Francesca Forno

2003  PhD in Politics - University of Strathclyde (UK) Department of Government.

1995 Degree in Sociology [BA], Summa cum laude - University of Urbino.

Full professor qualifications

General Sociology (14/C1) from 01/02/2022

Political Sociology, and Sociology of Law (14/C3) from 08/07/2024

Sociology of cultural and communicative processes (14/C2) from 24/10/2024

Academic positions

2017-present Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Trento, Department of Sociology and Social Research

2019-present Associate professor of Sociology, University of Trento, Centre Agriculture Food Environment - C3A

2005 -2016  Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Bergamo
In the Department of Letters, Philosophy, Communication, from March 2016 to December 2016.
In the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, from March 2012 to April 2016.
In the Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Communication Studies, from 2005 to April 2012.
From December 2013: habilitation to associate professorship in Italy.
2009 – 2012: Member of the Integrated Academic Senate.
2004-2005 Temporary Lecturer in Social Movements and Political Change at the University of Urbino, Faculty of Sociology.
2003-2005 Temporary Lecturer in Environmental Sociology at the University of Urbino, Faculty of Environmental Studies.
2002-2003 Teaching Assistant in Sociological Research Methods at the University of Padua, Department of Sociology.
2000-2002 Teaching Assistant in Political Sociology at the University of Urbino, Faculty of Sociology.
1995-1998 Teaching Assistant in Political Sociology at the University of Urbino, Faculty of Sociology.

Teaching experiences

Doctorate level
Taught classes on
2014-2016 Introduction to quantitative methods (University of Bergamo).
Postgraduate level
Taught classes on
2016-2017 Research Methods (grad.) (University of Bergamo).
2014-2017 Sociology of Environment and Territory (grad-ENG) (University of Bergamo).
2011-2017 Sociology of Consumption (grad.) (University of Bergamo).
2004-2005 Social Movements and Political Change (grad.) (University of Urbino).
Undergraduate level
Taught classes on
2005-2017 Foundations of Sociology (undergrad.) (University of Bergamo).
2007-2010 Sociology of Communication (undergrad.) (University of Bergamo).
2003-2005 Environmental Sociology (undergrad.) (University of Urbino).

Collective Action and Social Movements
New Forms and Arenas of Citizens Participation
Environmental Sociology and Sustainability
Changing Patterns in Consumption
Political Consumerism, Collaborative Consumption and Sharing Economy
Local Food, Sustainable Food Systems and Community Development
Research Methods and Techniques

2024-2026 Head/Principal investigator in the project SURFIT: Scaling Urban Regenerative Food Systems In Transition. DUT (Driving Urban Transitions) project. Coordinator: Christian Scholl: Maastricht University
2023-2025 Head/Principal investigator in the project MAKING FOOD DEMOCRACY. Investigating and experimenting with how food policies work. Prin PNRR. Coordinator Francesca Forno, Trento University.
2023-2025 Head/Principal investigator in the project NUEcity: Mapping and Critically Assessing New Urban Economies in Three Metropolitan Areas. Prin 2022. Coordinator: Laura Sartori, Bologna University. 
2021-2023 Head/Principal investigator for the Italian team in the project “FOOdIVERSE: Diversifying sustainable and organic food systems”. ERA- NET SusFood2, funder: MIPAAF – Ministero delle politiche agricole alimentari e forestali. Coordinator: Prof. Stefan Wahlen, University of Giessen, Consumer Studies
2021-2022 Head/Principal investigator in the project “HELPFOOD: Investigating the potential of innovative models of food distribution for fostering transition towards fairer, healthier and environmentally-friendly food systems” Sponsors: EIT, call: EIT_2021_EIT_FOOD_POC 30. Partners: Fondazione Edmund Mach, HIT
2018-2021 Head/Principal investigator for the Italian team in the project “Sustainable Food Platforms: Enabling sustainable food practices through socio-technical innovation”. ERA-NET SusFood2, funder: MIUR - Ministero Istruzione Università e Ricerca.  Coordinator: Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences.
2018-2020 Head/Principal investigator for the Italian team in the project “Social and Solidarity Economy, Urban Communities and the Protection of Vulnerable Groups”. Founder: The Swiss Network for International Studies. Coordinators: Université de Genève.
2017 Principal investigator in the project “Bergamo: Urban Biodiversity Agriculture Hub”. Funder: Regione Lombardia D.G. Agricoltura [€ 63.000 (overall project budget)].
2016-2017 Principal investigator in the project: “Food, Sustainability and Territory. Form Alternative Food Networks to New Forms of Governance”. Funder: Research grant ITALY® - University of Bergamo [€ 24.000].
2014-2016 Associated researcher in the project “Participatory Guarantee Systems in Lombardy”. Funder: Fondazione Cariplo, Milan. Scientific coordinator Silvana Signori - University of Bergamo [€ 146.000 (overall project budget)].
2014-2015 Principal investigator in the project “The recovered factories movement in Italy”. Funder: Research grant ITALY® - University of Bergamo [€ 24.000].
2014-2015 Member of the core team of the “Joint Research and Teaching Program by the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and the University of Bergamo”, Coordinator Matteo Kalchschmidt – University of Bergamo.
2014-2015 Associated Researcher in the project “Practices and visions of change and learning. From reducing consumption to new hypotheses of coexistence”, Coordinator Antonia De Vita – University of Verona.
2013-2015 Member of the interfaculty research group of the project “Bergamo 2.(035) A new Urban Concept in a New World”, Coordinators Sergio Cavalieri, Matteo Kalchschmidt and Laura Viganò – University of Bergamo.
2011-2014 Partecipant in the project “Rôle de l’administration et réappropriation par les pouvoirs locaux de la gestion des risques industriels pour une obtention plus efficace de compromis. Des propositions basées sur une analyse comparée France/Italie”, Project funded by the Fondation pour une Culture de Sécurité Industrielle (FonCSI)”, Toulouse (France). Scientific coordinator: Marie-Gabrielle Suraud - Université Toulouse3.
2011-2014 Associated Researcher in the project “Turning the Vicious Circle around. New Frontiers in the Fight against the Mafia". Funder: Swedish Research Council. Scientific coordinator Carina Gunnarson - University of Uppsala [overall budget SEK 2.139.000; Grant 2010-1309].
2011-2013 Scientific coordinator in the project “Not Just Food: Market and Networks for a sustainable future”. Funder: Fondazione Cariplo, Milan [€ 79.498,56 (overall project budget)].
2010 Senior Researcher in the project “Irealp progetto Vetta: Enhancement of cross-border tourist experiences and products of medium and high altitudes. Directed by Andrea Macchiavelli – University of Bergamo.
2005 -2008 Senior Researcher in the project “Participation in non-profit organisations in Lombardy”. Directed by Roberto Biorcio – University of Milano-Bicocca.
2008 Member of the interfaculty research group on “Il futuro del territorio”, Coordinators Giovanna Dossena and Stefano Paleari - University of Bergamo.
2007-2008 Member of the research group on “Communication rights between local and global: movement networks and transformations in governance processes”. Funder: MIUR-Italian Ministry of University and Research. Scientific coordinator: Mario Diani – University of Trento.
2007 Member of the research group on “Polo formativo professione turismo”, Directed by Rossana Bonadei – University of Bergamo.
2004-2005 Senior Researcher in the project “Territory, Elections and Society after 1994”. Funder: MIUR-Italian Ministry of University and Research. Scientific Coordinator: Ilvo Diamanti – University of Urbino.
2004-2005 Member of the research group on “Monitoring of Schools in the Marche Region (MSM)”. Directed by Bianca  Maria Ventura – IRRE Marche.
2003-2004 Senior Researcher in the Project “Inside the Big Black Box”. Funder: European Commission within the program Raising Public Awareness of Science and Technology. Scientific Coordinator: Federico Neresini – Istituto Poster-Observa.
1998-2000 Research Fellow on the project “The Transformation of Environmental Activism (TEA)”. Funder: European Commission DGXII - Science, Research & Development. Coordiantor: Christopher Rootes – University of Kent at Canterbury.
1997-1998 Senior Researcher on the project “The local government and local interests”. Funder: MIUR-Italian Ministry of University and Research. Co-ordinators: Fortunata Piselli and Carlo Trigilia - University of Trento.
1996-1997 Senior Researcher on the Project “Professional needs in Pesaro-Urbino province”. Co-ordinator Guido Maggioni – University of Urbino.
1995-1996 Senior Researcher on the project “Territory, Regions and Strategy”. Directed by Marco Demarie – Fondazione G. Agnelli, Turin.
1995 Research Assistant on the project “The concept of Nation among the urban elite” Coordinator Gian Enrico Rusconi – University of Turin.

Professional services

Editorial roles

2021-present Member of the international editorial advisory board of the Journal “Consumption and Society” published by Bristol University Press
2021-present International Advisory Board member of the book series "Alternatives to Capitalism in the 21st Century" edited by Bristol University Press
2007 - Associate Editor of “Partecipazione e Conflitto” - The Open Journal of Sociopolitical Studies.
2007 - Member of the Scientific Committee of the Book Series: Globalizzazione, partecipazione, movimenti; Publisher: Franco Angeli.
2014 - Member of the Scientific Committee of the Journal Formazione, lavoro, persona.

Membership in scientific and professional committees/Research groups

2021-present Coordinator of CoACT (Collective Action Change and Transition), Department of Sociology and Social Research at the University of Trento. 

2019-present Member of the Scientific Committee of the Doctoral Programme in Agrifood and Environmental Sciences at the University of Trento.

2014-2017 Member of the Scientific Committee of the Doctoral Programme in Human Capital Formation and Labour Relations

2016-2017 - Member of the Board and Deputy-Director of the Centre for Socio-Economic Dynamics and Cooperation (CESC), University of Bergamo

2014 - Member of the Scientific Committee of the Doctoral Programme in Human Capital Formation and Labour Relations

2014-2016 Member of the Board of the "Lelio Pagani" Centre for Territorial Studies (CST)

2010-2012 Member of the Board of the Research Centre for statistical analysis and sample surveys (CASI).

2005 - Member of the PolisLombardia research group – Osservatorio di ricerca politica e sociale, University of Milano-Bicocca

2012 - Member of the Athena Network for Public Communication and social advertising

2010 - 2015  Member of the Steering Committee of the Ecpr Standing Group “Forms of Participation”

2004 - 2009 Co-promoter and Co-convenor and of the Ecpr Standing Group “Forms of Participation” (with M. Micheletti)

1997 - 2005 Member of the LaPoliS research group – Centro di Ricerca Politica e Sociale, University of Urbino

2019 November, grant. Innovative Teaching, Department of Sociology and Social Research, University of Trento. Awarded 2, 500 euros

2019 August, grant. SNIS project meeting, Department of Sociology and Social Research, University of Trento. Awarded 7, 415 euros

2016 Grants for Visiting Professor and Scholar, Project ITALY® - University of Bergamo.

2015 Grants for Visiting Professor and Scholar, Project ITALY® - University of Bergamo.
2014-2015 Best researcher grant, University of Bergamo, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences.
2013-2014 Best researcher grant, University of Bergamo, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences.
2004 ECPR mobility grant to attend the workshop on “Emerging Repertoires of Political Action, Toward a Systematic Study of Postconventional Forms of Participation”, Joint Sessions of Workshops, Uppsala, Sweden (April).
2000 University Research Studentship Award (1 year) – University of Strathclyde (UK) – Department of Government.

Conference and panel organizer and/or discussant

2019 Conference organizer: Food, territory and sustainability: new food strategies and local policies to feed cities, University of Trento, 15-16 November (with P. Fontana).

2017 SASE Mini-Conference Organizer: Re-embedding the Social: Cooperatives, Political Consumerism and Alternative Lifestyles - University of Lyon, What's Next? Disruptive/Collaborative Economy or Business as Usual?, 29 June – 1 July (with P. R. Graziano, L. Monticelli, and T. Geelan).

2016 SASE Mini-Conference Organizer: Re-embedding the Social: New Modes of Production, Critical Consumption and Alternative Lifestyles. - University of California Berkeley, Moral Economies, Economic Moralities, 24-26 June (with P. R. Graziano, L. Monticelli, and T. Geelan).

2015 Conference organizer: Food, sustainability and territory: from alternative food networks to new governance forms, University of Bergamo, 23-24 October (with G. Orlando, S. Maurano and S. Signori).
2014 Chair of the Panel: Movements and Civil Society Actors against Corruption and Organized Crime, ISA conference, Yokohama, Japan, 13-19 July (with A. Mattoni and P.P. Balan).
2013 Chair of the Panel: And now kill us all. The challenges of mobilizations against corruption and organized crime, Conferenza XXVII SISP, Florence (Italy), 12-14 September (wth A. Mattoni).
2012 Chair of the Panel: Designing Real Utopias? Political consumerism and Sustainable Community Movements between dreams and practice, 3rd International Conference on Degrowth, Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Venice 19-23 September (with P.R. Graziano).
2012 Chair of the Panel: Nuovi movimenti per vecchi conflitti? I movimenti dell’economia sociale e solidale come nuove forme di autorganizzazione e partecipazione politica, Conferenza XXVI SISP, Rome (Italy), 13-15 September (wth P.R. Graziano).
2011 Chair of the panel: A New Rising Star? Political Consumerism and New Sustainable Community Movements in a Comparative Perspective, ECPR General Conference, section Contentious politics in times of crisis, Reykjavik 25-27 August (with P. R. Graziano).
2009 Conference organizer: Legalità è partecipazione, Bergamo (Italy), 26-28 November.
2009 Discussant of the Panel: Movimenti studenteschi e giovanili: una prospettiva storica e transnazionale, Rome XXIII Convegno SISP, 17-19 September.
2007 Conference organizer and moderator: Shopping for Human Rights. Giornata di studio sul consumo critico, Bergamo (Italy), 4 December (with S. Ghislotti).
2007 Chair of the Panel: Partecipazione e Conflitto, Conferenza XXI SISP, Catania (Italy), 20-22 September (with M. Andretta).
2007 Chair of the section: Emerging Patterns of Collective Action, ECPR General Conference, Pisa (Italy), 6-8 September (with M. Micheletti and L. Hustinx).
2006 Scientific Coordinator: Cultural Conflicts, Social Movements and New Rights: A European Challenge, Fondazione Feltrinelli, Cortona (Italy), 20-22 0ttobre (with B. Cartosio).
2006 Workshop Director: Studying Forms of Participation, ECPR Joint Sessions, Nicosia (Cyprus), 25-30 April (with M. Micheletti).
2003 Chair of the workshop: Rappresentanza e rappresentazione. First Graduate Conference, Faculty of Sociology, Globalizzazione, conflitti, movimenti sociali, Trento (Italy), 5-6 June.

Presentations at conferences and workshops

2019 “Mind the Gap: Between the Chain and the Pplatform” RN12 - Environment and Society, 14th Conference of the European Sociological Association, Manchester, 20-23 August (with

Emanuela Bozzini, Filippo Oncini and Natalia Magnani).

2018 “Green Shops. Mapping and analysing small sustainable retail shops as spaces for sustainable consumption”, Research Network of Sociology of Consumption, European Sociological Association, Mid-term Conference, Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen,

Copenhagen, Denmark, 29.8-1.9 (with Chiara Demaldè).

2017 Urban Food Strategies: the role of Food Champions and policy entrepreneurship in Cork and Bergamo", AESOP Conference, Coventry University, 14-15 November (with Gloria Gambartolomei and Colin Sage)

2017 “Re-embedding the Social: Cooperatives, Political Consumerism and Alternative Lifestyles”, ISA Mid-term conference, From the Streets to Public Debate, Social Movement and the Making of Alternative, Catania University, Catania 30-31 May (with P. R. Graziano, L. Monticelli, and T. Geelan).

2016 “Grassroots Movements, Market and Public Administration: Between conflicts and cooperation. Some reflections on a case study from Northern Italy”, Conference on Democratizing Food Governance, The American University of Rome, Rome, 14 October (with S. Maurano).

2016 “Between Resilience and Resistance: SCMOs in Italy in Times of Crisis”, ECPR Joint Session - Workshop Environmental Social Movements and the New Politics of Consumption, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa 24-28 April (with P.R. Graziano).
2016 “Le pratiche economiche alternative in tempi di crisi: il difficile lavoro di riconnessione tra produzione e consumo”, Firenze, 10 March, Scuola Normale Superiore - Palazzo Strozzi,
2016 “My House is Yours. Motivations and characteristics of tourists in the sharing economy”, 2nd International Workshop on the Sharing Economy, ESCP – Europe, Paris, France 28-29 January (with R. Garibaldi).
2015 “Between resilience and resistance: alternative economic practices in Italy in times of crisis” LIVEWHAT International Scientific Conference, Geneva (Switzerland), Wednesday 14th– Friday 16th October.
2015 “Cibo e sostenibilità: dalle Alternative Food Networks ai Food Policy Council. Quali Opportunità di sviluppo territoriale?” X Convegno nazionale dei sociologi dell’Ambiente, Bologna 18-19 June (with S. Maurano).
2015 United We Buy: re-embedding the economy within society for a sustainable world, 15th Biennial Global Conference International Association for the Study of the Commons, Edmonton, Alberta 25-29 May (with Paolo R. Graziano and Giuseppina Migliore).
2015 “Cibo, territorio e sostenibilità: le Alternative Food Networks. Quali opportunità di sviluppo tra crisi economica e nuove pratiche di consumo?”, VIII Seminario franco-italiano di Geografia sociale, Ripensare lo spazio sociale: reti, mobilità, territorialità. Torino 21-22 May (with S. Maurano).
2015 “The uses of mutualism in the Italian recovered factories movement” UK Association of Social Anthropologists Annual Conference, Exeter. Panel: ‘Engagement and disengagement in crisis: anthropology as a mutualist concern’ (with G. Orlando).
2014 “The Italian Recovered Factories movement between resistance and resilience”, 3rd Midterm Conference of the European Political Sociology Research Network of ESA, 28-29 November, Copenhagen (with F. De Nardis).
2014 “Ethical travel – holidaying to fight the Italian Mafia”, ATLAS annual conference, Tourism, Travel and Leisure - Sources of Wellbeing, Happiness and Quality of Life, Budapest, Hungary, 22-24 October (with R. Garibaldi).
2014 “Le nuove pratiche economiche in tempi di crisi: tra spazi di resistenza e resilienza sociale”, Convegno internazionale, Crisi economica e consumi in Italia e in Europa, Verona University, 3-4 October (con S. Maurano).
2014 “Solidarity Purchase Groups. How the consumer becomes collective“, International Workshop on The New Politics of Lifestyles. Consumer Participation On-/Offline. 23-14 September, Singen.
2014 “United We Buy: re-embedding the economy into society for a sustainable world” ISA conference, Yokohama, Japan, 13 - 19 July.
2014 “Personalized engagement in the current ‘new’ wave of anti-mafia grassroots mobilization”, ISA conference, Yokohama, Japan, 13 - 19 July.

2014 “Solidarity Purchase Groups. How the consumer becomes collective “, International Seminar on Grassroots responses to the global crisis: between protest and self and mutual help, 27 May, University of Trento.
2013 “Home Swapping as a Form of Creative Tourism: A Research on 130 Countries”, Tourism & Management Studies International Conference, Algarve, Portugal, November 13-19.
2013 “Building ‘virtual’ and ‘glocalized’ networks. New technologies and personalized engagement in the current ‘new’ wave of anti-mafia grassroots mobilization”, 7th ECPR General Conference, Sciences Po, Bordeaux, 4-7 September – Workshop on The Heterogeneity of Diffusion Processes in Contemporary Social Movements .
2013 “Not only low-cost. Home swapping as creative tourism strategy”, ATLAS Expert Meeting on Alternative and Creative Tourism, 13-14 June, Setba Zona D’Art – Barcellona (with R. Garibaldi).
2013 “Beyond Alternative Food Networks: An Agenda for Comparative Analysis of Italy’s Solidarity Purchase Groups (SPG) and Districts of Solidarity Economy vis-à-vis US Community Economies”, UNRISD Conference on Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy, Genebre, 6 - 8 May (with C. Grasseni and S. Signori).
2012 “Innovazioni nel repertorio d’azione dell’antimafia sociale: dalla lotta per la legalità al consumo critico come assunzione individualizzata di responsabilità - Studiare le mafie. Esperienze e prospettive di ricerca a confronto - Seminario dell’Istituto Carlo Cattaneo, con la collaborazione dell’Università di Torino, Dipartimento di Culture, Politica e Società, Bologna, 9-10 February.
2011 “United we buy: new consumer organizations for a sustainable future. The case of Gas – gruppi di acquisto solidali (solidarity-based purchase groups)” – ESA 10th Conference, Session: “Ethical and Political Consumption”, Genève, September 7-10.
2011 “How political consumerism enacts collective action: Two cases of anti-mafia mobilization based on network exchanges” – Workshop: “The Mobilization of Identities” - Stanford University, February 15.
2010 “Between Low Cost and Environmental Concern. A Research on Italian Home Swappers’ profile and motivation” - the 5th World Conference for Graduate Research in Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure, Cappadocia, Turkey, 25-30 May (with Roberta Garibaldi).
2009 “I modelli organizzativi delle associazioni lombarde. Struttura interna, forme di azione e relazioni con la politica” Il gioco dei poteri nelle trasformazioni della democrazia - Convegno AIS, sezione di Sociologia Politica – sessione Governance e/o partecipazione politica. University La Sapienza, Rome, 21-22 May (with E. Polizzi).
2009 “The organisational models of associations in Lombardy. Internal structuring, repertoires of action and relationship with politics” ECPR Joint Sessions, Lisbon (Portugal), 14-19 April - Workshop Professionalization and Individualized Collective Action: Analyzing New ‘Participatory’ Dimensions in Civil Society (with E. Polizzi).
2008 “The structure of the Italian political consumerist mobilization on the web” Social Web – Towards Networked Protest Politics? University of Siegen (Germany), 7-8 November.
2008 “Everyday Shopping to Fight the Italian Mafia” Annual SISP Conference, Pisa (Italy) 4-6 September – Panel Aspetti disfunzionali del sistema politico italiano: mafia, corruzione, clientelismo (with C. Gunnarson).
2008 “Struttura e repertori d’azione dell’associazionismo in Lombardia: professionalizzazione e frammentazione” Annual SISP Conference, Pisa (Italy) 4-6 September – Panel Partecipazione e associazionismo (with E. Polizzi).

2007 “Shopping for a Sustainable Future: The Structure of the Italian Anti-Consumerist Mobilisation” 3rd Karlstad Seminar of Studying Political Action, Karlstad (Sweden), 12-14 October.
2007 “Studying Political Consumerism on the Web”, Ecpr General Conference, Pisa (Italy), 6-8 September – panel The use of ICTs for innovative forms of participation.
2007 “Consumption Styles and Digital Networks in Italy” ASCA International Conference, Amsterdam (The Netherlands), 28-30 June – Panel: Networks and movements: an interdisciplinary conversation.
2007 “Stili di Consumo e reti telematiche in Italia”. Giornata di studio “Cittadini e consumatori” – University of Milan (Italy), 12 April.
2006 “Political consumerism off/online. Some considerations from Italy”. 2nd Karlstad Seminar on Studying Political Action, Statsvetenskapliga Förbundet, Karlstad (Sweden), 12-14 October.
2006 “Waves of Protest”. ECPR Joint Sessions, Nicosia (Cyprus), 25-30 April – Workshop Studying Forms of Participation.
2005 “Protesta e sistema politico in Italia: 1988-2003”. National conference “Metamorfosi della politica”, Perugina (Italy) 1-2 December – workshop: Movimenti sociali e dimensione internazionale.
2004 “L’analisi degli eventi di protesta per lo studio dei movimenti sociali”. Annual SISP Conference, Padua (Italy) 15-17 September – methodology of political research sector: la ricerca sui movimenti sociali: problemi teorici e metodologici.
2004  “From the Street to the Shops: the Rise of New Forms of Political Action in Italy (?)”. ECPR Joint Sessions, Uppsala (Sweden), 13-18 April - Workshop Emerging Repertoires of Political Action, Toward a Systematic Study of Postconventional Forms of Participation (with L. Ceccarini).
2003  “La protesta in Italia durante gli anni ’90”. First Graduate Conference, Faculty of Sociology, Trento (Italy), 5-6 June: Globalizzazione, conflitti, movimenti sociali.
2003 “Protest in Italy during the ‘90s”, ECPR Joint Session, Edinburgh (UK), 28 March – 2 April. – Workshop New Social Movements and Protest in Southern Europe.
1999 “The Evolution of Environmental Protest in Italy 1988-1997”, ECPR Joint Sessions, Mannheim (Germany), 26-31 March – Workshop Environmental Protest in Comparative Perspective (with M. Diani).

Invited lectures and talks

2019 “Sustainable Practices in the Food Industry”, keynote Speaker at October days for sustainable development, 17 October EIB Head Office, Luxemburg

2019 “Protest, Social Movements, and Spaces for Politically-Oriented Consumerist Actions”, University of Geneve, March 14th, Geneve.

2018 “Organizing for Sustainable Transition: The case of Solidarity Purchase Groups”, Hecua 2018, Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and Justice, Castello Sonnino International Education Centre, 15 October.

2017 “Percorsi di sostenibilità, consumo critico e partecipazione. Verso un nuovo modello di cittadinanza”, Scuola Gallileiana di Studi Superiori, Padova 26 April.

2016 “Fabbriche recuperate e nuove forme di partecipazione politica”, Seminari di Scienza politica, Università degli Studi di Padova, 14 December.

2016 “Path of sustainability, ethical consumption and participation. Towards a new model of citizenship”, Istituto di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Scuola Normale Superiore, Conference Hall “l’Altana”, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, 9 March.
2015 “Consumo critico e partecipazione politica: il voto con il portafoglio”, Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche e Sociali, Università di Catania, 3 December.
2014 “Pratiche di resilienza sociale e nuove forme di comunitarismo”, Tavola Rotonda, Convegno di metà mandato della sezione di Sociologia politica dell’AIS, 17 Ottobre, Università del Salento, Lecce.
2014 “Solidarity Purchase Groups (GAS) and resistance against the mafia in Italy”, International Degrowth Conference, 2-6 September, Leipzig.
2014 “Solidarity Purchase Groups (GAS) in Italy”, Feeding the City Symposium, Siena School for Liberal Art, 25-26 June, Pisa.
2014 “Gruppi di acquisto solidale. Come il consumo diventa collettivo”, Il fascino indiscreto della sociologia, Brown Bag Seminars sulla ricerca empirica, University of Bologna, 5 June.
2014 “Le reti informali di cittadini: principi di attivazione e pratiche di sostenibilità” Azione locale partecipata, Corso di perfezionamento post-lauream, Venezia, IUAV, 9 Maggio.
2014 “Tra resistenza e resilienza. L’emergere delle pratiche economiche alternative”, Casa della Cultura di Milano, Scuola di cultura politica 2013-2014, "Italia, oltre la crisi. Le ragioni del cambiamento." 16 febbraio.
2013 “Ethnographic approaches and co-research with activists”, Ecpr-COSMOS Summer School in Methods for the study of political participation and mobilization, European University Institute, Florence, 18 September 2013.
2013 “Consumo critico e legalità”, Ciclo di incontri su Economie, Lavoro e Benessere in una società in transizione, Università di Verona, Verona 10 aprile.
2012 “Paradigmi e modelli dell’antimafia in Italia”, Master APC: Analisi, Prevenzione e Contrasto della criminalità organizzata e della corruzione, Università di Pisa, 23 June.
2012 “Le mappe come strumento di identità e partecipazione: presentazione e discussione della ricerca dentro il capitale delle relazioni”, Corso per operatori ecomunseali, Provincia di Lecco, 19 May.
2012 “Movimenti e nuove esperienze di socialità”, Scuola di Cultura politica, Casa della cultura, Milano, 12 May.
2012 “Economia a pizzo zero”, MiliSchool, OR, Sardegna, 21 April.
2012 “Antimafia e consumo critico”, MaCrO, Ciclo di incontri e seminari di approfondimento in tema di mafie e criminalità organizzata, Università di Ferrara, 29 March.
2012 “Dal consumo critico alla reti di co-produzione per un futuro autosostenibile dei territori” -  Laboratorio di economia civile, 27-28 January Eremo Madonna delle Grazie, Avola Antica (SR).
2009 “Organizzare il cambiamento”, X Convention Ambiente Ricerca Giovani, Bergamo, 16-20 November.
2008 “Principali movimenti di critica che hanno attraversato la storia del capitalismo fino ai movimenti no global”, I° Corso per Animatori di Reti Locali, Tavolo della RES Italia, Milano, 29 November.
2007 “Political Consumerism in Italy: Main Traits and Development”, Swedish Consumer Agency, Karlstad, Sweden, 18 October.
2005 “Introduction to Quantitative Methods and Techniques”, International Doctorate in Sociology of Law Renato Treves”, University of Urbino.
2003 “Movimenti e protesta in Italia negli anni 90, Observa, Science and Society, Vicenza, 1 December.
2003  “Introduction to SPSS for Social Sciences”, Course for post-graduate students, Department of Sociology, University of Padua.
2002 “Il territorio tra politica e amministrazione” - Corso Esperto di Politiche Territoriali (FSE n° 176 Obiettivo 3 Asse D Misura 2), LaPolis, University of Urbino.
1997 “Introduction to SPSS for Social Sciences”, Faculty of Sociology, University of Urbino.

Other academic activities
2012 - Co-founder and Co-director of CORES LAB – Research group on Consumption, Networks and Practices of Sustainable Economies, University of Bergamo http://coreslab.wikispaces.com/

2011 - Co-organizer of the annual Seminar on “Social communication and sustainability” at Bergamo University (five editions; with F. Giorgia Paleari and Vittorio Montieri).

2013 - Co-organizer of the annual Workshop on “FoodLab: Ripensare l’immagine del territorio attraverso forme innovative di produzione e consumo” at Bergamo University (three editions; with Ettore Castagna).
2013 Member of the Scientific Committee of the ECPR/COSMOS Summer School on Methods for the Study of Political Participation and Mobilization, European University Institute, Florence.

Member of the following professional associations: ECPR (European Consortium for Political Research), ESA (European Sociological Association), ISA (International Sociological Association), SISP (Società Italiana di Scienza Politica), AIS (Associazione Italiana di Sociologia), ATLAS (Association for Tourism and Leisure Education).

External/Anonymous reviewer
2004 - Occasional reviewer for the following journals: European Journal of Political Research; Mobilization; Modern Italy; Southern Europe Politics & Society; Critical Policy Studies; International Sociology; Journal of Consumer Policy, Social Problems; International Journal of Consumer Studies; International Journal of Hospitality Management; Agriculture and Human Values, British Food Journal; Interface; Polis; Micro& Macro Marketing; Sociologica; Etnografia e Ricerca Qualitativa; RIS; Italian Sociological Review, Formazione, lavoro, persona; Sociologia della comunicazione, Sociologia della comunicazione.

Evaluator of research projects
2016 External reviewer for the Italian research assessment exercise (VQR 2011–2014)
2007 External reviewer for the Italian Ministry for Education University and Research (MIUR-PRIN projects)
2012 External reviewer for the Italian research assessment exercise (VQR 2004–2010)
2015 External reviewer for the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO)
2016 External reviewer for the  Research Foundation Flanders (FWO)

Participation in local projects

Scientific coordinator of the project “Feeding Trento”, Joint Project between the University and the Municipality of Trento.

Member of the Advisory Group of the Horizon2020 project “Big Picnic: Big Questions. Engaging the public with Responsible Research and Innovation on Food Security”; Bergamo Botanic Garden (2014-2020).

Member of the Advisory Group of the project EA(S)TITALY [Task 2: “Promoting a Local System of Sustainable Food”], Municipality of Bergamo (2016-2017).

Short Bio: Francesca FORNO is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Trento. Her interests include civic participation and social change. She has published and done research on political consumerism, collaborative consumption, eco-social innovation and alternative food networks (AFNs). Her work has appeared leading journals including, among others: The Annals of the America Academy of Political and Social Science, the Journal of Consumer Culture, Southern European Society and Politics, International Journal of Consumer Studies, European Societies, the British Food Journal, Food Policy as well as in collections of essays published by Oxford University Press, Wiley-Blackwell, Zed Books and Routledge. 

Blog: Socio(eco)logico