This open access book examines how socioeconomic distress and geographical marginalization shape political behaviour in Southern Italy, one of Europe’s most disadvantaged regions. Covering the period from the 2001 to the 2022 Italian elections, it investigates how living in “left-behind” places influences voting patterns, political disengagement, and protest behaviour. Combining political science and economic sociology, the book analyses how structural inequalities—poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion—interact with spatial peripheralization in suburban and rural areas. Using fine-grained neighbourhood-level data and a mixed-methods approach, it links electoral trends with the lived experiences of marginalized communities. The volume introduces a novel framework for understanding how economic, social, and geographical forms of peripheralization jointly shape political orientations. Beyond academic debates, it offers insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to address polarization, strengthen civic engagement, and design more inclusive policies in disadvantaged territories.

Stefano Rombi is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Cagliari. He is Principal Investigator of the project Peripheralization and Electoral Geography. His research focuses on electoral behaviour, quality of democracy, political parties.

Marco Valbruzzi is Assistant Professor at the University of Naples Federico II. His research focuses on party organizations, party systems, and electoral behaviour in Western Europe.

Laura Azzolina is Associate Professor of Economic Sociology at the University of Palermo. Her research focuses on, among other topics, territorial inequalities and urban development.

Fulvio Venturino is Full Professor of Political Science at the University of Cagliari and former President of the Italian Society for Electoral Studies (SISE). His research focuses on party politics, voting behaviour, and intra-party democracy.