Barbara Faedda

Barbara Faedda serves as the Executive Director of the Italian Academy for Advanced Studies and Adjunct Professor of Italian at Columbia University's Department of Italian within the School of Arts and Sciences. She holds office hours by appointment at the Italian Academy, located at 1161 Amsterdam Avenue, Mail Code 608.

Her academic background includes a Ph.D. in Legal Anthropology and Social Science from the Università Suor Orsola Benincasa di Napoli, with prior studies at Sapienza Università di Roma (Laurea in Lettere). She enhanced her legal expertise through the Summer Institute of International & Comparative Law in Paris (Cornell Law School and Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne) and as a visiting scholar at Boston University.

Faedda's research spans multiple interdisciplinary fields, with particular focus on Italian Studies, Legal Anthropology, Cultural Heritage Preservation, and Fashion Studies. Her work bridges academic scholarship with practical initiatives, notably founding the International Observatory for Cultural Heritage (IOCH) in 2016 and designing significant programs including the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day, Women Leaders Now events, and the Rule of Law Initiative. Her scholarship reveals consistent engagement with transatlantic cultural exchange, migration studies, and the intersection of law with social practices.

Analysis of her recent publications shows a clear trajectory toward cultural heritage protection and transnational legal frameworks, with increasing emphasis on global governance structures for heritage preservation. Her work demonstrates sophisticated integration of Italian cultural history with contemporary global challenges in heritage management, legal anthropology, and fashion studies.

• Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2022)
• 2020 Illustrious Alumnus/Alumna of Sapienza Università di Roma

Faedda has demonstrated significant leadership in academic programming and institutional development, notably relaunching the Italian Academy publications in 2016 as both author and editor. Her diplomatic appointment as Ambassador, Permanent Observer for the European Public Law Organization to the United Nations in 2019 represents a significant extension of her academic work into international policy spheres. Her teaching focuses on contemporary Italy, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach that connects cultural, legal, and social perspectives.

As Executive Director of the Italian Academy, Faedda oversees a significant academic institution dedicated to advanced studies in Italian culture and transatlantic relations. Her leadership has expanded the Academy's programming to include critical contemporary initiatives addressing cultural heritage, women's leadership, and legal frameworks for global challenges.