Giacomo IAZZETTA

Giacomo Iazzetta is a postdoctoral researcher at the University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, where he leads projects on sociolinguistic practices and multilingualism in Islamic education in Italy. He obtained his PhD in Sociolinguistics 2024 at University of Essex (UK). His research centers on language policy, Arabic sociolinguistics, and the dynamics of linguistic identity and inclusion among Arab-speaking communities, with a particular focus on North Africa and the Italian context. He has conducted field research in Tunisia and Morocco, and is also interested in research on methodology in linguistics, sociolinguistics and ethnography. He has extensive experience in field research, academic teaching, and multilingual education, and he actively contributes to international conferences, publications, and community engagement initiatives.
 

Current Position
 
- Research Grant Holder | Principal Investigator
Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia, Dipartimento di Studi sull’Asia e sull’Africa Mediterranea (DSAAM)
Dorsoduro 3426, 30123 Venezia VE.
01/04/2024 – 31/03/2026
Research Project 2024/2025: " Sociolinguistic Profile of Arab Students and Language Policy in North-Eastern Italy"
Research Project 2025/2026: “Multilingualism in Islamic Education in Italy”
 
 
Secondary Positions
 
- Co-Investigator Study of Arabic Language Programs (SALP) Research Project
Qatar Foundation International (QFI)
Institute of International Education (IIE)
Country Level Team Italy – Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia
 
 
Work Experience
 
1. Teaching Assistant Senior
Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, DSAAM
Dorsoduro 3426, 30123 Venezia VE
03/02/2025 – 17/09/2025
1)Course: Ancient Civilizations for the Contemporary World (LT7).
2)Course: Lingue, Culture e Società dell’Asia e dell’Africa Mediterranea (LT40). Module: Istituzioni giuridiche dell’Asia orientale (LT0150).
 
2. Adjunct Professor
Università di Pisa, Dipartimento di Filologia, Letteratura e Linguistica (FILELI)
Palazzo Matteucci, Piazza Evangelista Torricelli, 2, 56126 Pisa PI
03/03/2025 – 14/09/2025
Course: Lingue, Letterature e Comunicazione Interculturale. Module: Laboratorio di Metodologia del Lavoro Scientifico – CECIL (2196Z)
 
3. Trainer
Gruppo COGES Don Milani. 172 30173 Mestre (VE), Italy.
14/05/2025; 26/09/2025
Trainer for social service professionals working with individuals from migrant backgrounds – Training course on Arab worlds
 
4. English Teacher (TESOL)
University of Essex, UK, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
03/2023 – 05/2023
Conducted intensive English language courses for native Chinese speakers in collaboration with Northwest University (China).
 
5. Assistant Lecturer (Linguistics)
University of Essex, UK, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
01/2023 – 05/2023
Module: Understanding Data in Linguistics (LG113) – Prepared, delivered lectures in linguistics, provided student support and assessed mid-term and final exams.
 
6. Assistant Lecturer (Sociolinguistics)
University of Essex, UK, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
01/2022 – 05/2023
Module: Foundations of Sociolinguistics (LG114); Prepared, delivered lectures in sociolinguistics, provided student support and assessed mid-term and final exams.
 
7. Italian Language Tutor (Italian)
University of Essex, UK, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
01/2022 – 05/2022
Module: Advanced Italian (LA660). Assisted a non-native Italian student with their bachelor's thesis.
 
8. Italian Language Assistant (Italian)
University of Essex, UK, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
12/2021 – 05/2022
Module: Intermediate Italian (LA640). Assisted with lesson planning and teaching in the Italian Language module.
 
 
Education
 
1. PhD in Sociolinguistics
University of Essex, Department of Language and Linguistics
04/2021 – 06/2024
Thesis Title: Understanding the role of language policy in the construction and maintenance of inequalities in Tunisia and Morocco
 
2. Master's Degree in Languages and Cultures of Asia and the Mediterranean Africa
Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, DSAAM
12/2017 – 07/2020
Thesis Title: Lingua e identità nella Tunisia postcoloniale
 
3. Bachelor’s Degree in Languages, Cultures, and Societies of Asia and the Mediterranean Africa
Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, DSAAM
09/2014 – 07/2017
Thesis Title: Energy development in Morocco
 
 
Training
 
1. Ethics Issues in Research
Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia
18/03/2025
 
2. Workshop: Impact Academy – Academy Public Engagement
University of Essex
08/12/2022
 
3. Seminar: Linguistic Ethnography
University of Essex
10/2022
 
4. Course: Professional Development for Research Students LG595
University of Essex
04/2021 – 12/2022
 
5. Summer School
Università per Stranieri di Siena
07/2022
Focus: Language Policy and Language Planning – Education and Migration Contexts
 
6. Course: Stats training, Data Analysis (LG981)
University of Essex
04/2021 – 06/2021
 
7. Workshop: The Publishing process
University of Essex
26/05/2021
 
8. Workshop: Citations - How to reach academic and public audiences
University of Essex
18/05/2021
 
9. Workshop: Introduction to copyright
University of Essex
12/05/2021
 
10. Workshop: Introduction to reference software (Mendeley, Zotero)
University of Essex
07/05/2021
 
11. English Language Course
Wall Street English di Ferrara
08/2020 – 09/2020
 
12. Advanced Level Arabic Language Course
Université de Tunis El Manar - Instiut Bourguiba des Langues Vivantes
04/2020 – 06/2020
 
13. Intermediate Level Arabic Language Course
Université Mohammed V de Rabat – Faculté des Sciences de l’Éducation
07/2018
 
 
Linguistic Skills
 
Italian: Native Speaker
English: Excellent
Arabic: Good
French: Good
German: Good
Farsi: Basic
Spanish: Basic
Latin: Basic
 
 
Skills and Competencies
 
Interpersonal & Organizational Skills
- Cross-cultural sensitivity and adaptability in diverse educational settings.
- Experienced in academic teaching, field research, and conference organization.
 
Technical Skills
- Proficient in educational software, data analysis tools for sociolinguistic research, and virtual classroom management.
 
Artistic Skills
- Academic writing, creative writing, and contributing to scientific and research publications.
 
 
Membership in Professional Organizations and Research Groups
 
African Languages Research Group (University of Essex)
African Special Interest Research Group (University of Essex)
Arabic Sociolinguistic Research Group (University of Essex)
Association Internationale de Dialectologie Arabe (AIDA)
British Association of Applied Linguistics (BAAL)
Centro di Studi sul Medio Oriente Contemporaneo (CEM) (Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia)
Didattica dell’Arabo in Ricerca (DAR) (Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia)
European Network for Teaching Arabic (ENTA)
Societas Linguistica Europaea (SLE)
Società per gli Studi sul Medio Oriente (SeSaMo) 
The Philological Society
 
 
Additional Information
 
Teaching Qualification
 
27/07/2023: Attainment of AFHEA Fellowship (Associate Fellowship A2 – UK)
 
Awards
 
1. Travel Research Scholarship awarded by Qatar Foundation International for the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning: Policies and Practices 4. Universidad Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain). 16-17/10/2025.
 
2. Travel Scholarship for young researcher for the conference 15th AIDA (International Association of Arabic Dialectology) Conference. University of Malta (Malta).
05/2024
 
3. Conference Award for presentation at “Translation: Above and Beyond Wor(l)ds” (Durham University, Essex University, University of York).
05/03/2022
 
4. Mobility Scholarship for research with the Overseas programme. Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia. Research at Université Moulay Ismail de Meknes.
02/2017 – 05/2017
 
Conference Organizer and Reviewer
 
LangUE Conference, University of Essex, UK
01/2022 – 06/2022
Organized and reviewed submissions for the LangUE Conference (virtual format).
 
Reviewer for the volume Bringing the outside in. Multilingual realities and education.
2023/2024
 
Guest Lectures
 
1. Lecture "Language Policies and Socioeconomic Inequalities in Tunisia and Morocco" for the module Understanding Data in Linguistics (LG113), University of Essex, UK
30/01/2023
 
2. Lecture “Politiche linguistiche in Nord Africa: dai protettorati al giorno d’oggi” for the module Ideologia della lingua nel mondo musulmano (LM2180), Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, Dipartimento di Studi sull’Asia e sull’Africa Mediterranea 05/12/2024
 
Activities for Citizenship
 
1. Activity Esplorando la lingua e la cultura araba nella società italiana di oggi.
VenetoNight, La Notte della Ricerca, Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, Italy
27/09/2024
 
2. Activity Ponti di parole. La lingua araba e i nuovi italiani.
In occasione della Giornata Internazionale della Lingua Araba
Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado “M.M.Boiardo”, Ferrara, Italy. 16/12/2024
Bibilioteca “G.Bassani”, Ferrara, Italy 19/12/2024
 
3. Activity Il mondo arabo e il Marocco.
“IIS Giovanni Valle”, Padova, Italy. 03/04/2025
 
 
List of publications
 
1. Iazzetta, G. (2020). Lingua e identità nella Tunisia postcoloniale. Il ruolo delle politiche linguistiche nella costruzione dell’identità tunisina. Edizioni Accademiche Italiane.
 
2. Iazzetta G. (2023). Understanding the role of language policy in the construction and maintenance of inequalities in Morocco and Tunisia. Abstract in Proceedings of Conference Arabic in Africa: Historical and Sociolinguistic Perspectives, 12-14/2023, University of Bayreuth.
 
3. Iazzetta, G. (2024). Understanding the role of language policy in the construction and maintenance of inequalities in Tunisia and Morocco. PhD thesis. University of Essex.
 
4. Iazzetta, G. (2024). Review of the volume Konerding, P., Wiedemann, F., & Behzadi, L. (Eds.). (2021). Approaches to Arabic Popular Culture (Vol. 14). University of Bamberg Press. Quaderni di Studi Arabi. 313-314.
 
5. Iazzetta, G. (2024). Review of the volume Marco Aurelio Golfetto, Letizia Osti, Brahim Chakrani (eds). (2021). Arabic Language and Language Teaching: Policies, Politics, and Ideology, special issue of Languages Cultures Mediation, vol. 8, no.2, Milano: LED. Quaderni di Studi Arabi. 320-321.
 
6. Iazzetta, G. (accepted). Tunisian linguistic activism in the current era: obstacles and challenges of L1 education. Accepted for publication as a chapter in the volume Bringing the outside in. Multilingual realities and education.
 
7. Iazzetta, G. (under review) Language practices and attitudes among Tunisian university students: navigating local monoglossic ideologies in a global multilingual perspective. Paper submitted as a chapter in the volume Empiring Languages: Critical Perspectives on Nation-Building, History, and Power in Education.
 
8. Iazzetta, G. (under review) Language Policy and the Public-Private School Divide in Morocco. Article under review at Atras Journal.
 
9. Iazzetta, G. Dynamics of Inclusion and Linguistic Identity: Arabic and Italian in a Center for Unaccompanied Foreign Minors. Abstract accepted for publication MediAzioni.
 
10. Iazzetta, G. (under review) From Medieval Islamophobia to Modern Jihadism: A Study of Western Political Narratives. Article and under review at Studime Orientale.
 
11. Iazzetta, G. (under review) Sociolinguistic Profile of Arab Students and Language Policy in North-Eastern Italy. Article and under review at Folia Orientalia.
 
12. Iazzetta, G. Moroccan Arabic in Italy: Sociolinguistic Dynamics and Language Attitudes within the Diaspora. Abstract accepted for publication as chapter in the volume Handbook of Moroccan Arabic Linguistics.
 
13. Iazzetta, G. Arabic, Italian, and Islamic Languages: Plurilingualism, Ideologies and the Construction of Muslim Belonging within Islamic Educational Contexts in Italy. Abstract accepted for publication at Applied Linguistics Review.
 
14. Investigating the ethnolinguistic vitality of Arabic in the Italian work context. Article in preparation. Article in preparation.
 
15. Iazzetta, G. Vitalità etnolinguistica, paesaggio linguistico e politiche linguistiche: immigrazione e multilinguismo a Monfalcone. Article in preparation.
 
 
Conference participation as a presenter
 
1. 7th Annual Postgraduate Forum on Applied Linguistic. York St John University.  23/02/2022
 
2. Translation: Above and Beyond Wor(l)ds. Organized by Durham University, Essex University, University of York (Online). 05/03/2022
 
3. Bringing the outside in: multilingual realities and education. University of Essex.  15/07/2022
 
4. 25th International Conference on Historical Linguistics. University of Oxford.   01/08/2022
 
5. Giornate di studi Maydan. University of Turin. 09/02/2023
 
6. 9th Explorations in Ethnography, Language and Communication Conference. University College London (UCL). 03/04/2023
 
7. Conference Arabic in Africa: Historical and Sociolinguistic Perspectives. University of
Bayreuth. 12-14/04/2023
 
8. CCERBAL 2023 Conference. Bilingualism and Multilingualism: transversal competences, mobility, and well-being.University of Ottawa (Online). 4-6/05/2023
 
9. Bringing the outside in: language and inequality. University of Essex. 21/07/2023
 
10. BAAL Language in Africa SIG Annual Conference 2023 (Online). 05/10/2023
 
11. 15th AIDA (International Association of Arabic Dialectology) Conference. University of Malta. 21/05 – 24/05/2024
 
 
12. XVI Convegno dell’Associazione per la Storia della Lingua Italiana (ASLI). Lingue, frontiere, esplorazioni e migrazioni. Università di Trieste. 12/09 – 14/09/2024
 
13. XVI Convegno Società per gli Studi sul Medio Oriente (SeSaMo). Attraversamenti e contaminazioni. Pratiche, linguaggi e politiche in transito in Medio Oriente e Nord Africa.
Università di Cagliari. 3/10 – 5/10/2024 8
 
14. Conference L’italiano parlato e chi parla italiano. Teoria, pratica e casi studio. Università di Torino. 21-22/11/2024
 
15. Conference What’s research got to do with it? Ultime frontiere della ricerca linguistica, inclusione e impatto sociale.Università di Bologna. 12-13/05/2025
 
16. Oxford Qatar Foundation International (QFI) Research Forum II. University of Oxford. 16-18/07/2025
 
17. Conference Multilingual and Multicultural Learning: Policies and Practices 4 (MMLPP). Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. 16-17/10/2025
 
18. PEP Conference. Bridging Voices in Plurilingual Education: Policies, Research and Practices. Università degli Studi Roma Tre. 23-24/10/2025
 
 
Conference participation as an attendee
 
1. Conference Bringing the outside in: multilingual realities and education. University of Essex.  23/07/2021
 
2. Language policy and practices in the Global North and South: Challenges, opportunities and future directions. LUCL Language Policy Online Research Seminars 2: Inaugural Lecture (Online). 06/10/2021
 
3. LangUE Conference. University of Essex. 08/06/2022
 
4. 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: what is the status of the implementation of language rights?. University of Turin (Online). 29/07/2022
 
5. Quarta Giornata di Studi CEM: La relazione tra l’uomo e il cibo nella civiltà del Grande Medio Oriente. Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia. 08-09/04/2024
 
6. Incontro del ciclo di seminari online Islam, società e mondi Musulmani: nuove prospettive epistemologiche e metodologiche (Online). 10/04/2024
 
7. Conference La Letteratura araba per l’infanzia. Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia.  23/04/2024
 
8. Conference Passato prossimo. Memoria, diritti, cultura in area SWANA. Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia. 14/05/2024
 
9. Webinar Linguistic Discrimination in Higher Education: A student-staff collaborative approach tackling accent bias. Part of Activism In Progress presentation series (Online).  27/11/2024
 
10. Conference Linguistic Injustice and Inequalities in the Public Domain. University of Stirling. 6-7//03/2025