Component 2 “From Research to Business” – Investment 1.2 “Funding for projects submitted by young researchers”
CUP D93C25000330006, Research contract SSD GLOT-01/B, Department of Language, Literature and Italian Arts in the World
Project Description
International or BES (Special Educational Needs) students have a higher probability of dropping out of university studies (Alma Laurea 2021). Their needs require the design of practices within a framework of inclusive education, which considers equal student participation, the design of innovative support pathways and tools, and constant monitoring of results (EUA 2019).
The project, which is interdisciplinary in nature, is integrated into the peer tutoring activity already present at the university, which includes linguistic assistance, disciplinary tutoring, and support for BES students. Furthermore, considering the crucial role that language technologies can play in making learning more accessible, a research pathway is planned relating to digital tools applicable in this context.
Project Objectives
- to explore the potential of language technologies in peer tutoring pathways in Italian as L2/LS and academic Italian, with the aim of promoting participation even in the pre-departure stage
- to qualitatively and quantitatively monitor the impact of the tutoring service:
- on beneficiary students:
- degree of satisfaction
- academic advantages
- on tutor students:
- perception of the value of the tutoring activity, including in terms of increased digital skills
- degree of development of intercultural competence 3) possible awareness regarding the role of agency in building a more inclusive educational context
- on beneficiary students:
- to outline best practices for managing tutoring services at national and international levels.
Scientific Coordinator: Prof. Borbala Samu
Research contractor: Dr. Pakula Agnieszka
CUP: D93C25000340006, Research contract SSD GIUR-01/A, Department of International Human and Social Sciences
Project description
In the post-genomic era, humanity has become aware of the possibility of transforming—manipulating—not only the known object, but also the knowing subject. New genetic engineering techniques make it possible to imprint on the human body an "artificial" evolution: the DNA sequence can be modified to cure or prevent (more or less likely) diseases, or to create the physical characteristics of the individual.
On January 8, 2025, the medical journal Nature published an editorial entitled “We need to talk about human genome editing,” highlighting the need to start a conversation about what might happen if more sophisticated genome editing technologies became available. The law is called upon to regulate these unexpected phenomena of medical technology, setting limits to slow down the technological process or direct it toward predefined goals.
New legal issues are emerging: on the one hand, it is conceivable for individuals to have the right not to undergo—the determination of their future lives by external parties—through genetic manipulation; on the other hand, once gene editing techniques have been tested, it cannot be excluded that individuals affected by genetic diseases might invoke their own right “not to be born unless edited.” The legal debate is made more difficult by the thin line between therapeutic and enhancement objectives.
Scientific Coordinator: Prof. Paolo Morozzo Della Rocca
Research contractor: Dr. Leonardo Dani
CUP: D93C25000350006, Research contract SSD LIFI-01/A, Department of Italian Language, Literature and Arts in the World
Project Description
The project aims to investigate the social revitalization of dialects and minority languages protected by law 482/1999 by drawing from the abundant materials available on the web. The Istat report The use of the Italian language, dialects, and other languages in Italy (2017) highlights how younger generations alternate between language and dialect in informal relational contexts with significantly higher percentages compared to surveys conducted since 1987/8. These data constitute the starting point for a targeted investigation on the web, to be conducted with the following criteria: types of platforms and predominant users associated with them; preferred mode of exchange, degree of interactivity, number of participants, and distribution system; purposes, themes, and rules of interaction defined by online communities.
The analysis involves institutional spaces dedicated to dialects and linguistic minorities, dialect versions of Wikipedia, and groups that have a physical location as a reference point (football fan clubs, historical events, etc.), for which a dedicated corpus will be created. Texts will be selected according to statistical criteria with a balanced distribution between written and oral productions taken from the web.
The methodology adopted is that of the sociolinguistics of idioms, aimed at defining the status of these varieties within digital communication. The research entails a specific reflection on the emerging genres of the web, on collaborative practices—explicit or implicit—chosen by users, and on the intersemiotic nature of the interaction. The post-doc researcher must hold a PhD in Italian Linguistics.
Specific expertise required in the following fields:
- sociolinguistics of variation
- sociolinguistics of writing, with experience in analyzing
- formal and informal productions of youth and young adults
- text linguistics
- design and construction of corpora
Scientific Director: Prof. Elena Pistolesi
Research contract holder: Dr. Maria Laura Concetta Restivo
CUP: D93C25000360006, SSD PHIL-05/A Research Contract, Department of International Human and Social Sciences
Project Description
Sustainability and the digital revolution are two of the most urgent challenges of our time. The research project aims to investigate the relationship between technological transformation and environmental, economic, and social sustainability, adopting a historically informed philosophical perspective that explores the ethical and ontological principles underlying this transition.
Objectives
- Analyze the concept of sustainability in light of digitalization, questioning how technologies can foster a balance between progress and environmental protection.
- Examine the role of digital ethics in guiding technological innovation toward greater equity and social justice.
- Assess the impact of artificial intelligence, blockchain, and automation on human responsibility and power redistribution.
Methodology
The project adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining philosophical analysis, sustainability studies, and the ethical implications of digitalization. Through a dialogue enriched by historical awareness with classical and contemporary thought (Aristotle, Heidegger, Scheler, Latour: to name just a few references), the aim is to move toward a challenging concept of “sustainable progress.”
Expected Results
A theoretical framework that combines sustainability and the digital revolution, promoting a development model in harmony with the environment and humanistic values.
Principal Investigator: Prof. Antonio Allegra
Researcher: Dr. Flavio Orecchio