Ezzat Hassan is an Egyptian-Italian Lecturer of Arabic language at the University of Catania's Department of Humanities since 2011. He holds dual Egyptian and Italian nationality and serves as a Native Speaker instructor for modern and classical Arabic language courses. His office is located in room 130 with regular office hours on Mondays (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM), Tuesdays (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM), and Thursdays (12:00 PM - 2:00 PM). His research interests focus on Arabic language acquisition, Arab society studies, cultural mediation in Mediterranean contexts, and immigrant integration in Italy. Hassan has extensive experience in translation and interpretation, particularly for court proceedings in Reggio Calabria since 1994. His linguistic expertise spans Arabic (native), Italian (C2), and English (C1), with specializations in political, architectural, and literary translation. Hassan's scholarly output shows consistent focus on Mediterranean cross-cultural exchange, with particular attention to the impact of the Arab Spring on education systems and societal structures. His publications demonstrate strong engagement with practical applications of language studies in immigration contexts and intercultural communication. various titles from Italian institutes including Universities for Foreigners of Siena and Reggio Calabria Hassan has actively advised students on thesis abstracts in Arabic language and has coordinated language testing procedures. His professional activities extend beyond academia to include technical consultation for court proceedings, freelance translation services, and correspondence work with the Institute of Tourism and Information Technology in Alexandria, Egypt since 2010.
Tullia Catalan is an Associate Professor of Contemporary History at the Department of Humanities (DiSU) of the University of Trieste. She holds multiple leadership positions including Delegate for Relations with TA Staff in the Management Office, President of the Joint Committee of Teachers and Students, and member of the Department Council. She serves on Course of Study Recommendation committees for Historical and Philosophical Disciplines, Foreign Languages and Literatures, and Historical Studies programs, as well as participating in multiple Doctoral Colleges for History programs. Her research focuses on Jewish history with particular emphasis on the Trieste Jewish community across the 19th and 20th centuries. Her scholarly work explores Jewish conversions, assimilation processes, participation in the Risorgimento, Holocaust remembrance, and Trieste's unique position as a multicultural port city at the crossroads of Italian, Slavic, and Central European cultures. She has published extensively on topics ranging from anti-Slavic sentiment in irredentist movements to post-WWII refugee policies in border regions. Dr. Catalan is actively engaged in several significant research projects including the Institutional Research Collaboration with the Jewish Community of Trieste (2024-2025), the CU Remember Project focused on Holocaust remembrance education, and the "Our History" research grant examining local heritage archives. Her scholarly contributions demonstrate consistent thematic focus on identity formation, cultural transformation, and the complex historical dynamics of minority communities in border regions. Her research methodology combines archival investigation with cultural analysis, examining both official documents and personal narratives to reconstruct the multifaceted experiences of Jewish communities in historical transition periods. She has organized educational initiatives including a September 2025 training course for teachers on Holocaust remembrance methodologies. As a member of the Department of Humanities, Dr. Catalan contributes to teaching across multiple degree programs while maintaining an active research agenda that bridges academic scholarship with public history and educational outreach. Her work has established her as a leading expert on Trieste's Jewish heritage and its historical development within broader European contexts.
Silvia Scolaro is a Lecturer at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Department of Comparative Linguistic and Cultural Studies, and a current PhD student in Language Sciences (39th Cycle, enrolled 2023). She specializes in Italian language teaching for Chinese learners and cross-cultural education, with a focus on pedagogical models, interlanguage studies, and refugee integration. PhD in Language Sciences (Ca' Foscari, 2023-present) IELTS Academic (Band 7.5, 2023) HSK Level 5 (2021) Master ITALS II Level (Ca' Foscari, 2010) Her research explores Italian language acquisition by Chinese students, plurilingual awareness, and innovative methodologies for teaching Italian as a second/foreign language. She has pioneered training programs for educators and investigated the impact of CLIL, TBLT, and metacognitive strategies on language proficiency. Her recent publications (2025–2021) address: Curriculum design for Chinese students Environmental sustainability in language education Refugee language integration Chinese academic language programs in Italy/China Corpus-based interlanguage studies She teaches Italian language courses (A1–B1) and cultural modules for international students at Ca' Foscari's School for International Education since 2019, and has held roles in teacher training, intercultural labs, and academic conferences (AICLU, AATI, ANILS). Her work bridges theoretical research with practical applications in multicultural classrooms.
Barbara Turchetta is a Full Professor (SSD L-LIN/01 - Glottology and Linguistics) at the University of Bergamo . She teaches courses in Variationist Linguistics , Migration Linguistics , Linguistic Typology , and Linguistic Landscape . Research Focus : Contact linguistics, sociolinguistics of multiculturalism, second language acquisition, and intercultural communication. Geographic Specialization : Sub-Saharan Africa, Near/Middle East, Mediterranean Europe. Key Projects : 2017-2018: Training in South Sudanese refugee camps (UNHCR/ACAP/AICS) 2019-2021: PRIN 2017 project on Italian language dynamics in global contexts 2023-2025: PNRR Extended Partnership PE5 "Changes" Publications : Over 50 works focusing on dialectology, historical linguistics, and language contact, including studies on Italian diaspora identity negotiation in North America and linguistic variation in 16th-century Piedmont. Notable projects include the DigitALI initiative for digital preservation of the Italian Linguistic Atlas. Institutional Roles : Director of the Language Competence Center and Italian Center for Foreigners at University of Bergamo (2021-present), former director of multiple training programs for cultural mediators.
Valentina Parisi is a Researcher (SLAV-01/A) in the Department of Humanities - Languages, Mediation, History, Arts, Philosophy at the University of Macerata. She previously held research positions at the University of Pavia (2019-2022) and has taught Russian literature at the Civica Scuola Interpreti e Traduttori in Milan (2009-2019). She is also a visiting professor of Contemporary Art History at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan (NABA), focusing on Eastern European countries, and has taught at several other Italian universities including Pisa and Macerata. Parisi graduated cum laude in Russian language and literature from the University of Milan in 2000 and received her PhD from the same university in 2005. Her doctoral research led to her book Il lettore eccedente. Edizioni periodiche del samizdat Sovietica 1956-1990 (Bologna, Il Mulino, 2013), developed through archival research in Bremen, Moscow, and St. Petersburg supported by a scholarship from the University of Milan (2005-2007) and a postdoctoral fellowship from the Italian Institute of Human Sciences (2009-2011). Her research focuses on Soviet underground literature (samizdat), Russian dissident culture, and the intersection of literature and visual arts in the Soviet and post-Soviet context. She has made significant contributions to understanding the networks, infrastructures, and transnational dimensions of Soviet underground culture. Her work bridges literary studies, cultural history, and art history, with particular attention to how texts circulated outside official channels and how dissident voices found expression despite censorship. She has also explored themes of Jewish identity, migration, and multiculturalism in contemporary Eastern European literature. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on samizdat and underground cultural production, with increasing attention to transnational dimensions and contemporary manifestations of dissident culture. Her work demonstrates interdisciplinary breadth, connecting literary analysis with art history, gender studies, and migration studies while maintaining a strong foundation in Slavic philology and textual scholarship. Russia-Italy. Through the Centuries Award for best debut translation Shortlisted for the 2017 Gorky Prize Marie-Curie Award as part of EU-IAS-FP EURIAS Fellowship at Central European University in Budapest (2012-2013) Paul-Celan Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna (2022-2023) Parisi has received significant research funding including a two-year postdoctoral fellowship from the Italian Institute of Human Sciences, a Marie-Curie Award through the EU-IAS-FP program, and has been a visiting researcher at numerous prestigious institutions including the Garage Archive Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow. She serves on the International Editorial Board of the Immigrant Worlds & Texts series and is a member of the International Scientific Committee for the research project "Free Voices in the USSR" at the University of Pisa. While her primary focus has been on research rather than formal student supervision, she has mentored numerous students through her teaching positions at multiple institutions. Her editorial work connects her to broader scholarly networks, particularly through her involvement with the "Free Voices in the USSR" research project and her contributions to academic journals. Her translations and cultural journalism (including regular contributions to Il Manifesto since 2007) extend her scholarly impact beyond academia into public discourse about Russian and Eastern European culture.
Mônica Muniz de Souza Simas is an Associate Professor of Portuguese and Brazilian Literature at the Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice. She holds a Doctorate (2001) and a Master's degree (1997) from PUC-RJ, and has taught at institutions such as the University of São Paulo (USP, 2003–2021) and the University of Florence (2014 as a Visiting Professor). She is a member of the Joint Teacher-Student Commission at Ca' Foscari and coordinates research projects on Macau literature and Luso-Brazilian cultural studies. Her research focuses on Portuguese literature in Asia, post-colonialism, interculturality, and cultural diversity. She has led projects such as 'Porta Macao: fictional constructs and poets of ways of living in multicultural contexts' and 'The experience of the orphans in Macao literature.' She is a CNPq researcher since 2015 and has received the 'Talento 2007' award (2008) for her contributions to Portuguese literature education. She coordinates the Laboratory of Interlocutions with Asia (LIA) and contributes to editorial boards of journals like Desassossego and Convergencia Lusíada . Teaching includes courses on Portuguese and Brazilian literature, postcolonial studies, and cultural history across undergraduate and graduate programs.
Prof. Sascha Kraus is a Full Professor of Management and Chairholder at the University of Siegen (Germany), concurrently serving as a teaching and research staff member at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano's Faculty of Economics and Management since 2020. He holds a doctorate from Klagenfurt University, a Ph.D. from Helsinki University of Technology, and a Habilitation from Lappeenranta University of Technology. His academic journey includes Full Professorships at Utrecht University (Netherlands), the University of Liechtenstein, École Supérieure du Commerce Extérieur Paris (France), Durham University (UK), and part-time roles at other institutions. His research focuses on Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Family Business, and Innovation, with over 100 publications in top journals such as Academy of Management Perspectives and Global Strategy Journal . He is a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2022-2023) and ranked 3rd in Germany/Austria/Switzerland for 'Current Research Performance' (WirtschaftsWoche 2024). His work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications, emphasizing digital transformation and sustainability in entrepreneurial contexts. Education: Doctorate in Social and Economic Sciences, Klagenfurt University (AT) Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Management, Helsinki University of Technology (FI) Habilitation (Venia Docendi), Lappeenranta University of Technology (FIN) His research trends emphasize AI-driven business models, digital innovation in SMEs, and family firm resilience. He advises on strategic pragmatism for crisis navigation and explores ethical dimensions in family business operations. Recent work includes studies on metaverse entrepreneurship, generative AI applications, and post-pandemic talent management strategies. Awards: WirtschaftsWoche 2024: 3rd in Current Research Performance, 9th in Lifetime Achievement International Council for Small Business: Top 10 Most Influential Researcher Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher 2022-2023 Prof. Kraus leads initiatives at Bozen-Bolzano on innovation contests, strategic agility, and digital entrepreneurship education. His labs focus on cross-cultural management and trilingual academic collaboration, leveraging South Tyrol's unique multicultural environment to foster global research networks.
Maria Renata Dolce is a Full Professor of English Literature at the University of Salento, affiliated with the Department of Humanities. She has been part of the university since 1990 and specializes in English Literature and literatures of English-speaking countries. Her research focuses on postcolonial literatures, diasporic narratives, and cultural studies, particularly exploring Black British literature and its engagement with systemic racism and multiculturalism in Britain. She actively organizes international conferences, collaborates with research centers in Australia, and promotes literary events with writers and experts in postcolonial studies. Dolce serves as Vice President of ANDA (National Association of English Teachers). Her teaching spans master’s courses in Modern Letters, Classical Letters, and Translation Studies, emphasizing critical analysis of texts and contemporary literary works like Bernardine Evaristo’s *Girl, Woman, Other* and Abdulrazak Gurnah’s *Sulla riva del mare*. Her work challenges Western literary canons by integrating postcolonial theory (e.g., Edward Said, Stuart Hall, Paul Gilroy) and addressing themes of identity, exile, and hybridity in diasporic communities. She advocates for inclusive educational practices and the expansion of multicultural perspectives in humanities.
Gabriella Esposito is a Senior Researcher at the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) and a member of the Scientific Council of the Institute for Research on Innovation and Services for Development (IRISS) since 2015. An architect with a PhD in Urban Planning, she has led research since 1994 and coordinated projects since 2000, focusing on heritage-driven urban regeneration, multicultural cities, urban security, cohesion policies, and territorial balance. Senior Researcher, CNR-IRISS (2010–present) Member, Scientific Council of IRISS (2015–present) Member, AESOP Thematic Group on Public Space and Urban Culture (2010–present, Coordinator 2015–2019) Member, Council of Representatives of the Italian Scientific Society of Urban Planners (SIU) Her research intersects urban planning , cultural heritage , and sustainable development . She specializes in urban regeneration through participatory approaches, territorial equity in marginalized areas, and resilient resource management , particularly in coastal zones and multicultural cities. In 2023, her work included projects on sustainable fishing models, systematic literature reviews addressing territorial inequalities, and the 3R4UB initiative for circular resource use in Ulaanbaatar. Her recent publications emphasize collaborative governance , environmental awareness , and place-based regeneration . Esposito contributes to academic education via international programs, including IRSES Marie Curie projects and the International Doctorate in Urban Regeneration and Economic Development. She holds national scientific qualifications in urban planning (Second Band 2013, First Band 2023) and actively participates in conference committees, keynote speaking, and editorial activities.
Sonia Massai is a Full Professor at the Department of European, American and Intercultural Studies at Sapienza University of Rome . Her academic work focuses on Shakespeare studies , textual editing , and performance history , with particular expertise in the material culture of early modern drama and global Shakespeare reception .
Giuliana Garzone serves as Associate Professor of English at IULM University in Milan, where she has established a distinguished career in translation studies, specialized discourse analysis, and intercultural communication. Her academic profile reflects deep expertise in bridging theoretical linguistics with practical applications across legal, medical, and business contexts. Her research focuses on translation and interpreting methodologies, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), legal discourse structures, and the application of text linguistics to professional communication. She investigates how digital platforms transform genre conventions, particularly examining LinkedIn professional networks, surrogacy discourses, and medical communication. Her work consistently addresses intercultural dimensions in management communication and technological impacts on language teaching, especially in phonetics and phonology. Recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward analyzing digital communication ecosystems, with significant contributions to understanding surrogacy discourses across biomedical, legal, and social media contexts. Her scholarship reveals how professional genres evolve on platforms like LinkedIn while maintaining core communicative functions, and how specialized knowledge transfers between scientific, legislative, and public spheres. Garzone actively contributes to academic discourse through editorial work on specialized journals and edited volumes addressing genre theory, professional communication, and cross-cultural mediation. Her research program integrates corpus linguistics, discourse analysis, and sociolinguistic approaches to examine real-world language use in increasingly digitalized professional environments.
