Dario Brancato

Dr. Dario Brancato is a Professor in Classics and Modern Languages and Linguistics at Concordia University. His research focuses on Italian philology, historical linguistics, and the reception of classical texts in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. He served as a Fellow at Harvard University's Villa I Tatti (2014-2015), where he studied Benedetto Varchi’s Storia fiorentina and uncovered Medici patronage influence on its editorial process. He actively explores Digital Humanities tools for complex textual analysis, including the VaSTO interdisciplinary digital edition project.

• PhD in Italian Linguistics (University of Toronto, 2005)
• MA in Italian Studies (University of Toronto, 2000)
• Laurea in Literature (University of Messina, 1997)

His research interests span:

• Reception of Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy in Renaissance print culture
• Medieval/Renaissance Italian literature and language
• Medici-sponsored historiography and censorship
• Renaissance literary communities in Rome and Messina

His recent articles analyze textual revisions, authorship disputes, and Medici patronage in Varchi’s works. His SSHRC grants (2009-2014 and 2020-2023) supported studies on Boethius reception and Florentine political historiography.

He supervises MA/PhD programs in History, English, Humanities, and Individualized Programs. Notable grants include:

• SSHRC Insight Grant (2020-2023): “The Italian Art of Political Correctness”
• SSHRC Standard Research Grant (2009-2014): “Boethius in Renaissance Print Culture”

Current projects include digital editions of Varchi’s texts and studies of sixteenth-century Florentine censorship mechanisms.