Katie Sparrow organizes International Conference on Women Writers and Rhetoric in Early Modern Italy

The Postdoctoral Program jointly administered by Notre Dame Rome and Università Roma Tre concluded its first cycle with the organization of the international conference "Women Writers and Rhetoric in Early Modern Italy".

Co-sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters, the Center for Italian Studies, and Notre Dame Rome, the program offers early-career scholars the opportunity to pursue advanced research while promoting sustained collaboration between the two institutions.

In 2024, Dr. Katie Sparrow, who earned her Ph.D. in Italian Studies at Notre Dame in 2023, served as the inaugural Postdoctoral Fellow. Based in the Department of Humanistic Studies at Università Roma Tre under the supervision of Prof. Luca Marcozzi, Sparrow conducted research on early modern literature and rhetoric while strengthening scholarly ties between the two institutions through collaborative initiatives.

As part of her fellowship, she co-organized—together with Dr. Serena Mauriello of Roma Tre—the international conference Voice of Persuasion: Women Writers and Rhetoric in Early Modern Italy. The two-day event, held on September 25, 2025 at Università Roma Tre and September 26, 2025 at Notre Dame Rome, brought together scholars from across disciplines to explore the intellectual contributions and rhetorical strategies of women authors during a pivotal era in European cultural and literary history.

“This year working on the PoetRi project has offered me a unique opportunity to collaborate with deeply engaged scholars at Roma Tre and to explore the works and lives of early modern women writers in Italy, which was an exciting shift from my previous research on medieval Italian literature,” Sparrow noted. “I’m especially grateful to have been part of the team that brought this conference on women and rhetoric to life: I learned a lot in the process of organizing the conference and it was great to see the engaging exchange of research and ideas as the final result.”

Sparrow’s leadership in organizing the conference exemplifies the program’s mission to advance both scholarly research and cross-cultural exchange. Through her work, she seeks to foster dialogue between Italian and international scholars and to illuminate the enduring influence of women’s voices in shaping literary and cultural traditions. The event also strengthened the longstanding academic partnership between the University of Notre Dame and the Department of Humanistic Studies at Università Roma Tre, building upon years of fruitful collaboration.

Learn more about the Post-doctoral fellowship at Notre Dame Rome in partnership with Università Roma Tre.