Giorgio Riello

Giorgio Riello is Professor of Global History and Culture at the University of Warwick and Chair of Early Modern Global History at the European University Institute in Florence. He serves as Director of the Warwick Institute of Advanced Study and has held significant leadership positions including Head of Department of History at the European University Institute (2021-22) and Director of Warwick in Venice (2018-19). His academic career spans multiple prestigious institutions across Europe and North America.

His educational background includes a Laurea in Business Economics from Ca' Foscari University, Venice (1998) and a Ph.D. in History from University College London (2002). His academic appointments progressed from Assistant Professor (2007-9) to Associate Professor (2009-11) and finally Professor of Global History and Culture at the University of Warwick (2011-present).

Riello's research focuses on the intersections of material culture, trade, and consumption in early modern Europe and Asia, with particular expertise in textile history. He explores how objects shape global historical narratives, examining the relationship between consumption and production, with specific reference to textiles and clothing. His work bridges economic, cultural, and global history through innovative methodologies that incorporate material culture studies.

His publication record reveals a consistent focus on global connections, particularly in textile history and early modern trade networks. Riello has pioneered concepts like the 'Diamond-shaped Trade' connecting Atlantic and Indian Ocean spaces, challenging traditional Eurocentric narratives of industrial development. His research demonstrates how Asian knowledge and commodities fundamentally shaped European economic development.

• Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (2013)
• Philip Leverhulme Prize (2010)
• World History Association Bentley Book Prize for Cotton: The Fabric that Made the Modern World (2014)
• Braudel Senior Fellowship, European University Institute (2012)
• Iris Foundation Award for contribution to the Decorative Arts and Material Culture (2016)

Riello has successfully secured major research funding including an ERC Advanced Grant 'CAPASIA. The Asian Origins of Global Capitalism' (2022-27) and a Marie Curie COFUND grant. He currently supervises 10 PhD students at the EUI and acts as Second Reader for another 8 PhD students. His research has been supported by the Leverhulme Trust, Arts and Humanities Research Council, British Academy, and Economic History Society.

As director of the Pasold Research Fund since 2010 and active collaborator with major international museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum and MUDEC Museum in Milan, Riello bridges academic research with public engagement in material culture studies.