PhD in Political and Social Sciences for Security and Development – SPSSS

The PhD is the highest level of education within the Italian academic system. Its aim is to provide the skills necessary to carry out highly qualified scientific research in both the public and private sectors. At the end of the programme, the University awards the title of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

The PhD programme in Political and Social Sciences for Security and Development (SPSSS) is promoted by the Department of Political Science at the University of Bari Aldo Moro, based on the assumption that any process of development is grounded in the fulfillment of individual security needs, understood as the guarantee of civil, political, and social rights.

Development processes, in fact, reflect the capacity of human societies to respond to individuals’ needs for survival, well-being, and protection. They are not only the outcome of transformations in the economic and productive landscape, but also largely the result of the ability of political and institutional models to evolve and adapt to changes in natural, historical, and social contexts.

The ambition of the PhD programme is to train a new generation of researchers and experts capable of understanding the complexity of ongoing transformation processes and producing analyses that can guide policymakers’ decisions towards a safer, more equitable, and sustainable society.