Research Areas and Lines (DSU)

The philosophical area of the DSU focuses on the following topics: “limit,” “boundary,” and “threshold” from Greek philosophy to modern and contemporary philosophy. Philosophy and phenomenology of the limit. Creative intuition. The German Enlightenment. Obscure perceptions and transcendental apperception in Leibniz and Kant. Consciousness, intuition, and the infinite in Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel. The self, the shadow, and inner time. Limit situations and threshold phenomena. Glottogenetic theories: from the Vichian paradigm to the contemporary narrative model. Radical democracy, translation models, and speech act theory: the case of school inclusion. Gynecocratic myths from classical thought to twentieth-century feminist philosophies. Theory of metaphor: aesthetic and philosophical-linguistic applications. Twentieth-century linguistic thought in the German area: Wundt, Reinach, Bühler. The issue of aesthetic properties in non-analytic models: from eighteenth-century aesthetics to the current debate on perception. Political anthropology and philosophical-political interpretations of modern processes of secularization, with particular attention to the paradigmatic positions of Hans Kelsen, Carl Schmitt, Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde, and Augusto Del Noce.

Faculty members: Sara Fortuna, Andrea Gentile, Maurizio Maione, Tommaso Valentini

PhD students: Francesca Balducci, Matteo Battagliola, Paloma Brook, Francesca Ghione, Arianna Gnutti, Dario Lamendola, Silvia Maccariello, Cristina Salvetti

Research Lines

The linguistic area focuses on the analysis of languages (ancient and modern) and language from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives. The approach adopted for the study of these topics is based on a set of characteristics shared by all members of the area, such as: philological care for empirical data; attention to the historical development of languages and, therefore, to the relationships between language, history, and society; interest in the diversity of languages; the pursuit of social usefulness and practical impact for language studies. Within this framework, certain thematic areas play a particularly important role for the DSU. These include the historical-diachronic analysis of the oldest Indo-European languages (Latin, Greek, Sanskrit), language teaching methodology and the acquisition of Italian as a second language (L2), the synchronic analysis of modern European languages (especially English, also from the perspective of the different World’s Englishes), typology, and etymology. Attention to the history of linguistic theories (from Greek, Latin, and Indian grammatical theories up to nineteenth-century German scholarship) and to forensic linguistics (including Reinach’s forensic-linguistic model) represent additional fields of great interest within this area.

Permanent members: L. Alfieri, R. Melazzo, M. Maione, M. Mattoscio, J. Siepak, D. Luinetti

PhD students: V. Lombardo di Monte Iato, L. Montesi, S. Santacroce, A. Sorrentino, M. Turazza, F. Viglino

Linee di ricerca

The research areas of the pedagogical field are unified by the central paradigm of Lifelong and Lifewide Learning, conceived as a continuous and pervasive learning process that spans the entire course of life. Within this framework fall adult education, teacher training, reflection on technologies in educational contexts, and school and university inclusion, all within a competence-based perspective. Through these directions, pedagogical research aims to explore new ways of integrating theory and practice, promoting approaches that translate theoretical principles into operational tools, intervention models, evaluation devices, and evidence-based practices of instructional and educational design. Particular attention is given to the development and experimentation of active and reflective methodologies, to the construction of instructional design consistent with learning objectives and contextual needs, and to the promotion of action research, training-research, and collaborative practices that foster innovation and the continuous improvement of educational systems.

Permanent members: F. Di Donato, A. Travaglini, F.C. Ugolini

PhD students: M. Sardo, A.P. Vaira

Research lines

The psychological area constitutes a central component of the research activities of the Department of Human Sciences (DSU). The scientific work carried out covers a wide range of topics across the various fields of psychology, investigated in both healthy and clinical populations throughout the entire lifespan. A significant line of research concerns development—particularly adolescence—with studies focusing on adaptive and maladaptive processes and behaviors, both online and offline, as well as on the interaction between psychological, physiological, and cultural dimensions during these stages of life. Research in social psychology focuses in particular on attitudes and beliefs, kinship, diversity, identity, gender, and interethnic relations.

Further studies are conducted in the areas of clinical psychology, psychopathology, and health psychology, with particular attention to emotional and cognitive processes, as well as sleep psychology. Specific research also examines the effects of multisensory and cognitive stimulation. In addition, investigations are carried out in the fields of neuroscience, neuropsychology, psychophysiology, and psychodiagnostics, with a particular focus on the neuroplastic effects of experience and the application of research techniques such as neuroimaging. Over the years, the psychological area has developed scientific collaborations with leading universities and research centers in Italy and abroad, contributing significantly to the Department’s Research and Third Mission activities. Notable projects include two Projects of Relevant National Interest (PRIN 2022 and PRIN 2022 PNRR) and a project funded by the Italian Science Fund (FIS 2024–2025). In particular, these include a PRIN project on transdiagnostic staging models of eating and sleep disorders in adolescence (P2022C7XFJ); a PRIN project on sleep deprivation during pregnancy as a risk factor for post-partum stress and mental health (2022PMFMSE); and an FIS project titled Understanding sexuality through asexuality.

Permanent members: C. Baglioni, E. Beretta, P. De Bartolo, A. Carcione, A. Favini, M. Fioranelli, C. Lunetti, F. Mancini, M. Petrucci, S. Picazio, L. Serra

PhD students: G. Accogli, E. Baldi, G. Belluardo, L. Briotti, A. Canzanella, M. Fazi, V. Gosti, M. Rizzuti, C. Scognamiglio

Research lines

Research in the sociological area focuses on the analysis of social phenomena in alignment with the thematic areas of the degree programs of the Department of Human Sciences (educational, literary, communicative, sports-related, and everyday life issues). This is pursued through an approach that promotes in-depth study from both theoretical and empirical perspectives (field research using qualitative and quantitative methods). From the perspective of general sociology, the main areas of interest include the analysis of social movements, inequalities, gender issues, and the sociology of health, as well as—methodologically—the use of participatory and visual research techniques. From the perspective of the sociology of cultural and communicative processes, the central areas of study include theories and techniques of communication (both traditional and digital media), political communication, participatory practices of cultural production, persuasive and advertising communication, and the use of media technologies in educational contexts.

Permanent members: D. Morreale, A. Romeo, C. Russo, E. Toscano 

Research lines

The historical-geographical and literary area studies human societies by integrating historical, geographical, cultural, and philological-literary perspectives. Research focuses on historical processes from the Middle Ages to the contemporary period, on the evolution of territories, and on the role of literary production in shaping cultural identities. Geography examines the organization of space, settlement networks, and the relationships between communities and the environment, while medieval history investigates the socio-political and religious transformations that have shaped institutions, power structures, and culture, fostering dialogue with geography and literary studies. The philological-literary strand explores the forms and languages through which ancient societies expressed their identity, with particular attention to Latin literature, epic traditions, and the transmission of models over time. Italian studies examine literary civilization from its origins to the contemporary age through philological analysis, exegesis, and historical contextualization, offering a diachronic and critical perspective on the national tradition. Together, these perspectives show how the evolution of landscapes—intertwined with literary traditions and historical processes—reflects both continuity and transformation in cultural and identity models.

Permanent members: M. Colella, A. Colasanti, M. Mattoscio, G. Meledandri, S. Montebelli, A. Ricciardi, J. Siepak, R. Uccellini

PhD students: A. Nicotra

Research lines