Italian Studies at Durham

Today, the is on Ava Siena Cohen! 💫

Ava is a Barker Doctoral Student on the project ‘Daphne and her Sisters: Framing Gendered Violence' at IMEMS. Her PhD research, in Art History and Italian Studies, focuses on reception of Artemisia Gentileschi in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, focusing on her legacy as an artist, feminist icon, and survivor of sexual assault.

As well as her affiliations with Durham Modern Languages and Cultures and IMEMS, Ava is part of the Medieval and Early Modern Student Association (MEMSA) serving on the executive board as their conference co-convenor in 2025/26 and vice chair in 2026/27. Her research interests include early modern visual culture (Renaissance, Counter-Reformation, Baroque) in Italy, Caravaggism, history of feminism, and women’s cultural history.

Read more about the project team here: https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/medieval-early-modern-studies/research/inventing-futures/daphne-and-her-sisters-framing-gendered-violence/

La lingua sarda viene erroneamente chiamata dialetto, vi spieghiamo il perché: https://geopop.it/86r5N

Italian exams are over, and here’s to another graduating cohort: CONGRATULAZIONI ALLA CLASSE 2025–2026! 🇮🇹🍾

In bocca al lupo per tutti i vostri progetti futuri. Ci mancherete! ❤️

Photos from one of our favourite Italian Studies traditions: celebratory drinks with finalists and Italian staff after the oral exams.



Durham Modern Languages and Cultures

📢 Join us in Durham on 10–11 June for Daphne and her Sisters: Framing Gendered Violence in Early Modern Literature and Art.

Organised by Professor Ita Mac Carthy (Italian Studies, MLAC; Director of IMEMS) and supported by The British Academy, this two-day conference explores representations of gendered violence in early modern literature and art, and their continuing relevance today.

The event will also launch the new Daphne and her Sisters research project at IMEMS and conclude a three-year programme of readings of Boiardo’s Inamoramento de Orlando.

📍 In person & online attendance available
🎟 Advance registration required

Find out more, view the programme, and register:
https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/modern-languages-cultures/about-us/news/daphne-and-her-sisters-conference/

✨ GLI OMONIMI IN ITALIANO ✨
Lo sapevi che in italiano esistono parole che si scrivono e si pronunciano esattamente allo stesso modo, ma hanno significati completamente diversi? 🤯
Si chiamano omonimi (homonyms) e a volte mettono in difficoltà anche gli italiani! 😄

Vediamone alcuni insieme 👇
🌾 Miglio = unità di misura (mile) / cereale (millet)
🍚 Riso = cereale (rice) / atto del ridere (laughter)
🍑 Pesca = frutto (peach) / attività di pescare (fishing)
🧂 Sale = condimento (salt) / verbo salire, lui sale (he goes up)
🍇 Vite = pianta dell'uva (vine) / piccolo elemento metallico (screw)
🍷 Botte = recipiente per il vino (barrel) / colpi, percosse (blows/hits)
🔪 Lama = parte tagliente del coltello (blade) / animale sudamericano (llama)
🦁 Fiera = mercato, esposizione (fair) / animale feroce (wild beast)
⚽ Calcio = sport con il pallone (football/soccer) / elemento chimico (calcium)
🏛️ Capitale = città principale (capital city) / somma di denaro (capital/funds)

Quale coppia di omonimi ti sembra più curiosa o difficile da ricordare? 🤔