Martin Eisner

Martin Eisner is a Professor of Romance Studies and Chair of the Department of Romance Studies at Duke University, affiliated with Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. His expertise centers on Dante, Boccaccio, and the materiality of texts in medieval and Renaissance literature. Eisner holds a Ph.D., M.Phil., and B.A. from Columbia University. His research explores how textual forms shape literary history, with a focus on Dante’s Vita nuova and Boccaccio’s contributions to Italian literary canonization.

Recent publications include Dante’s New Life of the Book (2021), analyzing textual transmission across media, and Boccaccio and the Invention of Italian Literature (2013). He has received prestigious awards such as the Howard R. Marraro Prize (2022) and the Lily Auchincloss Rome Prize (2013–14). Eisner teaches courses on Dante’s Divine Comedy, medieval love literature, and Italian literary culture. His work bridges philology, cultural history, and world literature frameworks.

Professional service includes editorial roles for journals like Exemplaria and University of Chicago Press, and presentations on Boccaccio’s legacy and Dante’s influence on Renaissance thought. His research emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to textual analysis and the global dimensions of literary history.