Maria Sorbello

Maria Sorbello is an Associate Professor of Geography at the Department of Humanities, University of Catania, where she has been teaching since 2005. She teaches Geography in the Humanities degree program, Cultural Geography in the Cultural Heritage program, and Geography of Population and Territory in the Languages for International Cooperation program.

Her research focuses on the sustainable valorization of landscapes, cultural tourism, local territorial systems, and multiculturalism, with a strong emphasis on fieldwork to understand the cultural identity of places. She has conducted in-depth studies on cultural contact and conflict in regions such as Israel and the Palestinian Territories, particularly examining the emigration of Palestinian Christians. Her work on Sicily explores how historical cultural sedimentations shape coastal, urban, and hilly landscapes, aiming to identify sustainable development tools.

Migration is a central theme in her research, especially international and national migration flows into Sicily since the late 1960s from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, South America, and Eastern Europe. She views cultural tourism as a potential instrument for conflict resolution through dialogue and mutual understanding.

Maria Sorbello supervises student theses on topics aligned with her expertise, including sustainable tourism, migration, and regional development. She maintains regular office hours and is accessible via email for academic consultation.