Since her studies at the Catholic University in Milan (bachelor's degree in 2004: 110/110 with honours), Annavittoria Sarli has focused on migration studies as her primary area of interest. Enriching her knowledge in this field she gained a master's degree in Anthropology in 2007 (110/110 with honours) and a Ph.D. in 2011 at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. She developed her research career at the ISMU Foundation, specialising in migration studies. At the same time, Dr Sarli developed collaborations in the academic field (Catholic University in Milan, University of Milan and University of Parma) as researcher, lecturer and students' supervisor. In 2020/2022 she worked at the Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS), University of Birmingham, as a Marie Sklodowska Curie post-doctoral research fellow. In 2022 she joined the University of Parma, Department of Law, Politics and International Studies, as a researcher.
Her main research fields are the social inclusion of migrant descendants and intercultural communication and competence. On these themes she has produced several scientific publications (books and articles in peer reviewed journals), whose quality and originality is shown by important recognitions and awards. In 2007 Dr. Sarli worked as a researcher in Senegal and in 2008 she participated in a EU Leonardo Programme, developing strong linguistic and intercultural competences that have been furthered through her current MsC fellowship in the UK. Dr. Sarli has developed excellent communication competences both in the academic field, through speaking at several national and international conferences, and in non-academic fields, collaborating with NGOs, migrant organizations, and schools. Dr. Sarli has gained valuable experience in project writing and management by participating in the planning and coordination of large-scale international projects.
Current Position
20/12/2022 – ONGOING: assistant professor at University of Parma, Department of Law, Politics, and International Studies
Education
08/01/2008-06/04/2011: Ph.D in Human Sciences, Ph.D School of Human Sciences (Psychology, Anthropology and History of Modern and Contemporary World), University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (IT); degree thesis title “The malaise of caring. The professional experiences of female migrant carers working in Italy” (in Italian).
02/10/2004-26/10/2007: Master Degree in "Theory and Methodology of Anthropological Research on Contemporaneity", 110/110 with honours, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (IT) ;Title of degree thesis: "Transnational Relations between Senegal and Italy: Comparative Analysis of Two Initiatives of Co-Development" (in Italian).
06/10/2001-29/11/2004: Bachelor in Sciences and Techniques of Linguistic and Cultural Mediation.110/110 with honours, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Catholic University of Milan
Previous Positions
15/09/2022 – 19/12/2022: research fellowship, Department of Political and Social Sciences, Catholic University in Milan, (IT)
1/04/2020 – 31/7/2022: Marie Sklodowska-Curie post-doctoral fellowship – Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS), University of Birmingham (UK)
12/01/2012-31/03/20: Research assistant, Economy and Labour Sector, ISMU Foundation (Initiatives and Studies on Multi-Ethnicity), Milan (IT).
21/02/2019-31/03/2020: Project manager and Senior Researcher, ISMU Foundation, Milan (IT), in the national project “Dimicome – Diversità e integrazione: competenze dei migranti nel mercato del lavoro” (Diversity an integration: migrants’ competences in the labour market)
01/02/2016-28/12/2017: Senior researcher, Sociology Department, Catholic University in Milan, (IT), in the project "Migration and religious belonging. From periphery to core for a new humanism".
06/06/2016-28/02/2018: Senior researcher and outreach organizer, Sociology Department, Catholic University in Milan (IT), in the project "Health in Motion. Exploring needs, valorising resources, network building"
21/01/2014-15/05/2015: Senior researcher and project manager’s assistant, Sociology Department, Catholic University in Milan (IT), in the DIVERSE project – Diversity Improvement as a Viable Enrichment Resource for Society and Economy, an international EU-funded project.
18/09/2011-25/01/2012: Research assistant, Health and Welfare Sector, ISMU Foundation (Initiatives and Studies on Multi-Ethnicity), Milan (IT), in the project “Joint Research on Regional Integration and Infectious Diseases in Asia and Europe”, financed by Asia-Europe Foundation (Asef) (Singapore) and carried out in collaboration with the Yuchengco Center (Manila
12/06/2010-06/05/2011: Project coordinator --Comunità dei Senegalesi della Provincia di Parma (IT), in the project of decentralized cooperation "Earth and Health. Interventions for the Prevention of rural exodus from the villages of Senegal through the Mediation of Women".
20/09/2010-19/03/2011: Work placement at the AUSL (public health service) of Parma (IT), in collaboration with the University of Parma, in the action-research project “Lavori in Corpo”, on body manipulations among young people (native students and second generations).
22/04/2008-22/12/2010: Research assistant to the project country coordinator, ISMU Foundation (Initiatives and Studies on Multi-Ethnicity),Milan (IT),in the EU-funded, international project “Migrants’ Associations And Philippine Institutions for Development” (MAPID)
06/02/2008-10/04/2008: Work placement in the field of active citizenship, Association Trans-Mission, Brussels (BE), within the Leonardo EU Program.
05/03/2007-30/04/2007: Work placement in a rural area of Senegal, for the conduction of the research activities for the master’s thesis Association TakkuLigey, Thiès, Senegal
01/02/2004-28/04/2004: Internship at the Education and Training Sector, ISMU Foundation (Initiatives and Studies on Multi-Ethnicity), Milan (IT).
Teaching Experience and Student Supervision
03/04/2017 – ongoing: Lecturer in the seminar "Strategies for managing the integration of migrants and refugees", Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Catholic University in Milan (IT).
30/11/2021: Visiting Lecturer on “Seconde generazioni e interazioni interculturali: potenzialità e nodi critici” within the master’s degree module – Sociology of Inter-ethnic Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Catholic University Milan in (IT), online.
04/11/2022: Visiting Lecturer on “Intercultural competence: what it is and why it matters” within the master’s degree module “Migration, superdiversity, policy and practice – Institute for Research into Superdiversity, University of Birmingham
28/09/2022: Visiting Lecturer on “From the needs to the potential of the multicultural university” within the extracurricular course – Uni4All’ of the University of Milano Bicocca, aimed at increasing the intercultural competencies of university staff and students.
12/11/2021: Visiting Lecturer on “The intercultural competences of second-generation individuals and their recognition in the labour market” within the master’s degree module – Sociology of Inter-ethnic Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Catholic University Milan in (IT), online.
04/05/2021: Lecturer on “From the needs to the potential of the multicultural university” within the extracurricular course – Uni4All’ of the University of Milano Bicocca, aimed at increasing the intercultural competencies of university staff and students, online.
12/03/2021: Visiting Lecturer on “The intercultural competences of second-generation individuals and their recognition in the labour market”, within the master’s degree module – Organisations, Environment and Social Innovation, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Catholic University Milan in (IT), online.
Academic year 2020-2021: Supervision of one graduate student preparing her master’s dissertation, School of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology, University of Birmingham (UK)
08/01/2010 –31/03/2020: Member of the examination committee for the master degree course “Sociology of Inter-ethnic Relations”, as subject curator for “Sociology of Inter-ethnic Relations”, and tutor of 5 graduate students preparing master’s dissertation, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Catholic University in Milan (IT).
25/05/2018 –31/03/2020: In healthcare services, Trainer on: “Intercultural communication. Some keys for interpreting relationships with foreign patients”, Fondazione Verga, Milan (IT)
09/07/2018-14/07/2018: Lecturer on: “Integration in the labour market of migrants and asylum seekers: the case of Italy”, at the III International Summer School on Migration and Asylum, Laimomo, Bologna (IT)
15/04/2016-31/05/2017: Lecturer the seminar “Decentralized cooperation, migration and development”, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Catholic University in Milan (IT).
15/05/2016-30/07/2017: Lecturer on Migrants' Health in Bachelor and Master degree courses, Faculty of Medicine, University of Milan (IT).
1/11/2014-30/11/2014: Conducted the workshop “Transformations in the ethnic composition of populations and integration policies”, in the Course “Social Policies for Social Cohesion", Master’s degree Course in "Public Policies". Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Catholic University in Milan (IT).
15/01/2010 - 28/07/2012: Lecturer in the master's degree course in Nursing Sciences, as subject curator for “Demo-ethno-Anthropological Disciplines”, and tutor of 3 students preparing bachelor’s thesis , Medical School, University of Parma (IT).
Voluntary Work
06/02/2005-05/02/2006: Voluntary work at the Association Vagamonde, promoting intercultural relations, Forum solidarietà (Center for Service to Voluntary Work), Parma (IT)
07/09/2003-09/09/2004: Voluntary work in the organisation of the training course: “Health and Multi-Culturality",promoted with Parma University and ISMU by the università Popolare of Parma (IT).
5/01/2000-20/12/2005: Voluntary work at the Association AFS Intercultura, Parma Local Chapter (IT), as exchange student assistant, after a three-months experience as exchange student in Letterkenny (IE), in 1999.
Awards
21/11/2011: First award within the national competition “Premio per unaTesi di Dottorato sul tema: Società Multietnica e Cittadinanza” (Award for a Ph.D Thesis on the Issue: Multi-Ethnic Society and Citizenship), for the thesis titled “The malaise of caring. The professional experiences of female migrant carers working in Italy”, assigned by S. Pio V Institute, Rome (IT).
10/07/2014: Best IX Summer school essays: The work “Unasked questions and missing answers: the Italian national health system and Chinese migrants in Milan”, authored by Annavittoria Sarli and Daniela Carrillo, was published as the best IX Summer school essays by: Migration Policy Centre, European University Institute, Florence, Italy
Conference Organisation
04/07/2023: during the 20th IMISCOE Annual Congress, chaired the panel: “Just Europeans”: Individual and Collective Citizenship Practices of Young People of Migrant Heritage in Europe, Warsaw
15-16 /09/ 2022: during the X IRiS International Conference in Birmingham, organized the panel series: “Racialized young Europeans. Negotiating power and identities”
04-06/11/ 2014: During the 2014 Metropolis Conference in Milan - organised the workshop "Migrants' social integration, civic participation, and transnational engagement. Which kinds of relationships?".
09/10/2013: Organised - “La salute dei migranti cinesi e filippini a Milano. Sfide presenti, potenziali opportunità (The health of Chinese and Filipino migrants in Italy. Present challenges, potential opportunities”)”, promoted by the ISMU Foundation with the support of the Municipality of Milan, Milan
Conference Presentations
05/07/2023: participated in the workshop “Multisensorial research, migrations and inequalities – exploring new methodological pathways”, 20th IMISCOE Annual Congress, Warsaw
04/07/2023: discussant within the panel: “Just Europeans”: Unequal Experiences of Identificatin and Belonging among Young People of Migrant Heritage in Southern Europe, 20th IMISCOE Annual Congress, Warsaw
27/06/2023: “From “Being Othered” to “Promoting the Value of Otherness”: Empowering Self-Narratives Among Migrant Immediate Descendants in Italy”, presentation at the XX ISA World Congress of Sociology, online.
13/07/2022: “The micropolitics of boundary events among migrant descendants. Reacting to othering dynamics in Italy and the UK”, presentation at the MEAD Conference, Cardiff
01/07/2022: “The micropolitics of boundary events among migrant descendants. Reacting to othering dynamics in Italy and the UK”, presentation within the panel “Migrants’ descendants: everyday experiences of belonging between Europe, the Middle East and Asia”, at the 19th Imiscoe Annual Conference, Oslo
12/05/2022: “Youth from a migration background: dialogues on their knowledges and potentialities.” Hermete Coop. Onlus, Verona
20/09/2021: “The intercultural competence of second generation individuals and their recognition in the labour market”. Presentation Within the workshop Cultural diversity in workplaces: Diversity management approaches and practices, Fondazione Mondinsieme, online.
09/07/2021: The intercultural competence of second-generation individuals: features and development processes. Presentation at 18th IMISCOE Annual Conference: ‘Crossing Borders, Connecting Cultures’, online.
22/04/2021: The intercultural competence of second-generation individuals: features and development processes. Presentation at Cultnet Meeting 2021, Cultnet: International Community for Researchers and Educators, online.
- How to unleash the potential of migrants' soft skills? the Dimicome project. Presentation at the International Forum on Refugee and migrant education from local perspectives, Department of Education and Human Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, in collaboration with Fondazione Mondinsieme and Reggio Children, online.
- Migrant women as actors of integration and social cohesion (in Italian). Presentation at the seminar La presenza femminile nei contesti migratori (The presence of women in migration contexts), within the project Conoscere, Apprendere e Comunicare per Vivere l'Integrazione (Knowing, learning and communicating to live integration), Milan.
- Migrants' competence in Italian productive activities. How to valorize this precious resource? (in Italian) Presentation at the SIETAR Italia Annual Congress "Migrations and Global Mobility - Sharing approaches and practices", Milan.
- Migrants’ Competence Recognition Systems. Controversial Links between Social Inclusion Aims and Discrimination Unexpected Effects. Presentation at the IRiS and SAST conference Rethinking integration: New perspectives on adaptation and settlement in an era of superdiversity, Birmingham.
- Valorizing migrants' human capital and prior learning. Presentation at the DIVERSE Final International Conference. Milan.
- Recognizing and valorizing migrants' human capital. The experience of Lombardy (in Italian). Presentation at the seminar “Rinnovare I modelli di integrazione (Renewing integration models)”, Monza.
- Transnational routes: the health of Chinese migrants in Milan. Presentation at the Metropolis Conference, Milan.
- Chinese and Filipino migrants And the Italian health system: causes and possible transformations of an avoidance relationship. Presentation at the 11thImiscoeAnnual Conference, Madrid.
- The malaise of caring. The professional experience of female migrant carers working in Italy (in Italian). Presentation at the seminar: Assistenti familiari, famiglie e servizi: costruire un patto per il futuro (Care givers, families, and services: building a pact for the future), Cremona.
- Presentation of research findings at the workshop “La salute dei migrant cinesi e filippini a Milano. Sfide presenti, potenziali opportunità (The health of Chinese and Filipino migrants in Italy. Present challenges, potential opportunities”), promoted by the ISMU Foundation, with the support of the Municipality of Milan. Milan.
- Migrant carers in Italy. A rampant, but hidden health demand (in Italian). Presentation at the XII National Conference of the Società Italiana di Medicina delle Migrazioni (SIMM) (Italian Society for the Medicine of Migrations). Viterbo.
- Fostering transnational development: the MAPID project in Italy and the Philippines. Presentation at the international conference “The Migration-Development Nexus Revisited: State of the Art and Ways Ahead.” Trento.
- Perspectives opened by the MAPID project in Italy (in Italian). Presentation at the conference “Mattone su mattone. Un Progetto di Cooperazione Transnazionale tra Italia, Spagna e Filippine (Brick by brick. A Project of Transnational Cooperation between Italy, the Philippines and Spain)”. Rome.
- Migrants become agents of development (in Italian).Presentation at the Seminar “Co-Sviluppo: Migrazione come Parte dello Sviluppo (Co-Development. Migration as a resource for Development)”. Milan.
Courses and Workshops attended
17-28/06/2013: IX Migration Summer school: Theories, Methods and Policies, organised by the Migration Policy Centre – European University Institute. San Domenico di Fiesole (Florence).
07-90/03/2012: Social Determinants of Migrants’ Health Across Asia and Europe, workshop promoted by Asef - Asia and Europe Foundation, Barcelona.
21-23/02/2011: Ispirare l’Eccellenza nella Ricerca (Inspiring Excellence in Research), training course organised by Fondazione CRUI. Rome.
26-31/07/2010: Mobilità Umana e Giustizia Globale, Prima Edizione: Confini (Human mobility and Global Justice. First edition: Borders). Summer School organised by the Catholic University of Milan. Loreto.
29 – 21/05/2004: Refresher courses in Salute e Multiculturalità Health and Multiculturalism), organised by Parma University. Parma.
Reviewer for International Journals
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Non Profit Organizations
Social Sciences
Scientific Publications
Sarli A., From being othered to promoting the value of otherness: pride and price of intercultural dialogue among migrant immediate descendants in Italy. GIDE - Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, 2023; forthcoming. DOI: 10.1080/1070289X.2023.2223056 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1070289X.2023.2223056
Sarli A., Immediate Descendants of Immigrants as Mediators of Cultural Plurality. In: Lessard-Phillips L., Papoutsi A., Sigona N., Ziss P. (eds), Migration, Displacement and Diversity: The IRiS anthology, Oxford Publishing Services, Oxford, 2023; pp. 242-246. ISBN: 978-1739784621.
Sarli A., Phillimore J. The intercultural competence of second-generation individuals: knowledge gaps and steps forward. Int J Intercul Relat, 2022; 88: 11-21. DOI : 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2022.03.004 https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S0147-1767(22)00036-0
Sarli A. Il riconoscimento dei titoli di studio conseguiti all’estero: un’opportunità sulla carta?. In: Report ISMU 2021 - Libro verde sul governo delle migrazioni economiche. Settore economia e lavoro di Fondazione ISMU (a cura di).ISMU 2021. ISBN 9788831443111 https://www.ismu.org/libro-verde-sulle-migrazioni-economiche/
Sarli A., Mezzetti G. Religion and integration: Issues from International Literature. In: Zanfrini L. (ed.), Migrants and religion: paths, issues, and lenses. Brill, Leiden/Boston, 2020; pp. 433-463. DOI: 10.1163/9789004429604_014 https://brill.com/view/book/9789004429604/BP000017.xml
Boerchi D., Di Mauro M., Sarli A. Guedelines for the identification and assessment of migrants’ soft skills. Fondazione ISMU 2020. https://www.ismu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Guidelines-migrants-soft-skills_Boerchi-et-al.pdf
Sarli A., (2018), Nuove metodologie per la valutazione delle qualifiche accademiche dei beneficiari di protezione internazionale in Italia. ISMU, Working Paper Series
http://www.ismu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sarli_paper_valutazione-qualifiche.pdf
Sarli A., (2017), Le competenze interculturali delle persone con background migratorio: una risorsa da comprendere e valorizzare. ISMU, Working Paper Series https://www.ismu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Sarli_Paper_Competenze-interculturali_luglio-2017.pdf
Lodigiani R., Sarli A. (2017), Migrants’ competence recognition systems: Controversial links between social inclusion aims and unexpected discrimination effects.The European journal for research on the education and learning of adults, 2017; 8(1): 127-144. DOI:10.3384/rela.2000-7426.rela0201, https://rela.ep.liu.se/article/view/105
Masera G., Ngo Bikatal C. J., Sarli A., Sarli L., (2015), Being an overseas student at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Parma: the perceptions of students from Cameroon. Acta Bio Med. 86(3): 212-222. ISSN 2531-6745 https://www.mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/actabiomedica/article/view/5163/3789
Zanfrini L., Monaci M., Mungiardi F., Sarli A., Country report Italy. At a possible turning point between a constraining tradition and promising developments in the field of diversity. ISMU, 2015 http://old.ismu.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Country_Report_Italy.pdf
Lodigiani R., Sarli A., Valorizing migrants' human capital and prior learning. International outlook, problematic issues, and steps forward, in: Zanfrini L. (ed.), The Diversity Value. How to Reinvent the European Approach to Immigration, McGraw-Hill Education, Maidenhead, UK, 2015, pp. 53-78. ISBN 978-00-771-7453-8 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/296334820_The_Diversity_Value_How_to_Reinvent_the_European_Approach_to_Immigration
Catania C., Sarli A., and Serio L., Building a multi-stakeholder device for the validation of non/in-formal learning: a shared experience on a European level, in: L. Zanfrini (ed.), The Diversity Value. How to Reinvent the European Approach to Immigration, McGraw-Hill Education, Maidenhead, UK, 2015, pp. 79-98.ISBN 978-00-771-7453-8 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/296334820_The_Diversity_Value_How_to_Reinvent_the_European_Approach_to_Immigration
Sarli A., The psycho-social malaise of migrant private carers in Italy: a rampant, but hidden health demand. Acta Biomed for Health Professions 2014;85 (Suppl. 3): 62-73. ISSN 0392-4203 https://www.mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/actabiomedica/article/view/3698
Sarli A, Carrillo D.Unasked Questions and Missing Answers: the Italian National Health System and Chinese Migrants in Milan, MPC AS No.2014/01, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, San Domenico di Fiesole (FI): European University Institute, 2014. http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/31977/AS01_2014_SS_Sarli_Carrillo.pdf?sequence=1
Osteria T., Carrillo D., Sarli A, The health dimension of Asian Migration to Europe. De La Salle University Publishing House, 2013. ISBN: 978-971-555-581-4 https://www.dlsu.edu.ph/research/publishing-house/book-publications/the-health-dimension-of-asian-migration-to-europe/
Osteria T., Carrillo D., Sarli A. The health dimension of Sout East Asia migration to Europe. Abridged report, De La Salle University Publishing House for the Asia-Europe Foundation, Manila, 2012 . ISBN: 978-971-555-550-0. https://www.dlsu.edu.ph/research/publishing-house/book-publications/the-health-dimension-of-southeast-asian-migration-to-europe-abridged-report/
Sarli L., Scotti M., Bulgarelli K., Masera G., Enongene E., Sarli A. Concepts Of health, disease and treatment in a rural village of Senegal. Journal of Medicine and the Person. 2012; 10: 68-78. DOI 10.1007/s12682-012-0118-x https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12682-012-0118-x
Sarli A., Il Disagio della Cura. I Vissuti Professionali delle Assistenti Familiari Migranti Occupate in Italia. Apes Ed., Rome, 2011 ISBN 9788872330746
Sarli A., Il Disagio della Cura. Libertà civili, Bimonthly Journal of the Department for Civil Freedoms and Immigration of the Ministry of Interior, 2011; 5/11:96-104 http://www.alessandroiovino.it/doc/internisinti.pdf
Zanfrini L., Sarli A., What are the opportunities of mobilisation for the Filipino Diaspora in Italy? Lessons from the Mapid Project, in: Baggio F., ed., 2010, Brick by Brick: Building Cooperation between the Philippines and Overseas Filipinos in Italy and Spain. Quezon City, Philippines: Scalabrini Migration Center.ISBN 978-971-8789-16-2 https://www.ismu.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mapid_BrickbyBrick_Baggio.pdf
Sarli L., Enongene E., Bulgarelli K., Sarli A., Renda A., Sansebastiano G., Diouff M. Training program for community health workers in remote areas in Senegal. First experience. Acta Bio Med., 2010; 81:54-62. ISSN 0392-4203 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46392263_Training_program_for_community_health_workers_in_remote_areas_in_Senegal_First_experience
Zanfrini L., Sarli A., Migrants’ Associations and Philippine Institutions for Development: (first year activities) Italian Country Report, Quaderni ISMU, Milan, 2009. https://www.ismu.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mapid_Report_Sarli_Zanfrini.pdf
Sarli L., Sarli A. (eds), Salute e Multiculturalità, Università Popolare di Parma, Parma, 2004
Linguistic Competences and Licenses
First Language: Italian
Other languages: English, French
Self-assessment: very good level of spoken English and French (European level *: C1), good level in written English and French (European level *: B2)
Computer skills: European Computer Driving Licence.
(*) Common European framework of Reference for Languages)
Additional Information
Please note that Dr.Sarli is visually impaired.
