Giulia Sissa

Giulia Sissa is a Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Classics and Political Science at UCLA. She holds a Laurea in Classics from the University of Pavia (1977) and a PhD from the Centre Gernet de Recherches Comparées sur les Sociétés Anciennes in Paris (1983). Previously, she served as a researcher at CNRS in France and as Professor and department head at Johns Hopkins University.

Her research bridges ancient Greek and Roman societies with contemporary issues, focusing on feminism, sexuality, democratic theory, political emotions, and eco-criticism. Current projects explore the erotic as embodied experience, metamorphic ontologies, political pursuit of pleasure from Athens to Utopia, and challenges in Classical studies.

Research trends across her publications show strong emphases on classical reception studies, gender construction in antiquity, metamorphosis narratives, political philosophy, sensory experiences in historical contexts, and ecological interpretations of ancient texts. Her work consistently interrogates intersections between ancient thought and modern political/ethical concerns.