Dr Wissia Fiorucci

Dr Wissia Fiorucci came to the University of Kent in 2007 to study for an MA by Research in Italian literature, which was awarded in 2009. Her thesis explored the connections between author Anna Banti and Italian feminism, through an analysis of three novels. 

In 2008 she co-founded Skepsi, the postgraduate research journal for the School of European Culture and Languages. Alongside the editorial board she organised several interdisciplinary and international conferences, one of which was held at the University of Kent's Paris School of Arts and Culture. She has organised two Italian studies conferences: Critical Approaches to Representations of Gender Violence in Contemporary Italy, which featured the participation of prominent author Dacia Maraini; and Representations of Organised Crime in Italy and Beyond.

In 2014 Wissia was awarded a PhD in Italian, with a thesis titled Italian Elements of Magic(al) Realism. Deledda, Bontempelli, Banti. Her research identifies elements of magical realism in the works of the authors Grazia Deledda (1871–1936), Massimo Bontempelli (1878–1960), and Anna Banti (1895–1985), within different socio-historical contexts. 

Wissia is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Along with Dr Alvise Sforza Tarabochia, Wissia is also co-convenor of the University's Modern Languages Teaching Forum, designed to bring together teachers of modern languages at all levels to share good practice, support language teaching and encourage pupils to continue to study languages.  

Wissia's publications include an article on the theme of the double in Anna Banti in Italian Studies (May 2015); an article on Massimo Bontempelli and censorship in Between, journal of the Italian Association for the Theory and Comparative History of Literature (2015) and a book chapter on gendered commitment in Italy today (Troubadour, 2015).

She has published articles on 20th century Italian literature and her current research interests focus on language teaching and learning in general.

Wissia teaches modules on the Italian language.