Dr. Giulia Riccò

Biography

Giulia Riccò is an Assistant Professor at the U-M LSA International Institute. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. from Duke University and M.A. and B.A. degrees from the University of Bologna. Her research interests focus on Italian Brazilian Studies, exploring the circulation and reimagination of ideas across time and space. Dr. Riccò investigates how the concept of Italian identity has evolved, beyond the geographical confines of the Italian nation-state, influencing imaginations of 'bel paese.' She examines the impact of the emigration of millions of Italians on notions of class, race, and gender in the Americas, particularly in Brazil. Currently, she is completing a book manuscript titled “Under Auspices of Dante: Italianità, Fascism, and Brazil,” which studies the diffusion of fascism in São Paulo, Brazil. Her work pays particular attention to the reception of fascist ideas among São Paulo’s middle class, which largely comprises Italian business owners and professionals who aimed to distance themselves from the popular associations of Italianness with socialism, anarchism, and racially diverse working-class populations. Her research interests encompass Italian Brazilian literature and culture, fascism, migration, Global South studies, and memory studies.

Research Interests