Freedom of Expression and Defamation Under the European Convention on Human Rights
First in a two-part series about how Italy’s libel laws violate freedom of expression guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. Above: the European Court of Human Rights in … Continue reading
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, 20 Years of Ceasefire
Above: Downtown Sarajevo. This article was originally published by the Center for Constitutional Studies and Democratic Development. By Janna Brancolini SARAJEVO, Bosnia — Twenty years ago this fall, the leaders … Continue reading
The Role of Truth in Italian versus American Defamation Law
Italian law, unlike American law, does not require defamatory speech to be false. Above: Truth and Mercy by Pompeo Batoni, circa 1745. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. In American defamation … Continue reading
Photo of the Month: February 2015
My favorite images from February were taken during a day trip to Venice for the annual Carnevale di Venezia, a two-week celebration leading up to the beginning of Lent. Carnevale … Continue reading
Defamation Lawsuits, Attacks on Journalists Bring Down Italy’s 2015 Press Freedom Ranking
Above: Italy ranks worse than most of its neighbors, including several EU-hopeful Balkan states, in Reporters Without Borders’ latest global press freedom survey. White states are ranked the highest, followed … Continue reading
Photo of the Month: January 2015
I took this month’s photos on a visit to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to learn about constitutional development and rule of law in a post-conflict society. The … Continue reading
How Italy’s Famed La Scala Opera House Packs its Seats with Millennials
Tickets priced at just 10 euros as part of the “La Scala UNDER30” program in Milan sold out in 15 minutes last month. Above: the inside of La Scala opera … Continue reading
Local and National Governments Clash Over Gay Marriage in Italy
Bologna Mayor Virginio Merola (left) and Interior Minister Angelino Alfano (right) have squared off over same-sex marriage in Italy. Photos courtesy of the City of Bologna and the Italian Ministry of … Continue reading
Photo of the Month: December 2014
After so many weeks living in a fortified city, this month’s theme is nature. Click photos to enlarge. View from the hilltop town of Montecatini Alto in Tuscany. The rooms … Continue reading
Self-Guided Walking Tour of Bologna
Above: Looking down on Bologna’s historic city center. The 2014 Rick Steves Guide to Italy, an impressive tome clocking in at more than 1,200 pages, devotes exactly one paragraph to … Continue reading
Fulbright Year Italy 