Alberto Martinelli is Professor (Emeritus) of Political Science and Sociology at the University of Milan, Dean of the Political Sciences Faculty (1987-1999). President of the International Social Sciences Council. Past President of the International Sociological Association. President of the Fondazione AEM. Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic; Gold Medal from the City of Milan; Member of the Lombardy Institute of Sciences and Letters; editorialist for Corriere della Sera.
He wrote "La società europea" ("European Society") with A. Cavalli; "Mal di nazione. Contro la deriva populista" ("Nation disease. Against the populist drift"), 2013; "L'Occidente allo specchio" ("The West in the mirror"), 2012; "La modernizzazione" ("Modernization"), 2010; "Transatlantic Divide. Comparing American and European Society", 2008; "La democrazia globale" ("Global Democracy"), 2008; "Global Modernization", 2005.