Luciana d’Arcangeli was appointed to the Cassamarca Lecturship in Italian within the Department of Language Studies at Flinders University in November 2008. She brings to the position expertise in the areas of Italian theatre, cinema, 20th century studies, translation and interpreting. Luciana has also a great interest in innovative teaching and learning practices with a particular focus on distance and blended learning, having been herself a mature graduate of the University of London’s External Programme (1997). In 2001 she became a Fellow of what is now the Higher Education Academy in the United Kingdom.

Luciana has over 20 years varied work experience in the European commercial world, and was awarded a Masters in Human Resources Management in Rome (1998). Being bilingual, she has always worked in both English and Italian and has thus become a specialist in translation and intepreting. In 2007 she became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and a certified interpreter of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. At Flinders University she has brought that experience into the classroom with a course for third year students on Italian translation. The results of some of her previous experimental translation teaching experience can be found in her article “Teaching Italian Translation: A Challenge” in Emanuele Occhipinti’s (ed.) New Approaches to Teaching Italian Language and Culture (Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Press, 2008.

Before returning to full time study Luciana worked in Italian cinema with the Cecchi Gori Group: a passion she has continued to fuel by taking part in movie making (subtitling, cultural adaptation, translating scripts, acting), teaching and research. A current project focused on Italian Cinema in the 21st century will see her co-organising a series of events - including conferences in Italy, Australia and the UK - and co-editing a volume on the subject.

As Italian Teaching Fellow Luciana taught Italian language and culture at all levels for ten years in the Italian Department of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow (UK), whilst studying for her PhD on Italian theatre. Her study looked at the female characters that have appeared in Dario Fo and Franca Rame’s theatre in the totality of their production, which spans over more than 50 years of personal and professional partnership. She received the award in 2008 just before leaving for Australia and her book I personaggi femminili nel teatro di Dario Fo e Franca Rame has been published by the Italian publisher Franco Cesati in 2009.

Luciana is teaching both Flinders University students on campus and also students at the University of Adelaide where she has Affiliate Lecturer status granted via the Flinders University Outreach Languages Program. Furthermore via Skype she is able to extend her teaching via flexible delivery to school teachers in other Australian States wishing to become teachers of Italian in the primary school sector.

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