Diego Pirillo

Diego Pirillo is a Professor of Italian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he also holds an affiliation with the History Department. He serves as Department Chair and Undergraduate Advisor, contributing to institutional leadership and student mentorship.

• Education: Ph.D., Scuola Normale Superiore

His research focuses on the interplay between mobility, displacement, and colonialism in shaping the intellectual and cultural history of early modern Italy, Europe, and the Atlantic world. He also investigates modern Italian intellectual history, particularly the works of Croce, Gentile, and Gramsci.

Pirillo’s recent publications analyze transatlantic knowledge circulation, diplomatic practices of displaced communities, and the legacy of colonial-era intellectual frameworks. His work bridges early modern and contemporary debates on migration, cultural exchange, and global history.

Scientific awards include the prestigious 2019 MLA Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for Italian Studies for his book The Refugee-Diplomat: Venice, England and the Reformation. His research has been supported by major grants from institutions such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the American Philosophical Society, and the Hellman Foundation.

Pirillo has held visiting professorships at Dartmouth College and UCLA (2024/25 Speroni Chair in Medieval and Renaissance Studies). He has been a fellow at Villa I Tatti, Harvard’s Center for Italian Renaissance Studies, and his work has received institutional backing from libraries and research centers including the Houghton Library and the Newberry Library.