Call for Applications: Intern – SLAPP Monitoring in Italy

Location: Remote/Hybrid
Hours: 30 hours per week
Duration: 4,5 months
Start Date: 17th of March 2025
End date: 30th of July 2025
Remuneration: €600 per month
Application Deadline: February 28, 2025

About the Internship

Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) invites applications for a four-and-a-half-month paid internship focused on examining Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) in Italy. This internship is made possible through funding from the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) Enabling Fund.

About OBCT and CASE Italia

OBCT is a media outlet and think tank specializing in EU policies related to media freedom, civil society, and regional cohesion, with a strong focus on South-East Europe, Eastern Europe, Italy, Turkey, and the Caucasus. Based in Italy, OBCT operates with a multilingual team of researchers, journalists, and regional correspondents.

As a founding member and coordinator of CASE Italia, OBCT plays a central role in managing the Italian working group’s activities. Established in 2021, CASE Italia works to expose legal harassment, monitor vexatious lawsuits, advocate publicly, and support those targeted by SLAPPs. Its members include Amnesty International Italia, ARTICLE 19 Europe, Articolo 21, Certi Diritti, Environmental Paper Network, Greenpeace Italia, Meglio Legale, Rete No Bavaglio, STRALI, The Good Lobby Italia, and Transparency International Italia. CASE Italia operates in close collaboration with the broader European CASE network.

Internship Role

Under the supervision of CASE Italia’s coordinator, the intern will contribute to assessing the SLAPP phenomenon in Italy. Responsibilities include:

• Monitoring news and political discourse related to high-profile SLAPP cases.
• Collecting and analyzing qualitative data on SLAPP cases.
• Conducting research and interviews related to SLAPP litigation.
• Assisting in organizing institutional events.
• Liaising with Italian and European anti-SLAPP networks.

Who We’re Looking For

We welcome candidates with:

• A strong interest in freedom of expression, and media freedom.
• Fluency in both Italian and English (written and spoken).
• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal).
• Attention to detail and ability to work independently.

Important Eligibility Requirement:

This is an extracurricular internship in accordance with Italian regulations. To be eligible, applicants must have completed a Master’s degree in a relevant field—such as journalism, human rights, political science, European studies, law, media studies, or history—within the past 12 months.

Additionally, applicants must have earned their degree from an academic institution based in Italy that has an established internship agreement with OBCT/Centro per la Cooperazione Internazionale.

How to Apply

Interested? We look forward to your application! Please send:

• Your résumé
• A short motivation letter (max. one page) outlining your experience and relevant skills
• A writing sample (in Italian or English) showcasing your analytical skills

Send your application to resourcecentre@balcanicaucaso.org with the subject line “CASE Italia Monitoring Intern” by February 28, 2025.

We look forward to hearing from you!