Federica Formato

Federica Formato is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Brighton, affiliated with the School of Humanities and Social Science and the Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender. Her academic career spans teaching at multiple UK institutions before securing a permanent position at Brighton, where she instructs modules on research methods, language revitalisation, gender and sexuality, and critical discourse studies.

• Education: Ph.D. in Linguistics from Lancaster University (2014), focusing on gender and language use in the Italian Parliament.

Her research investigates intersections of language, gender, and sexuality in Italy and globally, employing methodologies such as corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis. Key areas include sexist language in public-private binaries, gendered constructions of femminicidio (femicide), masculinities in far-right discourse, and inclusive language strategies.

Recent publications highlight trends in gender-neutral language (2025), discrimination dynamics in Italy (2024), and masculinities in digital spaces (2022-2024). Collaborations span institutions like the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Bologna, and Oxfam Italia, where she consulted on workplace inclusivity.

Scientific Awards:

• KICKSTART FUND (2024)
• IMPACT ACCELERATOR FUNDING (2023)
• RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE PARTNERSHIP AND NETWORKING FUND (2023)
• GREAT MINDS scholarship (2022-2023)
• CUP RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE PARTNERSHIP AND NETWORKING FUND (2021)

She leads a global network on gender-inclusive language and contributes to public discourse through media engagements, including interviews on LGBTQIA+ issues and far-right rhetoric.