Research by ISO Department staff falls under five thematic areas.
African and Asian languages and linguistics
This research area focuses on the study of languages in Africa and Asia, including their linguistics and philology. Many members of the department are also involved in language teaching and the development of textbooks.
- Staff and their research interests
Antonetta Lucia Bruno Korean language, Korean language teaching, Linguistic anthropology, Popular culture, Society and shamanism
Somin Chung Korean language; Korean philology
Francesco De Renzo Modern language teaching, Educational linguistics
Paolo De Troia Chinese language, Media language, Contacts between China and Europe
Olivier Durand Arabic language, linguistics and dialectology
Artemij Keidan Indo-European linguistics, Grammar theory, History of linguistics
Alessandro Leopardi Chinese language, linguistics, and translation
Mauro Maggi Iranian philology, Buddhism
Federico Masini Chinese language and linguistics, Lexicography, Relations between Italy and China
Carmela Mastrangelo Sanskrit language and linguistics, Indian theater, History of Oriental studies in Europe
Matilde Mastrangelo Japanese language, Japanese language teaching, Japanese historical literature
Giorgio Milanetti Hindi language and literature, Indian history, society, and religions
Paola Orsatti Persian language and literature; History of the Persian language
Donatella RossiTibetan language, Religions and philosophies of East Asia, Buddhism, Tibetan Bön religion
Valentina Serreli Arabic language, linguistics, and dialectology; Arabic language in Africa; Sociolinguistics; Contact linguistics
Gabriele Tola Chinese language, lexicography, lexicology; Missionary linguistics; Modern and contemporary Chinese literature; Travel literature; Sinology; History of cultural relations between Italy and China
African and Asian literatures
This area of research concerns the study of literary texts in prose and poetry, non-literary written texts, texts intended for theater, cinema, and television produced in the languages studied at the ISO Department, as well as their use, translation, and circulation.
- Staff and their research interests
Ada Barbaro Modern and contemporary Arabic literature
Jacob Blakesley Literature; Translation
Alessandra Brezzi Modern Chinese literature, Cultural relationships between Italy and China; History of Sinology
Antonetta Lucia Bruno Korean language; Korean popular and oral literature
Federica Casalin Classical Chinese literature; Sino-Western cross-cultural interactions, Pedagogy of literature
Mario Casari Persian literature; Arabic literature;, Eurasian cultural circulation; history of Arabic and Persian studies in Europe
Somin Chung Modern and Contemporary Korean Literature, Pre-modern Korean Literature
Sanjukta Das Gupta Literature (oral and written), storytelling, and representations of marginalized communities; History of Bengali literature; Narratives of Bengali travelers during the colonial period.
Alessandro Leopardi Chinese language, linguistics, and translation
Carmela Mastrangelo Sanskrit language and linguistics, Indian theater, History of Oriental studies in Europe
Matilde Mastrangelo Japanese historical literature, Japanese language teaching
Mara MattaLiterature, cinema, and theater of the Indian subcontinent; Migration and diaspora; Linguistic, ethnic, and religious minorities
Giorgio Milanetti Hindi language and literature; Indian history, society, and religions
Dario Minguzzi Literary cultures of premodern Korea and Japan; Poetic culture in the “late medieval” period in East Asia
Paola Orsatti Persian language and literature; History of the Persian language
Mario Prayer Modern and contemporary history of South Asia (focus on India and Bengal in particular); Cultural and political relations between India and Italy; Italian Indology in the early 20th century; Translation from Bengali
Stefano Romagnoli Japanese language and literature
Gabriele Tola Chinese language, lexicography, lexicology; Missionary linguistics; Modern and contemporary Chinese literature; Travel literature; Sinology; History of cultural relations between Italy and China
Archeology, history of art and history of ancient civilisations
This research area includes archeology, the history of art and the history of ancient civilisations of Central and Eastern Asia, with a focus on the integration between material and textual sources.
- Staff and their research interests
Franco D’Agostino Archeology; Prehistory and ancient history
Ciro Lo Muzio Archeology and history of art; Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent; Buddhist iconography
Filippo Lunardo History of Tibetan Art; Culture/History and Philosophy of Buddhism in Tibet, Religions of East Asia
Daria Montanari Levantine Archeology; Funeral Practices, Bronze and Iron Ages; Levantine metallurgy between the IV and I millennium BC; The study of museum collections
Filippo Salviati Archeology and history in ancient China; Contemporary art of China and Eastern Asia; Art and archeology of Korea
Gabriella Spada Socio-economic history of Mesopotamia in the III and II millennium BC, on the basis of filological and historical analysis of cuneiform texts
Federica Spagnoli Phoenician-punic and Mediterranean archeology
Giuseppina Aurora Testa Archeology and history of art in Eastern Asia; Buddhism
Modern/contemporary history and social sciences of Africa and Asia
This research area includes modern and contemporary history and the processes of cultural, social, economic and political change in Africa and Asia
- Staff and their research interests
Davor Antonucci History of China and of Tartaria (17-18th centuries); The relations between China, Mongolia and Europe
Leonardo Capezzone Intellectual history of pre-modern Islam; History of Shia Islam
Mario Casari Persian literature; Arabic literature, Cultural circulation between Europe and Asia; History of arabic and persian studies in Europe
Somin Chung Multiculturalism
Rosita D’amora Modern history; the Ottoman empire, the study of identity and gender at the margins, the study of cultural relations between Southern Italy and the Ottoman empire from the XVII century
Sanjukta Das Gupta History of colonial India; History of Indigenous people of colonial and post-colonial India; Oral History
Marco Del Bene History of Japan; Japan-Italy relations
Laura Guazzone History and institutions of Muslim countries; Islamist movements
Mario Prayer Modern and contemporary history of South Asia (with a focus on Indian and on Bengal in particular; Cultural relations between India and Italy; The study of India in Italy in early 20th century; Bengali-Italian translation
Kim Kyung Mi Korean contemporary history of politics, Korean political economy, Comparative politics
Bruno Lo Turco Sanskrit language and literature; Religions and philosophies of India; History of oriental studies in Roma
Giorgio Milanetti Hindi language and literature; History, society and religions of India
E. Marina Miranda Modern and contemporary history of China; Political and social institutions of the People Republic of China; Comparative political sciences
Matteo Rizzo Africa (Tanzania, South Africa and Kenya); Political economy and history of development; Cities, the informal economy and public transport; the gig economy and digital work
Religions and philosophies of Africa and Asia
This research area includes the study of religions of Africa and Asia, and their historical, philosophical and political dimension
- Staff and their research interests
Antonetta Lucia Bruno Popular religions; Sciamanism; Divinations
Leonardo Capezzone Intellectual history of pre-modern Islam; History of Shia Islam
Laura Guazzone History and institutions of Muslim countries; Islamist movements
Ciro lo Muzio Archeology and history of art; Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent; Buddhist iconography
Bruno Lo Turco Sanskrit language and literature; Religions and philosophies of India; History of oriental studies in Roma
Giorgio Milanetti Hindi language and literature; History, society and religions of India
Donatella Rossi Tibetan language; Religions and philosophies of East Asia; Buddhism; Tibetan religion Bön
Filippo LunardoTibet (history of art, culture/history and philosophy of Buddhism in Tibet); Religions of East Asia
Mauro MaggiIranian Philology; Buddhism
Giuseppina Aurora TestaArcheology and history of art in East Asia, Buddhism
Francesco ZappaIslamic studies; Islam in Africa, Bambara language, West Africa