Italian lawyer and doctoral candidate Amalia Pastore has been awarded a grant from the U.S.–Italy Fulbright Commission, enabling her to conduct a comparative study at Notre Dame Law School under the supervision of Professor Anthony J. Bellia Jr.

Pastore is recognized for her work on public administration integrity. Her research will examine the institution of ineligibility to hold elected office for individuals convicted of specific crimes, including the prohibition on running for political office in future elections. This investigation aims to understand how modern democracies utilize legal measures to combat crime and corruption in public administration, with the goal of fostering more representative democracies.

When asked what sparked her interest in the topic, Pastore said, “Contemporary democracies are undergoing a profound crisis, one closely tied to the quality of political representation and the imperative that elected officials act following democratic principles and the public interest. My interest in this topic stems from a direct observation of the harmful impact that political corruption can have on citizens’ daily lives.”

She added, “This issue has deep historical roots, closely connected to the organization of society and, more broadly, to enduring philosophical questions about human nature and the exercise of power. The susceptibility of power to corruption is so universally acknowledged.”

She began her research visit at Notre Dame in April 2025 and will conclude her visit in September 2025. Her comparative study will specifically examine measures adopted in Italy and Belgium, as member states of the European Union, as well as those implemented by certain U.S. federal states, to combat corruption and criminal conduct on the part of elected politicians.

She discusses the different challenges and insights that have emerged from studying such vastly different legal systems. “Gaining a deep understanding of how each system operates internally is essential for identifying meaningful similarities and differences, assessing their effectiveness, and contributing to a broader reflection on how to strengthen democratic governance,” she said. “Ultimately, examining these different models not only highlights the diversity of legal responses to political corruption but also prompts deeper questions about which mechanisms are most effective in reinforcing public trust in democratic institutions.”

Pastore noted that her motivation to apply for the Fulbright Program was out of “a desire to explore the U.S. legal framework on this topic during a time of significant democratic crisis and growing political debate.”

She highlighted the impact of working with Professor Bellia on her research.

“It is truly an honor to conduct my research under his supervision at Notre Dame. Professor Bellia is a meticulous and thoughtful mentor who consistently challenges me with insightful questions and encourages a deeper level of reflection, enriching my approach to legal scholarship,” said Pastore. “Working with a scholar of his experience is a rare and invaluable opportunity, one that is significantly shaping the depth and rigor of my research.”

Pastore is a doctoral candidate in law at the University of Bari Aldo Moro (Italy) and the Faculty of Law and Criminology at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium. She earned an LL.M. from Sapienza University of Rome and a masters in law from the University of Bari, where she was awarded a fellowship to conduct research at Université Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) for her thesis.

Pastore is currently a member of PUBR – Vakgroep Publiek Recht, a research group within VUB’s Department of Public Law and Criminology, and collaborates with the chair of criminal law at the Ionic Department of Legal and Economic Systems of the Mediterranean at the University of Bari.

Originally published by Notre Dame Law School at law.nd.edu on August 24, 2025.