Simone Papale

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

CURRENT POSITION

• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Law, Politics and International Studies, University of Parma, 2023 – ongoing
• Adjunct Professor, University of Bologna, 2025 – ongoing

PAST POSITIONS

• Adjunct Professor, Center for European Studies, Dickinson College, 2025 – 2026
• Adjunct Professor, Center for European Studies, Dickinson College, 2023 – 2024
• Teaching Tutor, Department of Social and Political Studies, University of Bologna, 2023 – 2024
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of the Arts, University of Bologna, 2022 – 2023
• Seminar Tutor, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, 2018 – 2022

MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS

• SGRI Steering Committee Member, Italian Standing Group of International Relations (Italian Political Science Association, SISP), 2024 – ongoing
• SUIT Associate Member, Centre for the Study of Subversion, Unconventional Interventions and Terrorism (SUIT), University of Nottingham, 2022 – ongoing

EDUCATION

• PhD in International Relations, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, December 2021
• Tackling Terrorism in Africa: Post-9/11 US Security Policies and Radicalisation in Kenya
• Supervisors: Prof Andrew Mumford; Dr Louise Kettle
• Examiners: Prof Lee Jarvis; Prof Wyn Rees.
• Outcome: Passed with no corrections
• MSc in International Relations, University of Bologna, Italy, 2017. First-class honours (110/110 cum laude)
• BA in Political Science, University of Pisa (Italy), 2014. First-class honours (110/110 cum laude)

RESEARCH

PUBLICATIONS

• Papale, Simone, Food Warfare (Bloomsbury Publishing, forthcoming, 2025/2026, contract signed on November 1, 2024).
• Papale, Simone and Emanuele Castelli, “Russia, Ukraine, and Food Warfare,” International Affairs (forthcoming, accepted on August 26, 2025).
• Papale, Simone, "Changing Course? The US Biden Administration and the Promotion of Peace and Counter-terrorism in Africa," International Peacekeeping (2025): 1-26.
• Papale, Simone and Emanuele Castelli, "Food, Terrorism, and the Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab Insurgencies," Studies in Conflict & Terrorism (2025): 1-25.
• Papale, Simone and Marco Solaroli, "Frames of conflict/conflict of frames: A frame analysis of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Italian press and politics," Media, War & Conflict (2025): 1-19.
• Papale, Simone and Marco Solaroli, “La guerra stampata,” in ShoWar, eds. Anna Maria Lorusso e Marco Santoro (Donzelli Editore, 2025), 21-37.
• Papale, Simone, "Tackling Terrorism in Africa: US Remote Interventionism and the Fight against Al-Qaeda and Al-Shabaab in Kenya," Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding 18, no. 3 (2024): 306-325.
• Castelli, Emanuele and Simone Papale, "Two decades of SGRI: Italy and the evolution of IR scholarship in the twenty-first century," Italian Political Science 19, no. 1 (2024): 70-78.
• Papale, Simone, "The realpolitik of jihad: an anatomy of transnational Islamist terrorism in East Africa," Security Journal 36, no. 3 (2023): 459-471.
• Papale, Simone, "Fuelling the fire: Al-Shabaab, counter-terrorism and radicalisation in Kenya," Critical Studies on Terrorism 15, no. 2 (2022): 356-380.
• Papale, Simone, "Framing frictions: frame analysis and Al-Shabaab’s mobilisation strategies in Kenya," Critical Studies on Terrorism 14, no. 1 (2021): 1-23.

COMMENTARIES AND POLICY PAPERS

• Papale, Simone and Emanuele Castelli, “Fame di potere,” Nigrizia, July/August 2025. https://www.nigrizia.it/notizia/fame-potere-boko-haram-nigeria-cibo-controllo
• Papale, Simone and Emanuele Castelli, “Terrorists use food as a weapon: how Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab exploit hunger,” The Conversation, May 18, 2025. https://theconversation.com/terrorists-use-food-as-a-weapon-how-boko-haram-and-al-shabaab-exploit-hunger-256162
• Papale, Simone and Emanuele Castelli, “The Role of Food in Civil Conflicts,” Food For Future, 2025. https://www.foodforfuture.unipr.it/news-en/the-role-of-food-in-civil-conflicts
• Papale, Simone and Chiara Cervasio, “Ukraine, Remote Interventionism, and the Stability-Instability Paradox: The Need to Re-Prioritise Nuclear Risk Reduction,” British American Security Information Council (BASIC), 2022. https://basicint.org/ukraine-remote-interventionism-and-the-stability-instability-paradox-the-need-to-re-prioritise-nuclear-risk-reduction/
• Papale, Simone, “Counter-terrorism and the fight against Al-Shabaab in East Africa: Time for a more targeted approach,” Security Praxis, 2022. https://www.securitypraxis.eu/counter-terrorism-and-the-fight-against-al-shabaab-in-east-africa-time-for-a-more-targeted-approach/
• Papale, Simone, “A major shift? Biden, Africa and (the stagnation of) the US security policy,” Security Praxis, 2022. https://www.securitypraxis.eu/usa-biden-security-policy-africa/

AWARDS

• 2024 – SGRI Best Paper Award, Italian Standing Group of International Relations (SGRI)
• 2022 – SPIR Best PhD thesis prize, The University of Nottingham
• 2021 – Michael Cowan Scholarship, The University of Nottingham
• 2020 – Founders Fund Award, British International Studies Association (BISA)

RESEARCH GRANTS AND PROJECTS

• 2025 – ITALIM – “L’Italia e la Politica Internazionale della Sicurezza Alimentare,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), Contribution to projects of study, research, and analysis in the field of foreign policy and the promotion and development of international relations – EUR 16,000. Project member.
• 2024 – FOSTER – “Food Security Team of Early-career Researchers”, EU Jean Monnet Centres of Excellence, University of Parma – EUR 100,000. Project member.

CONFERENCE PAPERS (SELECTED)

• Papale, Simone and Emanuele Castelli, ‘Understanding food warfare in Ukraine,’ British International Studies Association (BISA), Belfast, 18 – 20 June 2025.
• Papale, Simone and Emanuele Castelli, ‘Exploring food warfare in Russia’s war on Ukraine,’ Italian Standing Group of International Relations (SGRI) conference, Catholic University of Milan, 12 – 13 June 2025.
• Papale, Simone and Emanuele Castelli, ‘Weaponizing basic resources: Food and security in contemporary terrorist insurgencies,’ Italian Political Science Association (SISP) 37th Annual Conference, University of Trieste, 12 – 14 September 2024.
• Papale, Simone and Emanuele Castelli, ‘The Use of Food by Terrorist Groups: Evidences from sub-Saharan Africa,’ Italian Standing Group of International Relations (SGRI) conference, University of Parma, 20 – 21 June 2024.
• Papale, Simone, ‘The Biden administration, democracy promotion and the war on terror in the African continent,’ Italian Political Science Association (SISP) 36th Annual Conference, University of Genoa, 14 – 16 September 2023.
• Papale, Simone, ‘Remote interventionism, US security policies and the fight against terrorism in Kenya,’ Italian Standing Group of International Relations (SGRI) conference, University of Catania, 15 – 16 June 2023.
• Papale, Simone, ‘Securing the Country: Kenyan Counter-Terrorism Efforts in the Fight against Al-Shabaab,’ Italian Political Science Association (SISP) 35th Annual Conference, Democracy and Its Enemies. Sapienza University of Rome, 8 – 10 September 2022.
• Papale, Simone, ‘Fuelling the Fire: Al-Shabaab, Counter-Terrorism and Radicalisation in Kenya,’ British International Studies Association (BISA) Postgraduate Network. Internalities: political action and conflict within state boundaries (online). 12 May 2021.
• Papale, Simone, ‘Narratives of Conflict and Identity: Al-Shabaab’s Mobilisation Strategies and Counter-terrorism in Kenya,’ European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) General Conference (online). 24 – 28 Aug 2020.
• Papale, Simone, ‘Framing frictions: Al-Shabaab’s propaganda and recruitment in Kenya,’ New Perspectives on Non-State Political Violence (NPPV), Queen’s University, Belfast. 22 – 23 Nov 2019.
• Papale, Simone, ‘Increasing security? US post-9/11 policies and radicalization in Kenya,’ African Studies Association of the UK (ASAUK), biennial conference, University of Birmingham. 11 – 13 Sept 2018.
• Papale, Simone, ‘The Price of Stability: Post-9/11 Aid Policies and the Puzzle of Radicalisation in Kenya,’ Association for African Studies in Italy (ASAI), biennial conference, Plural Africa. Politics, knowledge and social dynamics in time and space. University of Bologna. 5 – 7 Sept 2018.
• Papale, Simone, ‘Understanding the Effects of Donors’ Security Policies: Political Violence and Radicalization in Kenya,’ Graduate Conference on Terrorism and Political Violence, Contemporary Issues in Terrorism Studies, The Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV), University of St Andrews, Scotland. 1 – 2 March 2018.

PANEL CHAIRING AND DISCUSSANT ACTIVITIES

• Panel chair – “Contemporary Warfare and the Changing Character of Conflict: Actors, Spaces, and Resources,” (with Martino Tognocchi), Italian Standing Group of International Relations (SGRI) conference, Catholic University of Milan, 12 – 13 June 2025.
• Panel discussant – “Insurgencies and Terrorism,” Italian Standing Group of International Relations (SGRI) conference, University of Catania, 15 – 16 June 2023.
• Panel chair – “Contemporary Challenges for Peace and Security in Africa: Exploring Emerging Perspectives,” (with Clara della Valle), Italian Standing Group of International Relations (SGRI) conference, University of Catania, 15 – 16 June 2023.
• Panel chair – “Africa, security and the war on terror: Exploring new challenges and opportunities,” (with Edoardo Baldaro), Italian Political Science Association (SISP) 35th Annual Conference, Democracy and Its Enemies. Sapienza University of Rome, 8 – 10 September 2022.

REVIEWER ACTIVITIES (SELECTED)

Critical Studies on Terrorism; Security Journal; African Affairs; Terrorism and Political Violence, Media, War & Conflict

TEACHING

COURSES

• Food Security in International Politics – University of Bologna, 2025 – 2026 
• European Security – Dickinson College, Bologna, 2025 – 2026 
• European Security – Dickinson College, Bologna, 2023 – 2024 
• International Relations (tutorial course) – University of Bologna, 2023 – 2024 
• Politics at University (seminar course) – University of Nottingham, 2021 – 2022
• Understanding Global Politics (seminar course) – University of Nottingham, 2018 – 2019

INVITED LESSONS

• The EU and global security. Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) “The Value(s) of the European Union,” EU Green Alliance, November 26, 2025.
• International relations and food security. Summer School “Towards the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” Department of Law, Politics and International Studies, University of Parma, May 25 – June 21 2024.
• War, frames and media. Winter School “Exploring the Media and Politics Landscape in Europe, East Asia and the US”, Department of the Arts, University of Bologna, 9 – 14 March 2023.
• Jihadist insurgencies and governance in Africa. Seasonal School “African Perspectives: Change, Conflicts, Connections”, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, 7 – 11 March 2022.

STUDENT SUPERVISION

• Co-Supervision of Master’s Thesis – “Food as a Weapon in Gaza,” Department of Law, Politics and International Studies, University of Parma, 2025 – 2026.
• Co-Supervision of Master’s Thesis – “Al-Shabaab and Food Security in Somalia,” Department of Law, Politics and International Studies, University of Parma, 2024 – 2025.

MENTORSHIP ACTIVITIES

• Mentor – “International Studies PhD Workshop,” Standing Group of International Relations (SGRI), University of Milan, 11 June 2025.
• Mentor – “International Studies PhD Workshop,” Standing Group of International Relations (SGRI) and European Consortium on Political Research (ECPR), University of Parma, 19 June 2024.