Brandon Schneider earned a Ph.D. in Italian Studies and a Certificate in New Media from the University of California, Berkeley. His interests include media studies, cultural studies, and Italian language. His current research examines the intersection of contemporary culture and politics, with particular emphasis on, respectively, Silvio Berlusconi and the films of Paolo Sorrentino. He holds an M.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara.