In research that will take him to Italy, England and Australia, Mr Goffredo Polizzi is one of the first students to receive a coveted Monash Warwick Joint PhD scholarship.

Goffredo is examining how gender, race, sexuality and class contribute to Italian identity formation. He said his research could result in a new understanding of identities and more inclusive forms of citizenship for Italians in their home country and abroad. He explains:

The field of Italian studies is undergoing profound changes as the notion of what it means to be Italian and Italian culture is questioned, I’m examining various literary and cinematic pieces to determine how Italians now perceive ‘Italianness’ and how Italian emigrants identify with their heritage from afar.”

Goffredo applied for the Monash Warwick Joint PhD because he believed it offered an excellent opportunity to develop his research skills under the guidance of two universities with highly regarded translation and Italian studies departments. He said:

Both Monash and Warwick universities are at the forefront of the critical effort being made to understand Italian cultural changes. Although I am only eight months into my PhD, I feel optimistic about my research because my supervisors have provided exceptional support and insight.”

Associate Professor Rita Wilson from the Monash School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics, and Associate Professor Loredana Polezzi from the Warwick Department of Italian are supervising Goffredo’s research. Goffredo is currently gathering data in Italy before returning to Warwick later this year. He will spend 2015 at Monash and then return to Warwick to complete his PhD in late 2016.

Monash Warwick Joint PHD

With the Monash Warwick Alliance joint PhD, you can undertake research of global importance at two research-intensive universities in opposite hemispheres. You can apply for a range of scholarships, including a limited number of full Alliance scholarships that support exceptional students whose projects align with our research objectives.

Applications for the Monash Warwick Joint PhD programmes can be received at any time of year, but applicants can normally only be considered for funding through each university’s usual scholarship rounds. Go to the Monash-Warwick Alliance webpages for more information about applying.