Luiss Guido Carli remembers with deep affection, esteem, and gratitude Professor Dario Antiseri, a former Full Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Political Science at our university.

A student of Karl Popper, Professor Antiseri was one of the most influential figures in contemporary philosophy and a leading voice in liberal thought. A distinguished academic, a scholar, and a passionate teacher, he made a significant contribution to the University’s growth throughout his career. His scientific rigor, rare vision, and innovative spirit have consistently inspired faculty, researchers , and students. His presence was a constant touchstone in the academic life of Luiss.

Professor Antiseri's passing leaves a profound void in the world of Italian and international culture.

The Luiss community extends its deepest condolences to his family and all those close to him.

Giovanni Orsina, Head of the Department of Political Science, remembers Professor Dario Antiseri as follows:

Dario Antiseri was, above all, a teacher. His course on Methodology of the Social Sciences, taught for decades in the first semester of the first year of the Political Science degree program, was a model of university teaching. Rigorous, brimming with cultural references, and delivered with overwhelming energy and enthusiasm, it shattered students’ preconceptions by teaching them to reason through readings of the classics in the philosophy of science and liberal thought. The first lesson was memorable, interrupted midway by a disconcerting “everything I've told you so far is false.” There couldn't have been a better introduction to a political science degree program that aimed not only to equip students with tools, but also to teach them how to use them consciously and critically. Or perhaps, even more importantly, to think about them.

Never forgetting his Umbrian, rural roots, which he proudly embraced, as a scholar, Antiseri was in complete harmony with Luiss's international mission. Not only did his research and teaching draw on the great Western tradition of political and scientific thought, but they also played a crucial role in opening up the Italian debate—too often ideological and provincial—to a key part of that tradition. His works have been translated into many languages and have circulated widely beyond the Alps.

Ultimately, Antiseri left his mark on the Luiss Political Science program as a public intellectual. Connected to Confindustria and located in Rome, our university is called upon to contribute to the intellectual climate of its time. And it must do so while respecting the formalities, rigor, and pluralism that are appropriate for an academic institution. Antiseri helped place the university on Viale Pola at the center of Italy’s cultural debate by tirelessly championing individual and entrepreneurial freedom.

A teacher, a scholar, and a public intellectual, Antiseri was a man of character. Which can also mean, at times, a bad temper. He was a maverick, a personality too restless to be confined by the disciplinary frameworks, organizational procedures, and power dynamics that define every sphere, including academia. He was certainly not the only maverick in the Luiss Political Science department of his time—just think of Paolo Ungari and Luciano Pellicani. An unyielding individualist, Antiseri never tired of teaching that, in the end, it's people who make institutions. Great mavericks create great institutions, even if it means making them less orderly.

Dario Antiseri served as Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and later as Director of the Department of Political Science. As director of the Department that the Faculty has merged into, I now find myself his successor in two ways. It’s a weighty legacy, but his example sets a clear path: excellence in research, which, when it’s truly outstanding, can only be international; teaching that inspires students, equips them with a rich and profound cultural background, and above all, teaches them to think critically about their world; and the ability to step beyond the university’s walls and leave an indelible mark on the spirit of the times. To keep this example alive, the Department of Political Science will soon organize a conference primarily dedicated to Dario Antiseri’s important contribution to the scientific debate. We believe he would have appreciated being honored in this way.

Giovanni Orsina
, Director, Department of Political Science