Dr. Adriana Gherini

Biography

Adriana De Marchi Gherini is a Continuing Lecturer at the University of California, San Diego. She teaches intermediate and advanced Italian language courses, while her teaching and research interests encompass a broad array of topics within the realm of Italian literature. Her specialization includes Medieval and Renaissance Italian literature, particularly focusing on renowned authors such as Dante, Boccaccio, Ariosto, and Machiavelli. In her courses, she explores Italian children's literature, including traditional tales and works by authors such as Collodi, De Amicis, Buzzati, and Ferrante, along with Italian theater and historical novels, emphasizing the contributions of Manzoni. As a comparatist, Gherini designs interdisciplinary courses that investigate literary works from around the world, often organized around shared themes like crime fiction, epic and heroic narratives, metadrama, magical realism, and the intersection of food and literature. Her goal as an educator is to convey the enduring relevance of literature and to help students recognize the power of creativity, regardless of their academic focus or future career paths.

Research Interests