Francesca Muccini

Biography

A native Italian, Francesca M. Muccini grew up in Pesaro, a city on the Adriatic coast, and has lived in the U.S. since 2000. She received her Ph.D. in Heritage Studies from Arkansas State University. She earned her laurea (the equivalent of a B.A. degree) with a double major in Foreign Languages and Literatures (English and German) and Italian at the University of Urbino. She received her MA in French from Miami University, and her MAs in English and in Historic Preservation and Conservation from ASU. She teaches elementary, intermediate and upper-level Italian classes. Her upper-division teaching includes courses on futurism and the Italian diaspora. Professor Muccini specializes in migratory literature and studies, with a particular attention to the formation of cultural identities.

Her doctoral dissertation From Italian Cibo to American Food: The Construction of The Italian American Identity Through Food examined the theme of identity formation in its relation to food, cooking,and culinary traditions. Using food and eating habits as tools, her study investigated the changing family structures of Italian Americans from their arrival to their assimilation into American society as well as the formation of an Italian American identity.

Her research interests are in the Italian Renaissance, but she enjoys offering courses throughout the language and literature curriculum. She has actively participated in the organization of numerous cultural events in collaboration with diverse Italian American groups promoting Italian culture.