Antonella GHERSETTI

Antonella GHERSETTI is a Full Professor of Arabic Language and Literature at the Department of Asian and North African Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice. She has held this position since 2017, following prior roles as Associate Professor (2007–2017) and Researcher (1996–2007) at the same institution. Her academic expertise lies in classical Arabic literature, philology, and the transmission of classical knowledge into the Arab world.

Her research interests span Arabic philology, historical linguistics, adab literature, gender in Arabic texts, and the intellectual history of the medieval Muslim world. She has made significant contributions to the understanding of Arabic grammatical traditions in al-Andalus and Sicily, the portrayal of intelligence and virtue in classical Arabic biographical works, and the literary construction of identity. Her work often bridges linguistic analysis with cultural and intellectual history.

The recent publications highlight a strong focus on classical Arabic ethical and biographical literature, with thematic trends including generosity, identity formation, linguistic tradition, and the role of women in intellectual life. Her scholarship combines philological rigor with cultural interpretation, often drawing from medieval Arabic sources such as Akhbār al-adhkiyāʾ and Ṭabaqāt literature.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Marie Curie Individual Fellowship (H2020), Project RASCIO Proposal 749180

She has played a major advisory and leadership role in the academic community. She is Co-Director of the School of Mamluk Studies and Scientific Co-Director of the DAR (Didactics of Arabic in Research) laboratory. She has secured research funding from the European Commission (Horizon 2020) and Ca' Foscari University. Her editorial leadership is extensive, serving on the boards of Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies, al-Masāq, Library of Arabic Literature (NYU Press), and as Editor of multiple book series including Oriental Series and I grandi libri della letteratura araba at Edizioni Ca' Foscari.

She has organized and co-organized numerous international conferences, including multiple School of Mamluk Studies Conferences and events on Arabic linguistics and medieval literature. She is an active member of several scholarly associations, including the European Union of Arabists and Islamists (UEAI), where she served as National Representative for Italy and Deputy Secretary General.