Virginia Arena

Virginia joined the EPRC as a Research Assistant in 2023. She has an MSc in International Relations from the University of Glasgow where she developed expertise in IR theory and methods to analyse contemporary global political and societal issues. Previously, Virginia obtained a BA with Honours in Politics, Policy & Sociology from the University of the West of Scotland. Through her academic and professional experience, Virginia has enhanced her skills in both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Additionally, her linguistic proficiency in Italian (mother tongue), English and French enable her to conduct research across linguistic and cultural boundaries effectively.

At EPRC, Virginia’s research focus has been on the Horizon 2020 project DEMOTEC investigating the role of Participatory Budgeting in encouraging more engaged and informed citizen participation in territorial development policies.  Her responsibilities have included evaluating the deliberative quality of citizen discussions, conducting in-depth interviews with citizens and stakeholders, and exploring media perspectives through interviews with journalists. Virginia’s research interests extend to EU Cohesion Policy and regional development, policy and governance in Italy.