Personale docente

CURRICULUM VITAE OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES OF ORSOLA RIGNANI

 

Born in Parma on 9 May 1971

 

TITLES

1990

-Classical High School diploma obtained at the Liceo Ginnasio Statale "G. D. Romagnosi" in Parma

 

1995

-Degree in Philosophy obtained at the Faculty of Literature and Philosophy of the University of Parma on 15 March 1995, mark 110/110 cum laude (Thesis: "Ruggero Bacone e l'enciclopedia delle scienze")

 

1996

-Winning on 1 July 1996 of the Competition for Admission to the PhD Course in

"Historical-theoretical problems of philosophical anthropology" (XI cycle) with administrative seat at the

Department of Philosophy, University of Parma;

 

1999

-Appointment as Adjunct Professor in History of Philosophy, at the Faculty of Education, Degree Course in Educational Sciences, University of Florence, for the two-year academic period 1999/2001;

-Appointment as Adjunct Professor in History of Philosophy at the Faculty of Education, Degree Course in Educational Sciences of the University of Florence, for the academic year 1999/2000;

 

2000

-Winner, in the Emilia-Romagna Region, of the Competition for Professorships, with qualification for teaching in the Secondary School for Class 37/A, Philosophy and History, on 24 May 2000, with a mark of 73/80;

 

2001

-Degree of Research in "Historical-theoretical problems of philosophical anthropology" (XI cycle), at the University of Parma, on 12 March 2001, with a thesis on "The philosophical anthropology of Roger Bacon. Historical-theoretical problems";

-Assistant Professor in History of Philosophy (scientific-disciplinary sector M-FIL/06) at the Faculty of Education, University of Florence, on 1 November 2001;

 

2004

-Confirmation in the role of Assistant Professor in History of Philosophy at the University of Florence (scientific-disciplinary sector M-FIL/06) as of 1/11/04;

 

from 1 November 2004 to 31 August 2022

-confirmed Assistant Professor in History of Philosophy at the University of Florence (scientific-disciplinary sector M-FIL/06) (from 2004 to 2013, at the Faculty of Education; from 2013 to 2022, at the Department of Humanities). 

 

From 1 September 2022

-confirmed Assistant Professor in History of Philosophy at the University of Parma (scientific-disciplinary sector M-FIL/06), Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Enterprises.

 

 

SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY

 1) Scientific and research interests

Orsola Rignani's research, originally oriented towards the historical-philosophical-epistemological analysis of the transformations of the concept of knowledge in the transition from the Middle Ages to the modern age, has since turned to an in-depth study of the relations between the history of philosophy and the history of scientific thought (and also literature) in the contemporary horizon, as well as, in this context, to 'new', 'frontier' perspectives, such as the Posthuman. 

Orsola Rignani's research path thus started from a deepening of the themes of her degree thesis, dedicated to the analysis of Roger Bacon's reformatio studiorum, in an attempt to focus on the innovations that led to the idea of experimental knowledge and the introduction of sciences not present in Aristotle's scientific encyclopaedia. In this sphere Orsola Rignani has devoted studies to alchemical thought between antiquity, the Middle Ages and the modern age; to Roger Bacon's astrological-eschatological philosophy of history; to the role of the internal and external senses in his empiricist psychology and gnoseology; to the problem of the certainty of visual sensory knowledge and the role of the cogitative.

Also in the context of this reconstruction of the metamorphoses of the concept of knowledge between the Middle Ages and the modern age, Orsola Rignani has dedicated her research to identifying the innovations Biagio Pelacani da Parma brought to the logic, psychology and gnoseology of his time.

Orsola Rignani's research has thus been directed towards an in-depth study of the relations between the history of philosophy, science and the history of scientific thought in the contemporary philosophical and cultural scenario, particularly in the French area (Michel Serres). The numerous studies she has devoted to Michel Serres' epistemological and anthropological reflection have led, among other things, to an interdisciplinary and comparative reading, between history of philosophy, science and literature, of Italo Calvino's philosophical-anthropological-epistemological thought in relation to that of Serres himself.

Orsola Rignani has therefore dedicated herself, in this inter/trans-disciplinary perspective, as well as in a perspective of comparative history of ideas, to an in-depth study of the key themes of the Posthuman (body, human-machine interface, hybrid, zooanthropology, transhumanism/humanism), focusing on 'corresponding' ideas, for similarity and/or difference, in medieval naturalist/empiricist philosophical-scientific currents (Roger Bacon, Biagio Pelacani da Parma), and deepening, in recent years, in articles, essays and monographs, especially the idea of the body as an anthropo-poietic dimension and place of 'recognition' of the human and non-human othernesses in hybrid interrelation; this, in the backlight of Serres' reflection, and transversally to his own abstract pictorial research. At present, these themes continue to be investigated and developed by Orsola Rignani in the context of the Italian Posthuman Network, a platform -which she co-founded- for research, confrontation and critical in-depth examination of posthumanist thought, made up of scholars of posthumanism who are Italian or based in Italy; in the context of the International Inter-University Research Group on 'Art and Recognition', of whose Scientific Committee Orsola Rignani is a member, as well as coordinator of the Parma Research Unit; and in the context of the Environmental and Social Humanities Lab (University of Parma), of which she is a member.

Participation in Research Units, Scientific Societies, Editorial Committees, Research Networks/Projects 

-Member of the PTS Research Unit (Aesthetic Practices, Anthropological Transformations, Contemporary Scenarios: Aesthetics, Philosophical Anthropology, Genealogy of Concepts), Department of Humanities, University of Florence from 2017 to 2022;

-Member of SISPM (Società Italiana per lo Studio del Pensiero Medievale), SIEPM Société Internationale pour l'Étude de Philosophie Médiévale), SISF (Società Italiana di Storia della Filosofia) and SFI (Società Filosofica Italiana) since 2001;

-Member of the Editorial Board of the "Philosophy International Journal" (Medwin Publishers, Troy, Michigan) since 2018;

-Peer Reviewer of "Journal of Posthuman Studies", "Philosophy International Journal" and "Journal of Posthumanism"; 

-Co-founder and co-curator, with Francesca Ferrando (New York University, New York) and Stefano Rozzoni (University of Bergamo), of the Italian Posthumanist Network https://www.posthumans.org/posthuman-italian-network.html , a platform for research, discussion and in-depth study on posthumanist thought, made up of scholars of posthumanism from Italy or based in Italy;

-Member of the Editorial Board of the journal "Metaxy: philosophy, art and recognition" (Città Nuova Editrice, Rome) since 2021;

-Member of the Advisory Board of the Series "Posthumanities and Citizenship Futures" (Rowman and Littlefield, Washington, DC) since 2021;

-Collaborator of Tropic of Cancer. Critical Cultures of the Present https://www.tropicodelcancro.net/, a site for philosophical, artistic and cultural study and criticism since 2021;

-Member of the Environmental and Social Humanities Lab at the University of Parma since 2022

-Member of the Centro Studi di Filosofia Postumanista since 2023 https://www.filosofiapostumanista.it

-Member of the University Center for Bioethics (UCB) at the University of Parma since 2023

-Member of the Cultural Association Laboratorio Nuova Buonarroti, Florence, since 2023

Research assignments at foreign research institutes 

-October 1998 Research Fellowship of the National Research Council (CNR) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre d'Histoire des Sciences et des Philosophies Arabes et Médiévales, Paris, as part of the funded Joint Research Project on "Medieval Arabic-Latin Sciences and Philosophies

-October-November 2000 Research Fellowship of the National Research Council (CNR) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre d'Histoire des Sciences et des Philosophies Arabes et Médiévales, Paris, within the framework of the Joint Research Project funded on "Medieval Arabic-Latin Sciences and Philosophies".

 

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

Academic Year 1996/1997

Starting from the Academic Year 1996/97 she has been responsible for seminars, tutorials and student assistance in collaboration with the Chair of the History of Philosophy of the Degree Course in Educational Sciences of the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence.

 

Academic Year 1999/2000

Since 1999 she has been a member of Boards of Proficiency Examinations and Degree Examinations, as Subject Tutor in History of Philosophy for the two-year academic period 1999/2001, at the Faculty of Education Sciences, Degree Course in Educational Sciences at the University of Florence. She was assignee of Integrative Contract for the Course in History of Philosophy at the Faculty of Education Sciences, Degree Course in Educational Sciences, University of Florence, for the Academic Year 1999/2000, giving a Course on Plato's "Republic".

 

Academic Year 2000/2001

She was assigned a Substitute Contract for the Course in the History of Philosophy, Faculty of Education, Degree Course in Educational Sciences, University of Florence for the Academic Year 2000/2001, giving a Course on "The Origin of Experimental Philosophies and Roger Bacon".

 

Academic Year 2001/2002

For the Academic Year 2001/2002 she obtained, as a Researcher in History of Philosophy, the assignment of History of Science (9 CFU) at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence (Three-year Course in Professional Educator), giving a Course on "The Systems of the World from Antiquity to Copernicus".

 

Academic Year 2002/2003

For the Academic Year 2002/2003 she was entrusted with the History of Philosophy (9 CFU) (Three-year course of study in Multimedia Educator), History of Science (9 CFU) (Three-year course of study in Professional Educator) and History of Science and Technology (3 CFU) (Degree Course in Science of Adult and Continuing Education) at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence. She held a History of Philosophy Course on "The Aristotelian Tradition from Antiquity to the Renaissance", a History of Science Course on "World Systems from Antiquity to Copernicus", a History of Science and Technology Course on "Science, Society and Culture: A. Koyré".

 

Academic Year 2003/2004

For the Academic Year 2003/2004 she was entrusted with the History of Science (9 CFU) at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence (Three-year Course in Professional Educator), giving a Course on "The History of Light from the 9th to the 14th Century".

 

Academic Year 2004/2005

For the Academic Year 2004/2005 she was entrusted with the following subjects: History of Philosophy (9 CFU) (Three-year Course of Studies in Professional Educator) at the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Florence, holding a Course on "The psychology of the mind of Nicola Cusano"; History of Philosophy (9 CFU) (Three-year Course of Studies in Multimedia Educator) at the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Florence, holding a Course on "The new conception of man by Nicola Cusano"; of History of Science and Technology (9 CFU) (Three-year course of study in Multimedia Trainer) at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, holding a course on "The Cosmologies of Light from Antiquity to the Modern Age".

She collaborated, as a member of the organisational secretariat, in the preparation of the Postgraduate Course in Didactics of Philosophy and the Humanities at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence and carried out teaching activities in the course itself.

 

Academic Year 2005/2006

For the Academic Year 2005/2006 she was awarded the following teaching assignments: History of Philosophy (9 CFU) (Three-year course of studies in Professional Educator) at the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Florence, teaching a course on "The secularisation of knowledge by Nicola Cusano"; of History of Philosophy (9 CFU) (Three-year course of studies in Multimedia Trainer) at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, teaching a course on "The secularisation of knowledge by Nicola Cusano"; of History of Science and Technology (9 CFU) (Three-year course of studies in Multimedia Trainer) at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, teaching a course on "Kuhn and the scientific revolutions".

She has carried out teaching activities in the context of the Doctorate School in Educational Sciences at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, as a member of the School's Teaching Board.

 

Academic Year 2006/2007

For the Academic Year 2006/2007 she obtained, at the Faculty of Education Sciences at the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Florence, the conferment of the mandates of: History of Philosophy (9 CFU) (Three-year course of study in Professional Educator), conducting a Course on "The Anthropology of the Mind of Nicola Cusano in the Early Modern Age" and History of Science (9 CFU) (Three-year course of study in Professional Educator), conducting a Course on "Science, Society and Culture in the Thought of Thomas Kuhn". In the Academic Year 2006/2007 he also obtained, again at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, the assignment of the Evening Course in the History of Philosophy for working students (3 CFU) (Three-year degree course and V. O.), for which he held a programme on "The new 'places' of the History of Philosophy: science".

She has carried out teaching activities within the Doctorate School in Educational Sciences of the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, as a member of the School's Teaching Board.

 

Academic Year 2007/2008

For the Academic Year 2007/2008 she obtained, at the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Florence, the entrustment of History of Philosophy (9 CFU), Three-year Course of Studies in Professional Educator and held a Course on "The 'new places' of the history of philosophy: science, sciences and education".

She has carried out teaching activities within the framework of the Doctorate School in Educational Sciences of the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, as a member of the School's Teaching Board.

She was a member of the Competition Committee for a comparative evaluation for the filling of a post of Researcher with fixed-term contract for the scientific-disciplinary sector M-FIL/06 (History of Philosophy), at the Department of Education Sciences and Cultural and Training Processes of the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence.

 

Academic Year 2008/2009

For the Academic Year 2008/2009 she has obtained, at the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Florence, the assignments of: History of Philosophy (10 CFU), Three-year degree course in Social Education Sciences, holding a course on "The 'new places' of the history of philosophy: Science, Science and Education"; History and Philosophy of the Knowledge Society (10 CFU), Master's Degree Course in Adult Education, Continuing Education and Pedagogical Sciences, holding a Course on "History of Philosophy, Science and Education in the Knowledge Society"; History of the Philosophy of Communication (5 CFU), Master's Degree Course in Theories of Communication, holding a Course on "The 'new places' of the history of philosophy: science, science and education".

She has carried out teaching activities within the framework of the Doctorate School in Educational Sciences of the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, as a member of the School's Teaching Board.

She was an elected member of the Competition Commission for a comparative assessment to fill the post of Researcher with an open-ended contract for the scientific-disciplinary sector M-FIL/06 (History of Philosophy), announced by the University of Perugia (Faculty of Humanities) (2nd session 2007).

 

Academic Year 2009/2010

For the Academic Year 2009/2010 she has been awarded, at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, the following appointments History of Philosophy (10 CFU), Bachelor of Science in Social Education, holding a Course on "New Subjects and New Objects: Man, Education, Nature in the History of Contemporary Philosophy" and History of the Philosophy of Communication (5 CFU), Master of Science in Theories of Communication, holding a Course on "The Philosophy of Communication: Communication between Ages and Sciences".

She has carried out teaching activities within the Doctoral School in Education of the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, as a member of the School's Teaching Board.

 

Academic Year 2010/2011

For the Academic Year 2010/2011 she has been awarded, at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, the following teaching assignments History of Philosophy (10 CFU), Three-year degree course in Science of Social Education, holding a Course on "Reflection on Man in the Contemporary Age" and History of the Philosophy of Communication (5 CFU), Master's degree course in Theories of Communication, holding a Course on "Michel Serres and New Technologies".

She has carried out teaching activities within the Doctoral School in Educational Sciences of the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, as a member of the School's Teaching Board.

 

Academic Year 2011/2012

For the Academic Year 2011/2012 she has been awarded, at the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Florence, the charge of History of Philosophy (6 CFU), Three-year Degree Course in Science of Social Education, holding a Course on "Science-philsophy relationship from the Middlle Ages to Modern Times" and the Workshop "Reflections on Education in Childhood" (5 CFU), Three-year degree course in Childhood Education; title of the Workshop "Michel Serres' Reflections on Childhood".

She has carried out teaching activities within the Doctoral School in Education Sciences of the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, as a member of the Teachers' Board of the School.

 

Academic Year 2012/2013

For the Academic Year 2012/2013 she has been entrusted with the History of Philosophy (6 CFU), Three-year Degree Course in Social Education at the Faculty of Education of the University of Florence, holding a Course on "The Doctrines of Man in the History of Philosophy" and the Workshop "Reflections on Education in Childhood" (5 CFU), Three-year Degree Course in Childhood Education; title of the Workshop: "Michel Serres' Reflections on Childhood".

 

Academic Year 2013/2014

For the Academic Year 2013/2014, she was awarded, at the School of Humanistic Studies and Education of the University of Florence, the charge of History of Philosophy (6 CFU), Three-year Degree Course in Social Education, holding a Course on "The Doctrines of Man in the History of Philosophy" and of the Workshop "Reflections on Education in Childhood" (5 CFU), Three-year Degree Course in Childhood Sciences; title of the Workshop: "Michel Serres' Reflections on Childhood".

She carried out teaching activities as part of the Doctorate in Educational Sciences at the University of Florence, as a member of the Doctorate's Teaching Board until 2014.

 

Academic Year 2014/2015

For the Academic Year 2014/2015, she was awarded, at the School of Humanistic and Educational Studies of the University of Florence, the tenure of History of Philosophy (6 CFU), Three-year degree course in Social Education, holding a Course on "The Doctrines of Man in the History of Philosophy" and of the Workshop "Reflections around Education in Childhood" (5 CFU), Three-year degree course in Childhood Sciences; title of the Workshop: "Michel Serres' Reflections on Childhood".

 

Academic Year 2015/2016

For the Academic Year 2015/2016, she was awarded, at the School of Humanistic Studies and Education of the University of Florence, the tenure of History of Philosophy (6 CFU), Master's Degree Course in Theories of Communication, holding a Course on "The philosophical redeclination of the themes of the body, of human-non-human relations and of communication in the transition from the humanist paradigm to the post-humanist constellation" and of the Laboratory "Reflections around education in childhood" (5 CFU), Bachelor's Degree Course in Childhood Sciences; Laboratory title: "Michel Serres' Reflections on Childhood".

 

Academic Year 2016/17

For the Academic Year 2016/2017, she obtained, at the School of Humanistic Studies and Education of the University of Florence, the tenure of History of Philosophy (6 CFU), Master's Degree Course in Theories of Communication, holding a Course on "The philosophical re-thinking of the body and communication in the transition from the humanist paradigm to the post-humanist constellation".

In the same Academic Year, she obtained, at the Italian University Line (IUL) in Florence, the assignment of History of Philosophy (6 CFU), Bachelor's Degree Course in Methods and Techniques of Educational Interactions, holding a Course on "The body from the humanist paradigm to the post-humanist constellation". 

 

Academic Year 2017/2018

For the Academic Year 2017/2018, she was awarded, at the School of Humanistic Studies and Education of the University of Florence, the tenure of History of Philosophy (6 CFU), Master's Degree Course in Theories of Communication, teaching a Course on "The philosophical re-thinking of the body and communication in the transition from the humanist paradigm to the post-humanist constellation".

 

Academic Year 2018/2019

For the Academic Year 2018/2019, she was awarded, at the School of Humanistic Studies and Education of the University of Florence, the tenure of History of Philosophy (6 CFU), Master's Degree Course in Theories of Communication, teaching a Course on "The philosophical re-thinking of the body and communication in the transition from the humanist paradigm to the post-humanist constellation".

 

Academic Year 2019/2020

For the Academic Year 2019/2020 she obtained, at the School of Humanistic Studies and Education of the University of Florence, the assignment of History of Philosophy (3 CFU), Master's Degree Course in Theories of Communication, holding a Course on "Individual, body, communication from the humanist paradigm to the post-humanist constellation".

 

Academic Year 2020/2021

For the Academic Year 2020/2021 she has been awarded, at the School of Humanistic Studies and Education of the University of Florence, the tenure of History of Philosophy (3 CFU), Master's Degree Course in Theories of Communication, teaching a Course on "Individual, body, communication from anthropo-centred humanism to federative humanism with/through Michel Serres", and of Moral Philosophy (3 CFU), Bachelor of Arts Degree Course, holding a Course on "From ethical anthropocentrism to anthropo-decentrism".

Also in the Academic Year 2020/2021, she was awarded the position of Values and Education in Complex Societies (3 CFU) at the Italian University Line (IUL) in Florence, Master's Degree Course in Educational Innovation and Lifelong Learning in Adult Education in National and International Contexts, holding a Course on "Individual, Body and Communication from the Humanist Paradigm to the Posthuman Constellation".

In July 2020, she lectured as part of the XXIX Summer School of Media Education, giving a plenary lecture on 'The virtual body as possibility'.

 

Academic Year 2021/2022

For the Academic Year 2021/2022 she obtained, at the School of Humanistic Studies and Education of the University of Florence, the assignment of Humanism and Technology in Contemporary Thought (6 CFU), Master's Degree Course in Theories of Communication, holding a course on "The Relationship Man, Body, Technology from the Humanist Perspective to the Posthuman Constellation, with/through Michel Serres".

In 2022, she was appointed a member of a Jury de Thèse for the Doctorate in co-tutorship
between the Faculté de Philosophie de l'Université Catholique de Lyon (Doctorat Canonique) and the Dipartimento di Filosofia, Scienze Sociali, Umane e della Formazione of the University of Perugia (Ph.D), awarded to Dr Riccardo Rezzesi on 28 February 2022 with a Thesis entitled: Philosophie en action et sciences humaines. L'école lyonnaise du catholicisme social: de Joseph Vialatoux à Jean Lacroix et François Perroux.

In 2022, she was appointed an external member of the Thesis Committee of the Doctorate in Trinitarian Ontology (Philosophical Address) and in Human Sciences (Philosophical Curriculum) in co-tutorship
between Sophia University Institute and the University of Perugia, obtained by Dr Benedetta Sonaglia on 16 June 2022 with a Thesis entitled: Ordinata dilectio. Per una filosofia dell'educazione agostiniana.

From 2001 to date Orsola Rignani has been supervisor of approximately 70 degree theses (Bachelor's and Master's) in History of Philosophy and co-rapporteur of approximately 40 degree theses (Bachelor's and Master's) in Moral Philosophy. 
 

Academic Year 2022/2023

In the Academic Year 2022/2023 Orsola Rignani held, for the transversal Course on the Anthropocene within the Ph. D. in Philological-Literary, Historical-Philosophical and Artistic Disciplines of the University of Parma, a seminar on 'Proposals for the repositioning of the human: posthumanist philosophical voices in the face of the Anthropocene'

Since 2001 Orsola Rignani has chaired and/or been a member of working committees (Didactics, Self-Evaluation Group, Erasmus, Internship, Orientation) within the Study Courses in which she has taught.

In the Academic Years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 Orsola Rignani was:

-QA manager, member of the Teaching Committee, Delegate for the monitoring of the educational pathway, Delegate for the monitoring of the condition of graduates of the Master's Degree Course in Theories of Communication, University of Florence; 

-elected member of the Council of the Department of Humanities and Philosophy, University of Florence;

-elected member of the Council of the School of Humanities and Education, University of Florence;

-member of the University Disciplinary Committee, University of Florence.

 

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES KNOWN

English: excellent written and spoken knowledge; French: good written and spoken knowledge.

CLASSICAL LANGUAGES

Latin, Greek.