I graduated in Italian Literature from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” in 2004, and received a Doctorate in Italianistica from the University of Macerata in 2008. Both these dissertations engaged with specific aspects of Leopardi’s literary and theoretical production. I moved to Philadelphia in 2009, where I earned a Graduate Certificate in Cinema Studies (2013) and a Ph.D. in Italian Studies (2015) from the University of Pennsylvania. My main research interests are Italian modern and contemporary literature, Cinema studies, and post-humanism.
Courses taught:
- Italian language at all levels (2010-2015)
- Italian History on Screen (2016; 2017; 2018)
- From Paper to Screen: Cinematic Adapations (2016; 2018)
- Contemporary Italian Novel (2017)
- Politics, Rhetorics and Power in Italian Culture and Beyond (2017)
- Italian Food Culture in Art, Cinema, and Literature (2017)
- Sport, Politics and Literature, in Italian Culture and beyond (2017)
- Love in Italian Literature. From the 13th to the 20th Century (2015; 2016)
Publications:
Work in progress
- The Politics of Talking Animals: Zoomorphic Political Satire (book project)
- Giving Body to Poetry: Martone’s Il giovane favoloso (article submitted)
- Anachronism as a Cinematic and Epistemological Device: Ettore Scola’s Una giornata particolare (article)
Books
- Mirra, Alessandra. Leopardi teorico del tragico. Macerata: Eum, 2012 (pp. 270).
Edited books
- Leopardi: immaginazione e realtà. Ed. Alessandra Mirra. Venezia: Marsilio, 2015 (pp. 95).
- Cicognani, Bruno. Novelle (1915-1929). Annotated edition. Ed. Alessandra Mirra. Firenze: Pagliai, 2012 (pp. 416).
Book chapters
- “«Nazioni senza canti e senza eroi». Literature and Politics in Leopardi’s Zibaldone.” Leopardi: immaginazione e realtà. Ed. Alessandra Mirra. Venezia: Marsilio, 2015, 63-76.
- “A Conversation with Jonathan Galassi on His Translation of Giacomo Leopardi’s «Canti».” Leopardi: immaginazione e realtà. Ed. Alessandra Mirra. Venezia: Marsilio, 2015, 91-95.
- “Affetto”. Lessico leopardiano 2014. Novella Bellucci, Franco D’Intino and Stefano Gensini edts. Roma: Sapienza editrice, 2014, 19-24.
- “D’Annunzio giornalista e romanziere - Dalla «Tribuna» al Piacere: un esempio di rielaborazione testuale.” Scrittori e giornalismo. Sondaggi sul Novecento letterario italiano. Ed. M. Dondero. Macerata: Eum, 2007, 9-27.
Peer-reviewed articles:
- “Rhetorical Strategies in Leopardi’s Zibaldone.” Italica 93.1 (2016): 92-104.
- “La giovinezza, l'innocenza e la morte: su una canzone rifiutata di Giacomo Leopardi.” Annali della Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia dell’Univ. di Macerata XXXIX (2006): 225-252.
Fellowships and Awards:
- Salvatori Research Grant, 2017; 2014; and 2010
Center for Italian Studies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Dean's Scholar Award, 2014
School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Excellence in Teaching Award, 2012
Department of Romance Languages, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Leopardi Award, 2005
First prize, “X Concorso internazionale Giacomo Leopardi” , CNSL, Recanati