"Silvia Guslandi joined Kenyon in 2022. She holds a Ph.D. in romance languages and literatures from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in Euro-American comparative literature from the University of Genoa, Italy. 

She specializes in modern and contemporary Italian literature and cinema, with a focus on transnational modernism, migration and translation. More broadly, her research and teaching interests include nationalism, world literature, race and ethnicity, Italian American studies, postcolonial theory, multilingualism, disability and gender studies. 

She is currently working on a book manuscript that examines the role played by cross-national, cross-lingual and cross-cultural exchanges in the development of Italian literature at the turn of the twentieth century. 

She is also a translator, working between Italian and English.

Areas of Expertise

Italian literature, migration and transnationalism, translation theory and practice

Education

2020 — Doctor of Philosophy from University of Chicago

2016 — Doctor of Philosophy from University of Genoa

2011 — Master of Arts from University of Milan

Courses Recently Taught

This is the first half of a yearlong course for students who are beginning the study of Italian or have studied it only minimally. The first semester's work comprises an introduction to Italian as a spoken and written language. The work includes practice for understanding and using the spoken and written language. Written exercises, themes, oral reports and readings develop communicative skills. Coursework includes daily homework, chapter tests, a midterm and an end-of-semester test. This course includes required practice sessions with a teaching assistant, which are scheduled at the beginning of the semester. Students enrolled in the course are automatically added to ITAL 112Y for the spring semester. No prerequisite. Offered every fall.

This is the second half of a yearlong course for students who are continuing the study of Italian from first semester. The second semester entails more advanced work in the use of the spoken and written language. Literary and cultural materials develop reading ability and provide topics for discussion and oral presentations, as well as for writing assignments. This course includes required practice sessions with a teaching assistant, which are scheduled at the beginning of the semester. Prerequisite: ITAL 111Y or equivalent with permission of instructor. Offered every spring.

The second semester of intermediate Italian continues the format of ITAL 213Y and examines the forms and usage of all verbal moods to understand the sequence of tenses that underpins proficient communication in Italian. Cultural topics include science, work, sports, fashion and media. Students read selections from Italo Calvino, Dino Buzzati and Dario Fo, among others. Biweekly compositions apply the vocabulary and structures studied in each chapter. Written assignments culminate in a short paper in Italian on a cultural topic. There is a written final examination with an oral component. This course includes required practice sessions with a teaching assistant, which are scheduled at the beginning of the semester. Prerequisite: ITAL 213Y or equivalent. Offered every year.

This course provides an introduction to contemporary Italian literature in its historical context. The course deepens understanding of the Italian language through advanced analysis of grammar and syntax in literary texts. Beyond reading and discussion, coursework includes short response papers, a research paper, oral presentations and a final exam. Attendance at evening film showings is required. This course can be repeated for credit up to 1.0 unit. Prerequisite: ITAL 213-214Y or equivalent. Offered every year.