James Newell

Jim Newell has been writing extensively on Italian events for the past two decades. Editor of the influential series of studies devoted to the last three general elections, published by Manchester University Press and Palgrave, he has contributed to both Italian and foreign TV and radio broadcasts. His latest book is The Politics of Italy: Governance in a Normal Country, published by Cambridge University Press. In it, he takes issue with a number of popular stereotypes about the country, arguing that Italy provides an example of a polity that ‘works’ and that needs, like any other, to be understood in its own terms.

Jim has also written extensively in the area of political corruption and scandal in the UK, Italy and elsewhere. He is especially interested in issues surrounding public perceptions of standards in public life, and he recently appeared on BBC1’s Politics Show talking about Britain’s ‘crisis of political participation’.

Jim is a member of the Executive Committee of the UK Political Studies Association, co-founder of the Association’s Italian Politics Specialist Group and founding co-editor of the on-line journal, the Bulletin of Italian Politics.

He is fluent in both written and spoken Italian.