Nissology
The interdisciplinary study of islands
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My love affair with islands
My love affair with islands
Islands have fascinated me for as long as I can remember. Their combination of geographical isolation, distinct cultural identities, economic particularities and remoteness makes them extraordinary places to explore, both personally and academically. I see a connection between this fascination and my passion for science fiction, particularly Dune, Star Wars and Isaac Asimov's novels. In many ways, islands represent the last places that can still be conceived as new worlds to discover and explore: places that retain a sense of wilderness, uniqueness and resistance to cultural homogenisation.
Every island remains, at least to some extent, a world of its own.
In my life, I completed two Erasmus exchanges of one full semester each: the first during my Bachelor's degree in Engineering at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Gran Canaria, Spain); the second during my Master's degree in International Economics at the University of the Azores (São Miguel, Portugal).
I also had the chance to visit extensively, not only for tourism, Madeira, Cyprus and Crete. My next desired work and study experience would be: Cabo Verde.
Exploring the determinants of entrepreneurship and regional development in island territories
Exploring the determinants of entrepreneurship and regional development in island territories
I am currently completing a Master's Degree in International Economics and Business at the University of Verona (IT), where I investigate the economic development of European island regions. My research explores how islands can strengthen their entrepreneurial ecosystems despite the structural constraints associated with insularity, such as limited market size, peripheral location and dependence on a narrow range of economic activities.
Through a longitudinal panel data analysis of European island regions, including the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Malta and several Greek islands, I examine how factors such as digitalisation, human capital, tourism demand and infrastructure influence entrepreneurship and regional development.
What can we do together?
What can we do together?
I'm Riccardo Maistrello, an ICF certified professional coach with an academic background in engineering, innovation, psychology and economics (I know, lots of things squeezed together).
I have lived and worked in Italy, the UK and the Netherlands, and since 2019 I have been supporting individuals and organizations in navigating complex transitions with strategic thinking and a human-centred approach. Alongside my coaching practice, I teach at university level and work as an innovation consultant. If you've landed on this page, however, chances are you're interested not in coaching but in islands.
My would-be academic research focuses on the socio-economic development of European island regions, particularly the relationship between entrepreneurship, regional development and the emerging concept of smart islands. I welcome conversations with academics, practitioners, public institutions, companies and universities interested in island studies, regional economics or insular development. I am also open to research collaborations and PhD opportunities.
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