PhD in “Reggio Childhood Studies”: four new PhD graduates

Four new PhD candidates today completed their studies at the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre with the defence of their theses for the PhD in Reggio Childhood Studies – From early childhood to lifelong learning, an international and interdisciplinary programme resulting from a collaboration between the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia – Department of Education and Human Sciences – and Fondazione Reggio Children – Centro Loris Malaguzzi ETS, as an industry partner, with the support of local institutions and organisations. They are Francesca D’Alessandris, Annalisa Liuzzi, Piera Maresca and Matilde Teggi.      

The committee was composed of the chair, Professor Carla Bagnoli of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Marta Pellegrini, professor at the University of Cagliari; Filippo Gomez Paloma, professor at the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio; and expert member Cristian Fabbi, Director of the Reggio Children Foundation.

The PhD programme has its roots in the educational philosophy and experience that originated in Reggio Emilia and in the history of this ethical city, which recognises childhood not merely as a stage of life, but as a permanent condition of being human. The interdisciplinary nature and residential format of the programme are its distinctive features: PhD students become familiar with the cultural and social realities of the city, sharing spaces and activities at the Unimore campuses, the Reggio Children Foundation and the research centre at the former Caffarri site. The PhD programme aims to foster a learning community enriched by experiences and relationships.                  

To date, 29 PhD graduates in Reggio Childhood StudiesFinora 29 dottori e dottoresse in Reggio Childhood Studies
To date, there are 29 PhD graduates in Reggio Childhood Studies. The researchers come from Saudi Arabia, Brazil, China, France, Japan, Iran, Kenya, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, the United States and South Africa. Many Italian and international universities and institutions are involved in the teaching staff and supervision: from the Universities of Bologna, Cagliari, Verona and the Politecnico di Milano, to Ghent University (Belgium), Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Colorado Denver (USA), Teesside University (United Kingdom), the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands), the University of Applied Sciences (Germany), the University of Pardubice (Czech Republic), Queen’s University and Western University (Canada). Institutional and industrial partners over the years have included the Circi Association, Comer Industries, Farmacie Comunali Riunite, the Manodori Foundation, the LEGO Foundation and Unindustria.

The research discussed today

Francesca D’Alessandris discussed the topic “Atmospheres, emotions, communities: philosophical foundations for contemporary aesthetic education”, with Professor Annamaria Contini of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia as her main supervisor and Professor Massimiliano Tarozzi of the University of Bologna as her co-supervisor. This thesis develops a philosophical framework for contemporary aesthetic education, examining three fundamental components of educational contexts and learning processes: atmospheres, emotions and community building, with particular reference to the Reggio Emilia approach, investigating how aesthetic experiences and practices function as modes of meaning-making and as formative processes that foster autonomy, community life and lifelong learning.

Annalisa Liuzzi has written a thesis on “Contemporary experimental music as an educational resource from early childhood onwards”, supervised by Professor Ingrid Pustijanac of the University of Pavia, with Carla Cuomo of the University of Bologna as co-supervisor. This transdisciplinary thesis, which presents case studies, combines pedagogical and musicological research to highlight the educational potential that contemporary experimental music can offer in educational contexts from early childhood onwards. It sets out a set of theoretical and practical guidelines for the design of sound and musical experiences, opening up possibilities both for curriculum development from early childhood onwards and for further applications in musicological and artistic-musical research.                   

Piera Maresca explored educational poverty in her thesis entitled “Not one less: when shared responsibility between school and family becomes a tool in the fight against educational poverty. Insights into primary school, inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach”, supervised by Professor Paola Dusi of the University of Verona. The work stems from her personal experience as a teacher and parent, driven by questions regarding educational poverty and the challenges surrounding family participation in school life. The central hypothesis is that genuine school-family partnership, inspired by the principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach, can become an effective tool for combating inequalities.                   

Matilde Teggi with “Telling the story of art through touch: picture books and tactile picture books as mediators for museum education”, with Professor Ilaria Filograsso of the “Gabriele d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara as supervisor, and James M. Bradburne of the Brera Academy as co-supervisor. The action research explores the role of art as a resource for learning to look and of the museum as a constructivist educational space. An experiment, Parole&Immagini, was conducted using action research methodology, co-designed with the Civic Museums of Reggio Emilia, the Garibaldi Institute for the Blind and the Matilde di Canossa High School (RE), as part of the “Scuola In Museo” initiative, with the aim of designing tactile picture books inspired by works of art from the museum’s collection.

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