensive portfolio of political science MOOCs, coordinating multilingual course offerings that reach over 150 million learners worldwide through both Coursera and edX platforms. Her scholarly engagement includes serving as a member of the IPSAPortal editorial board and co-curator of the Electronic Politics section for ComPol, the Italian Journal of Political Communication, while her research contributions encompass analyses of government communication and public opinion, culminating in her book "I Sondaggi dei Presidenti" published by Bocconi University Press. Her expertise in political communication is evidenced through publications examining communication management in the Prime Minister's Office and her ongoing work in developing innovative approaches to digital learning. Through her leadership at the Federica Web Learning Center, she continues to bridge traditional political science scholarship with cutting-edge digital education methodologies, particularly through the development and expansion of the IPSAMOOC project, which has become a cornerstone of online political science education globally.