Franco Ricci

Franco Ricci is a Full Professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa. His academic career spans decades, including cross/joint appointments and active participation in graduate studies since 1993. Ricci has held visiting professorships at Colorado College and McGill University, and his research bridges Italian and Italian-American literature, cultural studies, and interdisciplinary fields.

• Ph.D., Italian Studies, University of Toronto (1984)
• M.A., Italian Studies, University of Toronto (1977)
• B.A., Italian and Spanish, Wayne State University (1975)

Ricci’s research explores intersections of Italian Literature and Culture, Italian-American Studies, and Disability Studies, with a focus on semiotics, television, and visual/media anthropology. His work also addresses contemporary migration, cancer survivorship, and health sciences.

The 2014 publication Born Under a Bad Sign exemplifies his scholarship in Italian-American popular culture, analyzing themes of disability, migration, and media representation.