Department of Legal and Economic Studies

The DSGE is a center for advanced research and teaching in the public law and economic disciplines of the following scientific-disciplinary sectors:

• GIUR-05/A (Constitutional and Administrative Law);
• GIUR-07/A (Law and Religion)
• GIUR-09/A  (International Law)
• GIUR-10/A (European Union Law)
• GIUR-13/A (Criminal Procedure Law)
• GIUR-14/A (Criminal Law)
• ECON-01/A (Political Economy)
• ECON-02/A (Economic Policy)
• ECON-03/A (Public Finance)

Within its competencies, the DSGE oorganizes conferences, seminars, and study days to promote basic research and the advancement of legal and economic knowledge, participates in the teaching activities of the Faculty  and the Doctoral School, and promotes master's programs, study courses, and advanced training.

The research activities of the DSGE are organized into four “Research Areas”:

Canon Law Area

The Section of Canon Law and Ecclesiastical Law inherits the academic and scientific history of the former Institute of Canon Law and Ecclesiastical Law of the Faculty of Law, continuing its teaching and research activities. Within this academic-scientific context, a generation of scholars has operated and developed, contributing with original solutions to the legal definition of the religious dimension—and further, to the relationships between State and Churches and between state systems and religious systems—from the unification of Italy to the drafting and application of the Italian Constitution.
The study and research method have been characterized by attention to the problems that arising from the interaction between the religious factors and the political, social, and economic context, and by the harmonious coexistence of different approaches: theoretical, dogmatic, historical, and comparative. These approaches have converged, in particular, in the so-called “Italian secular school of canon law”, a reference point for scholars worldwide for its ability to approach a religiously based law from a secular, comparative, and interdisciplinary perspective.

The main research themes of the Section today include:

• The study of religious rights with particular reference to canon law;
• The legal discipline of religious freedom and, furthermore, of every aspect of the religious phenomenon at the national, European, and international levels, with specific reference to the concrete problems posed by a society characterized by strong and growing religious, ethical, and cultural pluralism;
• The different aspwcts of interaction between law and religion.

Within the research activities of the Section, the following courses are particularly taught:

• Canon Law (GIUR-07/A)
• Ecclesiastical Law (GIUR-07/A)
• European Ecclesiastical Law (GIUR-07/A)
• Intercultural Law (GIUR-07/A)
• Law and Religion (GIUR-07/A)
• Law and Religions (GIUR-07/A)

The Section inherits and continues the studies of illustrious Masters, whose research and teaching activities have contributed to the historical-legal definition of the religious dimension in the Italian legal system and in Italian society, and have structured, in its fundamental lines, the scientific-disciplinary sector IUS/11, such as Francesco Scaduto, Arturo Carlo Jemolo, Pietro Agostino d’Avack, Vincenzo del Giudice, Pietro Gismondi, Piero Bellini, Luigi De Luca, Gaetano Catalano, Francesco Finocchiaro, Gaetano Lo Castro.

Currently, the Section includes the following associate professors: Prof. Beatrice Serra (GIUR-07/A), Prof. Fabio Franceschi (GIUR-07/A), Prof. Lucia Graziano (GIUR-07/A).

International Law Area

The Institute of International Law (now called the Section of International and European Union Law of the Department of Legal and Economic Studies) inherits the long and illustrious tradition of international studies within the Faculty of Law at Sapienza University. Throughout the twentieth century, this tradition was shaped by the contributions of professors who significantly influenced the discipline's evolution and consolidation, both theoretically and in participation in international and national bodies and projects. The Roman school of international law, essentially founded on a solid positivist and dualist framework, has always been open to the challenges posed by international relations. It has included scholars with different perspectives, leading to a critical approach to the theoretical organization and continous reexamination of the subject matter. Such a critical attitude continues today among the current members of the Section.

The main research topics of the Section include:

• The study of the sources of international law
• The activity and nature of international and supranational jurisdictions, including international criminal tribunals
• The codification of international law, in various areas addessed by International Law Commission
• Jus ad bellum
• The relationship between legal systems
• States and state organs immunities
• The provess of European integration 
• Substantive EU law, particularly internal market law and European competition law

The Section offers the following courses:

• International Law (GIUR-09/A)
• International and European Protection of Human Rights (GIUR-09/A)
• Advanced International Law (GIUR-09/A)
• Law of Armed Conflicts (GIUR-09/A)
• Private International Law (GIUR-09/A)
• International Law (GIUR-09/A)
• European Union Law (GIUR-10/A)
• EU Competition Law (GIUR-10/A)
• EU Internal Market Law (GIUR-10/A)
• European Competition Law (GIUR-10/A)
• European Union Law (GIUR-10/A)

The Section inherits and continues the research of distinguished scholars, such as Dionisio Anzilotti, Tomaso Perassi, Gaetano Morelli, Roberto Ago, Gaetano Arangio-Ruiz, Francesco Capotorti, Giuseppe Barile, Paolo Picone, Andrea Giardina, Angelo Davì, Gianluigi Tosato.

The current members of the Section include:

• Full Professors: Prof. Enzo Cannizzaro (GIUR-09/A), Prof. Alessandra Gianelli (GIUR-09/A);
• Associate Professors: Prof. Emanuele Cimiotta (GIUR-09/A), Prof. Roberto Cisotta (GIUR-10/A), Prof. Maria Irene Papa (GIUR-09/A);
• Researchers: Dr. Massimo Coccia (GIUR-09/A), Dr. Marco Fisicaro (GIUR-10/A), Dr. Aurora Rasi (GIUR-09/A).

Public Law Area

The Public Law Section inherits the academic history and research experiences of the former Institute of Public Law of the Faculty of Law, continuing its studies and research in the areas of public and constitutional law, constitutional justice, constitutional history, public law of the economy, parliamentary and regional law.

In this academic context, the first generation of public law scholars of the republican era was formed, concurrently with the drafting of the Italian Constitution and subsequent political-constitutional experience from its historical enactment and initial application. The most characteristic methodological elements revolve around the coexistence of different approaches and methodical inspirations, in a comparison that over time become  characteristic of the so-called “Roman School of Constitutional and Public Law”. The theoretical-dogmatic breat, in fact, h has always been kept in tension by the confrontation between general legal theory, the study of sources and constitutional justice, the historical and comparative method, the comparison with the European and community experience in the constitutional dimension, and the openness to the consitioning of political, economic, and social reality.

The main research themes of the Section today include:

• The study of public institutions and their constituent elements;
• Forms of state and government and their territorial articulations;
• The parliamentary system, constitutional rights, and justice systems;
• Constitutional history and legal theory;
• Institutional crises and reforms;
• The process of European integration in the constitutional dimension;
• immigration;
• Gender equality.

Within the research activities of the Section, the following courses are particularly taught:

• Institutions of Public Law (GIUR-05/A)
• Constitutional Law (GIUR-05/A)
• Parliamentary Law and Constitutional Organization (GIUR-05/A)
• General Public Law (GIUR-05/A)
• Public Health Law (GIUR-05/A)
• Regional and Local Government Law (GIUR-05/A)
• Law and Literature (GIUR-05/A)
• Immigration Law (GIUR-05/A)
• Public Law of the  Economy (GIUR-05/A)
• Constitutional Justice (GIUR-05/A)
• Constitutional Rights and Gender Equality (GIUR-05/A)
• Labor in the Constitution (GIUR-05/A)
• European and Italian Public Law (GIUR-05/A)

The Section inherits and continues the studies of distinguished scholars who have previously carried out their teaching and research activities in the former Institute of Public Law (currently composed also of scholars of Administrative Law, Comparative Law, and Tax Law, belonging to the Department of Legal and Economic Studies). These scholars can be counted among the founders of contemporary public law disciplines, such as Arturo Carlo Jemolo, Carlo Esposito, Massimo Severo Giannini, Vezio Crisafulli, Aldo M. Sandulli, Giuseppe Guarino, Leopoldo Elia, Alberto Predieri, Giovanni Motzo, Antonio La Pergola, Gianni Ferrara, Temistocle Martines, Manlio Mazziotti di Celso.

Currently, the Section includes:

• Full professors: Prof. Gaetano Azzariti (GIUR-05/A), Prof. Francesco Bilancia (GIUR-05/A), Prof. Cesare Pinelli (GIUR-05/A);
• Associate professors: Prof. Gianluca Bascherini (GIUR-05/A), Prof. Ines Ciolli (GIUR-05/A), Prof. Carlo Ferruccio Ferrajoli (GIUR-05/A), Prof. Andrea Longo (GIUR-05/A), Prof. Elisa Olivito (GIUR-05/A), Prof. Eleonora Rinaldi (GIUR-05/A);
• Researchers: Dr. Dario Martire (GIUR-05/A), Dr. Cristina Napoli (GIUR-05/A), Dr. Andrea Vernata (GIUR-05/A).

Area of Economic Sciences

The research activity of the Economics and Finance Section, which inherits the academic history and research experiences of the former Institute of Economics and Finance, focuses on the study of three macroeconomic areas related to political economy, public finance, and economic analysis of law approached from both theoretical and empirical standpoint.

The main research theme of the Section particularly include:

• The Welfare State with specific reference to the efficiency and effectiveness of social spending, labor economics and politicy, measures to combat poverty and socio-economic inequalities, also in light of economic crises and the pandemic crisis, and the growing role of the Third Sector in these areas;
• Environment and sustainability analyzing both the central issues of environmental economics with the approach of environmental law and economics, and the effects of foreign investments on the environment in the country of origin; the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) with reference to the (lawful and unlawful) behaviors of operators and its effectiveness in achieving emission reduction targets;
• Health and safety in relation to both health economics issues (efficiency of healthcare facilities) and in terms of impact analysis, with counterfactual methods, of incentives to support investments in Health and Safety in the workplace;
• Globalization and competitiveness assessing, in this context, the impact of incentives for Research and Development, the role of cybersecurity, blockchain, global value chains with particular reference to the ability to attract foreign direct investments, multinational companies, and start-ups (and their survival).

Within the thematic research areas of the Section, the following courses are particularly taught:

• Political Economy (ECON-01/A);
• Public Finance (ECON-03/A);
• Monetary and Banking Economics (ECON-01/A);
• Economics and Politics of the European Union (ECON-01/A);
• Economics of Institutions and Development (ECON-01/A);
• Environmental Economics (ECON-01/A);
•  International Economics (ECON-01/A);
• Economics and Politics of Public Procurement and Contracts (ECON-01/A);
• Labor Economics (ECON-01/A);
• Public Economics (ECON-03/A);
• Economic Analysis of Law (ECON-03/A);
• Economics of Public Policies (ECON-03/A);
• Analysis and Evaluation of Regulatory Impact (ECON-03/A);
• European Economic Integration (ECON-01/A);
• European Political Economy (ECON-02/A);
• Law and Economics (ECON-03/A).

The Section inherits and continues the work of distinguished scholars, who have previously conducted their their research here, such as Antonio De Viti De Marco and Cesare Cosciani. In the field of Political Economy, distinguished scholars like Giuseppe Ugo Papi and Giuseppe Di Nardi.

The Economics and Finance Section includes:

• Full Professors: Prof. Valeria De Bonis (SECS P/03 currently on leave for the assignment of Counselor at the Parliamentary Budget Office), Prof. Filippo Reganati (SECS P/01);
• Associate Professors: Prof. Corrado Andini (SECS P/01), Prof. Maria Alessandra Antonelli (SECS P/03), Prof. Angelo Castaldo (SECS P/03), Prof. Anna Rita Germani (SECS P/02);
• Researchers: Dr. Cristiana Abbafati (SECS P/01), Dr. Andrea Billi (SECS P/01), Dr. Giorgia Marini (SECS P/03), Dr. Walter Paternesi Meloni (SECS P/01), Dr. Claudia Nardone (SECS P/01), Dr. Angelo Quarto (SECS P/02).

Criminal Law Area

The Section of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Criminology inherits academic history and research experiences of the former Institute of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Criminology of the Faculty of Law. The research activity of the Section focuses on the study of criminal law and procedure from both a theoretical-dogmatic and a comparative-empirical perspective: the study of the theory of criminal and procedural norms, interpretation theory, and sources, including supranational ones, is always accompanied by descriptive and prescriptive meta-jurisprudence, and comparison with foreign experiences.

The main research  themes of the Section concerning criminal law include:

• The relationship between philosophy of law, legal hermeneutics, and jurisprudential criminal law;
• Constitutionalism and criminal legal guarantees, with particular regard to terrorism offenses (so-called "enemy criminal law");
• The scientific status of criminal law and legal comparison;
• Economic, food, and European criminal law;
• Euthanasia and patient rights at the end of life;
• Reconciled crime, theory of punishment, and sanctioning system.

Regarding criminal procedure, the following are particularly studied:

• The relationship between the principle of procedural legality and the multilevel system of sources;
• Judicial epistemology, in its relations with general epistemology, the fundamental rights of the accused, and new technologies (such as artificial intelligence and predictive justice);
• The presumption of innocence and the right to silence;
• Procedural efficiency, with particular reference to the initiation of criminal proceedings;
• Fair executive process and penitentiary law;
• Individual guarantees in the prevention process;

Within the thematic research areas of the Section, the following courses are particularly taught:

• Criminal Law (GIUR-14/A)
• Labor Criminal Law (GIUR-14/A)
• Economic Criminal Law (GIUR-14/A)
• European Criminal Law (GIUR-14/A)
• Principles of Criminal Procedural Law and International Criminal Law (GIUR-13/A-GIUR-14/A)
• Criminal Procedure (GIUR-13/A)
• European Criminal Procedure (GIUR-13/A)
• Juvenile Criminal Procedure (GIUR-13/A)
• European Criminal Procedure Law (GIUR-13/A)
• Penitentiary Law (GIUR-13/A)
• Execution of Criminal Law  (GIUR-13/A)
• Anti-Mafia Legislation (GIUR-13/A)
• Law of Criminal Evidence (GIUR-13/A)

The Section inherits and continues the research of distinguished scholars, such as Enrico Ferri, Arturo Rocco, Filippo Grispigni, Giacomo Delitala, Giuliano Vassalli, Alfredo De Marsico, Francesco Carnelutti, Giovanni Leone, Franco Bricola, Giuseppe Sabatini, Giuseppe De Luca, Delfino Siracusano, Gilberto Lozzi, and Franco Cordero.

Currently, the Section includes:

• Full Professors: Prof. Francesco Caprioli (GIUR-13/A), Prof. Massimo Donini (GIUR-14/A);
• Associate Professors: Prof. Roberto Borgogno (GIUR-14/A), Prof. Pasquale Bronzo (GIUR-13/A), Prof. Paola Coco (GIUR-14/A), Prof. Marco Gambardella (GIUR-14/A), Prof. Elvira Nadia La Rocca (GIUR-13/A);
• Researchers: Dr. Valerio Aiuti (GIUR-13/A), Dr. Pasquale Bartolo (GIUR-14/A), Dr. Pierfrancesco Bruno (GIUR-13/A), Dr. Maria Federica Carriero (GIUR-14/A), Dr. Maria Teresa Trapasso (GIUR-14/A).