Career Trajectories and Europeanisation

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AbstractThis chapter examines the career trajectories of Italian civil society leaders compared to those at the EU level. EU civil society organisations are a relatively recent phenomenon that has grown over the past few decades. They often act as umbrella groups with member organisations across European countries. While Italian civil society has a longer history, EU civil society leaders frequently transition from domestic roles. Our analysis explores how the career paths of these two elite groups differ and the extent to which Europeanisation impacts upon career trajectories. The chapter reveals that Italian leaders tend to have longer tenures and more internally developed career paths, which are deeply rooted within their organisations. In contrast, EU leaders more commonly transition from other roles, whether from within the same organisation’s EU office or by joining new European umbrella groups. This suggests that EU paths require more of a disruptive “leap” from domestic roles. Italian leaders are also more likely to rise through representative board positions at local/regional levels, whereas EU leaders take a more professionalised staff career track. While some nationally influential Italian leaders access EU roles, qualitative insights indicate that they face challenges in adapting individual skillsets to the more competitive European arena versus leveraging domestic organisational capital. Overall, career trajectories highlight contrasting patterns shaped by national traditions versus emerging EU logics and opportunities.