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 The Department Culture e Società (Cultures and Societies), initially established under the name "Cultural Heritage-Cultural Studies", was launched at the University of Palermo on January 1, 2013, by Rectoral Decree no. 4809 of 12/12/2012.

It was formed through the merger of two pre-existing departments:

• Historical-Archaeological, Socio-Anthropological and Geographical Heritage
• Cultural Studies, Arts, History, and Communication

The Department's scientific vision is rooted in the recognized need to expand research pathways within the "humanities" and to identify new areas of intervention by enhancing synergies between different disciplinary traditions.

On one hand, it has developed research lines over the years focused on the various facets of cultural heritage, both from a "classical" perspective (archaeology, antiquities, art history) and an ethno-anthropological approach (cultural anthropology, ethnology, etnomusicology). This approach maintains a strong connection to the local territory, to the processes of heritage-making (patrimonialization), and to the preservation and enhancement of Cultural Heritage. Special attention is also dedicated to urban geography, local development, cultural tourism, migratory processes, and intercultural dimensions.

On the other hand, the Department places the expressive forms and representations of historical realities at the core of its interests, alongside reflections on "culture" as a text, on languages, and on the relationships between social and spatial organization. The ultimate goal is a knowledge-driven project aimed at a comprehensive understanding of modernity, its genesis, its construction processes, and its representations.

Engagement with the Territory and Public Mission

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Alongside its primary teaching and research functions, many of the disciplines taught within the Department find their very raison d'être in their relationship with the local community and territory as a fundamental component of their educational mission. This is achieved also by employing the most advanced technological tools for safeguarding and reinterpreting Cultural Heritage and heritage-making processes.

In line with the strategic guidelines pursued by the University of Palermo regarding the "grafting of knowledge into society to foster its civil, cultural, social, and economic development" - thereby creating knowledge-based value within a framework that triggers "a creative and productive use of knowledge" attentive to the relationship between resources and society - the Department and its members are actively committed to a continuous dialogue with the territory. This engagement also aims to stimulate needs linked to a broad, medium-to-long-term growth strategy.

Areas of Interest

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The Department's research and teaching activities span the following scientific fields:

• Cultural Heritage
• Philological, Linguistic, Educational, Semiotic, and Communication Disciplines
• Human, Social, and Political Sciences
• Cultural Studies
• Studies on the Ancient World: Tradition and Comparison
• Historical Studies

 

Department Headquarters
Unipa Campus, Viale delle Scienze
> Directorate & Administration | Building 15, Floor 4
> Academic Office & Student Registry | Wurth Building, Floor 2
> Classrooms, Laboratories, Libraries, Faculty Offices | Buildings 15 | 12 | 2 | 17-Gregotti Theater |