Maddalena Fazzo Cusan

After completing her secondary school in Milan, Maddalena Fazzo Cusan first did a double degree Bachelor’s degree programme at the University of Maastricht for two years, and the University of Freiburg for one year. At both universities, she studied at the University College, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, where she graduated in Humanities & Social Sciences.

Maddalena wants to thoroughly understand complex topics, with the goal of improving the society she lives in. That was why she decided to continue her studies with a Master’s degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) in Groningen. She has now completed this programme with a cum laude distinction, has enrolled in the Research Master in Philosophy, and hopes in the long run to do a PhD.

As part of her PPE Master’s degree programme, she wrote a thesis on the moral responsibility of large international companies. These companies are an important driving force behind the growing globalization, but they often manage to avoid the consequences. The quality of her thesis is such that it will probably be reworked into a scientific article. Her excellent pitch also focused on this topic. Maddalena’s deep understanding of her topic was also apparent from the excellent way in which she worded her arguments during the discussion.

Maddalena’s societal involvement is not only apparent in her choice of study topics, all of which are related to political philosophy, but it is also expressed in her extracurricular social activities. She has worked as a volunteer at the asylum seekers’ centre in Ter Apel, is currently acting as a language buddy for fleeing Ukrainian researchers on behalf of the Young Academy Groningen, and has helped organize various fund-raising campaigns for charity organizations. She is also interested in culture, as apparent from her involvement in the University College Maastricht Theatre Society, where she was also president and treasurer. In her current degree programme, she is an active member of the Programme Committee, has taken it upon herself to introduce African Political Philosophy into the Groningen curriculum in Philosophy, has worked as a teaching assistant on various courses, has helped to write the student chapter of the degree programme’s self-evaluation in the context of re-accreditation, and takes part in the Open Days.