Our research

In all areas, Italian culture is studied in its specificity but also more broadly in comparative and transnational perspective.

Impact and engagement

Our research feeds into the work of – and benefits from the collaboration with – Leeds-based, national and international partners: theatres, cinemas and film festivals, and cultural operators such as artists, film-makers, writers, translators, literary agents, publishers,

We also work with schools in the UK and abroad.

Our expertise

Medieval and Renaissance Studies:

• Jacob Blakesley
• Claire Honess
• Federica Pich
• Abigail Rowson
• Matthew Treherne

Modern and Contemporary Italy:

• Alessio Baldini
• Jacob Blakesley
• Pier Pischedda
• Olivia Santovetti
• Gigliola Sulis

Research projects

We host the Leeds Centre for Dante Studies, the series of outward-facing initiatives LivItaly: bringing Italian culture to Yorkshire and ItaLeeds: Researching Italy from Leeds (run by postgraduate researchers in Italian).

Recent research projects developed in Italian studies at Leeds include:

• Dante and Late Medieval Florence
• Family Sagas in World Literatures and Audio-Visual Cultures
• Italian Cinemas / Italian Histories 
• Multilingualism and the Novel 
• Petrarch Commentary and Exegesis in Renaissance Italy, c. 1350-c. 1650
• The Woman Reader Project.

We also contribute actively to the activities of the school research centres, and especially of:

• Centre for Translation Studies
• Centre for World Cinemas and Digital Cultures
• Centre for World Literatures
• Language at Leeds.