Guido Cappelli

Guido Cappelli is an Associate Professor in the Department of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies at the University of Naples L'Orientale, where he has been faculty since 2015. He holds a PhD in Italian Studies (Literatura umanistica) from the University of Messina and the Catholic University of Sacred Heart (Milan), completed in 1995. Cappelli is a prominent scholar in Renaissance studies with particular expertise in Italian humanism, political thought, and Mediterranean cultural history.

His research interests focus on:

• Renaissance political theory and humanism
• Aragonese political thought in Southern Italy
• Mediterranean Humanism as a distinct cultural space
• The works of Giovanni Pontano and Francesco Patrizi
• The relationship between literature, politics, and cultural identity in Renaissance Italy

Cappelli's scholarly output demonstrates a consistent trajectory examining how Renaissance humanists developed political theories that provided secular legitimization for emerging Renaissance states. His recent publications (2021-2025) reveal an increasingly sophisticated analysis of Mediterranean humanism as a transnational cultural phenomenon, particularly through his work with CESURA (Centro Europeo di Studi su Umanesimo e Rinascimento Aragonese), which he co-founded.

Cappelli's academic contributions include:

• Over 80 scholarly publications including books, articles, and book chapters
• Co-founding and editing CESURA - Rivista
• Significant collaborative work with Fulvio Delle Donne on Mediterranean humanism
• Development of the 'Mediterranean Humanism' conceptual framework

His research has established him as a leading figure in the study of Southern Italian Renaissance thought, particularly regarding the intersection of literature, politics, and cultural identity in the Mediterranean context. Cappelli's work bridges literary studies, history, and political philosophy, making significant contributions to our understanding of how Renaissance humanists conceptualized political authority and state formation.