Italian Studies

Among the leading programs of its kind in Australia, Italian Studies at the University of Melbourne is also one of the longest running.

Dante and the Divine Comedy in Duomo. Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Dante and the Divine Comedy in Duomo. Florence, Tuscany, Italy

We’re passionate about fostering and sharing the knowledge of Italian culture and histories.

We do this through research and teaching in many aspects of Italian language and culture, and by engaging with Australian and international partners and audiences.

Our areas of specialty include language acquisition and linguistics, twentieth-century and contemporary literature and theatre, translation studies, postcolonial literature, Renaissance and Dante studies, film and cultural studies

View our staff

Italian event recordings

Allegory, Drama and Spiritual Practice in Counter-Reformation Italy
Italian Seminar Series 2021
A talk by Associate Professor Eugenio Refini, New York University

Dante, Culture and the People
Italian Seminar Series 2021 – 700 years of Dante Alighieri
A talk by Emeritus Professor Lino Pertile, Harvard University
28 May 2021

three students walking past a building with green creeper growing on it

Students links

Italian Trust Fund

Learn about the Italian Studies Trust

The Italian Studies Trust Fund supports scholarship, fellowship, community education and public engagement at the University of Melbourne, as well as additional teaching positions to expand our range of activities.

Find out how you can help us enrich and enhance our student exchange opportunities, post-doctoral fellowships, research initiatives and more.

Learn more

Meet our Italian Studies staff

Our academics are leading teachers, researchers and industry professionals.

Profile picture of Matt Absalom

Matt Absalom

Lecturer in Italian Studies
mabsalom@unimelb.edu.au
Profile picture of Antonella Cavallini

Antonella Cavallini

Lecturer in Italian Studies - Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fellow
antonella.cavallini@unimelb.edu.au
Profile picture of Elisabetta Ferrari

Elisabetta Ferrari

Lecturer in Italian Studies, Convenor Italian Studies
eferrari@unimelb.edu.au +61383445177
Profile picture of Vita Giordano

Dr Vita Giordano

Lecturer in Italian Studies
vita@unimelb.edu.au
Profile picture of John Hajek

Prof John Hajek

Professor of Italian Studies, Convenor European Studies
j.hajek@unimelb.edu.au
Profile picture of Andrea Rizzi

Prof Andrea Rizzi

Cassamarca Professor of Italian Studies
arizzi@unimelb.edu.au +61 3 8344 6984
Profile picture of Elena Pirovano

Elena Pirovano

Senior Tutor in Italian Studies
elena.pirovano@unimelb.edu.au

Italian Studies honorary staff