Francesca Dell'Olio

Profile

Francesca Dell’Olio holds a PhD in Humanities from the University of São Paulo, pursued under a co-tutelle agreement with the Department of Education at the University of Padua. She is a member of the New Literacies, Multiliteracies and the Teaching of Foreign Languages research group at the University of São Paulo. Dell’Olio's primary area of expertise lies in language education, with specific focus on the Italian language. Her research interests encompass a wide range of topics, including the examination of identity formation within the language education process, particularly in migrant contexts. She also conducts research on interculturality, linguistic, social and educational policies and practices, as well as decolonial and postcolonial studies. In her doctoral research, Dell’Olio delved into the intricate realm of intercultural encounters within migratory contexts, with an emphasis on forced migrations. Her analysis was grounded in a comprehensive examination of European and Brazilian policies, shedding light on the complexities and nuances of these phenomena. Her project at the ILCS, 'On Italianness and Critical Transnationalism: Towards a Decolonial Praxis in Language Education Across Borders', will explore the concept of Italianness as a transnational construct within a decolonial framework. Based on a critical reinterpretation of Italianness, it will seek to address a theorization of language education that sees languages as part of social practices that shape interactions among cultures and communities in the global context. The aim is to dismantle the lingering effects of colonialism on contemporary Italian society and promote alternative forms of knowledge and cultural expression.