BALIRANO Giuseppe

Giuseppe Balirano, PhD in English for Special Purposes, is Full Professor of English Language, Translation and Linguistics (ANGL-01/C) in the Department of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies at the University of Naples L’Orientale, where he also serves as the Rector’s Delegate for Lifelong Learning, e-Learning and Multimedia Enhancement. He is President of the Italian Association for the Study of English (AIA), first elected for the 2023–2025 term and re-elected for the 2025–2027 term. He is a founding member and member of the Governing Board of the I-LanD Interuniversity Research Centre. He was the Principal Investigator of the PRIN 2022 project “ECHOES. English studies to Contrast Hate Online and Enhance Solidarity”. He is Director of the BeTwiXt book series and Editor in Chief of Textus (ISSN: 1824-3967). He also serves on the editorial and advisory boards of several international journals and book series, including the I-LanD International Journal, de genere, Journal of Language and Discrimination, NON, Margins/Margini/Marges, SN Social Sciences, ContactZone, puntOorg International Journal, Legal Discourse and Communication, and INDIRE Ricerca. His research interests and publications lie in the fields of multimodal critical discourse studies, humour, masculinity studies, and queer studies.

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
• 2024 – to-date: Rector’s Delegate for Lifelong Learning, E-learning and Multimedia Enhancement
• 2023 – to-date: President of the Italian Association for the Study of English (AIA), first elected for the 2023–2025 term and re-elected for the 2025–2027 term
• 2020 – to-date: Full Professor of English Linguistics and Translation, Dept. of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy)
• 2021 – 2025: President of the University Language Centre (CLAOR), University of Naples L'Orientale (Italy)
• 2020 – 2021: President of the Equal Opportunities, Employees’ Well-Being and Inclusion Committee, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy)
• 2020 – 2021: Department Delegate for the Third Mission and Societal Impact of Universities and Research Institutes, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy)
• 2017 – 2020: Member of the Joint Committee Faculty/Students, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy)
• 2016 – 2020: Member of the Committee for Research on language teaching via MOOCs and e-learning platforms, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy)
• 2015 – 2023: Director of the I-LanD Interuniversity Research Centre
• 2015 – 2019: Associate Professor of English Linguistics and Translation, Dept. of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy)
• 2015 – 2020: CEM (Centre Exams Manager), University Language Centre – CLAOR (University of Naples L’Orientale, Italy)
• 2012 – 2015: Member of the Department Council of the Dept. of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy).
• 2008 – 2012: Member of the Department Council of the Department of Literary, American, Linguistic and Comparative Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy).
• 2008 – 2015: Senior Lecturer, Dept. of American, Linguistic and Cultural Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy)
• 2006 – 2008: Research Fellow (Assistant Professor), Dept. of American, Linguistic and Cultural Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy)

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
• 2000: Qualified teacher status (QTS): English language and literature Secondary school, Ministry of Education (Italy)
• 1994: OIBEC Examiner, University of Oxford (UK), Delegacy of Local Examinations
• 1993: Qualified teacher status (QTS): English language and culture Secondary and Middle School, Ministry of Education (Italy)

EDITORIAL BOARDS AND SERIES DIRECTOR
• Member of the Editorial Committee of INDIRE Ricerca [peer-reviewed international book series]
• Editor in Chief of the Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages in Educational Digital Settings (ALLiED) ISSN: 3035-5788
• Director of the international peer-reviewed book series BeTwiXt – Studies in Linguistics and Communication ISSN 2611-1349
• Editor in Chief of the journal Textus [international peer-reviewed journal] ISSN: 1824-3967
• Editorial Board member of the journal Margins/Margini/Marges [international peer-reviewed journal] ISSN 2974-9549
• Editorial Board member of the Journal of Language and Discrimination [international peer-reviewed journal] ISSN 2397-2637
• Editorial Board member of SN Social Sciences [international peer-reviewed journal] ISSN 2662-9283
• Advisory Board member of the puntOorg International Journal [international peer-reviewed journal] ISSN 2499-1333
• Advisory Board member of NON: A Journal of Alternative Sexualities in Ancient and Modern Literature and the Arts [international peer-reviewed journal]
• Advisory Board member of the I-LanD International Journal [international peer-reviewed journal] ISSN 2532-6368
• Editorial Board member of the de genere – Journal of literary, postcolonial and gender studies [international peer-reviewed journal] ISSN 2465-2415
• Editorial Board member of the Legal Discourse and Communication [peer-reviewed international book series] ISSN: 2056-7855
• Editorial Board member of the ContactZone Journal [international peer-reviewed journal] ISSN 2723-8881

GRANTS AND AFFILIATIONS
• European Society for the Study of English (ESSE), member since 2003:
- member of the Governing Board since 2023;
• AIA (Italian Association for English Studies), member 2003 – to-date:
- AIA President: 2023 – to-date.
- AIA Statutory Auditor: 2011–2013;
- AIA Board of Arbitrators (Probi Viri): 2009–2011;
• Argo: Interuniversity Research Centre for the Study of Argumentation, Pragmatics and Stylistics, member since 2021;
• AISFF (Associazione Italiana per lo Studio della Fantascienza e del Fantastico), founding member and Treasurer since 2018;
• AISC (Italian Association of Canadian Studies), member since 2016;
• I-LanD (Identity, Language, Diversity) Interuniversity Research Centre, founding member and member of the Governing Board since 2015;
• CRILL (Centre for the Study of Language and Law), member since 2013;
• AIM (Associazione Italiana di Mediazione Linguistica), member of the Governing Board since 2010;
• CeSAC (Centro Studi Africa Contemporanea) at University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy), founding member since 2010;
• Centro Studi Canadesi – Società e Territori, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy), member since 2008 and member of the Governing Board since 2015;
• ELTon Award, The British Council, judge from 2011 to 2016;
• TESOL (Professional association for teachers of English as a second or foreign language), member since 2000;
• Grundtvig Grant, Socrates project, 1–29 July 2002, International Course for Researchers, International House, London.

RESEARCH ACTIVITY
• Universidad de Granada (Spain), Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, from 25-02-2026 to 30-06-2026. Visiting Professor;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.y. 2025-2027: “Mediterranean Technocultures (MedTech): Critical and Alternative Technocultural Practices and Imaginaries in the Mediterranean Region”. Dept. of International Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy). Research fellow;
• Université de Lille (France), from 21-03-2025 to 31-03-2025. Invited lecturer for a seminar module on “Cinema and Discourse: Language and Representations”;
• PRIN 2022 Project (D.D. No. 104, 02-02-2022) admitted for funding entitled: “ECHOES. English studies to Contrast Hate Online and Enhance Solidarity”. Research units involved: University of Naples L'Orientale, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, University of Messina. Principal investigator;
• Strategic Italian national programme “Per Chi Crea” for the creation and development of new works of art, 2023–2024. The programme is promoted and funded by MiBACT and the Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori (SIAE). Development of the project Idee Cinematografiche Differenti. Principal investigator;
• Territorial Relevance Research Project “OMOVIES@SCHOOL” submitted under the National Plan Cinema and Images for School – Call 2022 "Cinema and Audiovisual at school - Projects of territorial relevance" – year 2022. Centro Linguistico di Ateneo (CLAOR) of the University of Naples L'Orientale. Principal investigator;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.y. 2021-2023: “L’Età della Rabbia e dei Discorsi d’Odio nella Sfera Pubblica Globalizzata di Lingua Inglese”. Dept. of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy). Research fellow;
• Projects granted (from 4-01-2021 – to-date) under the D.M. 1062 of 10/08/2021 – 2 research contracts (awarded to Dr. Francesco Nacchia and Dr. Marina Niceforo) "Researchers on Fixed-Term Type A) (RTD-A PON)" – Action IV.4 – Doctorates and Research Contracts on Innovation – Action IV.6 – Research Contracts on Green Economy. Scientific Coordinator;
• University funding for Scientific Research academic year 2020-2022: “Linguistic Diversity and Super-Diversity in Changing Media Landscapes: New insights in the study of discourse, language and identity”. Dept. of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy). Principal investigator;
• Strategic Italian national programme “Per Chi Crea” for the creation and development of new works of art, 2019–2020. The programme is promoted and funded by MiBACT and the Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori (SIAE). Development of the project Idee Cinematografiche Differenti. Principal investigator;
• University funding for Scientific Research academic year 2019-2020: “Languaging Diversity in Superdiverse Contexts: Linguistic practices, social identities and media frames”. Dept. of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy). Principal investigator;
• University funding for Scientific Research academic years 2013-2014, 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019: “Languaging Diversity in Media Discourse” (Associate research). Principal investigator;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.y. 2018-2019: “The Discursive Construction of Online Hate in English Based Interactions”. Dept. of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy). Principal investigator;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.y. 2018-2019: “Nuovi media, conflitti ambientali, e controversie legali nel mondo anglofono”. Dept. of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy). Principal investigator;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.y. 2017-2018: “La costruzione discorsiva della diversità”. Dept. of Literary, Linguistic and Comparative Studies, University of Naples L’Orientale (Italy). Principal investigator;
• University College Dublin (IRL), School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, from 1-11-2016 to 30-04-2017. Visiting Professor;
• European Operational Programme, 2016–2019: “EU MADE4LL: European Multimodal and Digital Education for Language Learning”. Key Action 2, Call 1 (Principal investigator: M.G. Sindoni). Research fellow;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.y. 2015-2016: “L’inglese del Turismo” (Associate research). Research fellow;
• International research group “Intersexualities”, within the Strategic Program Literature and Frontiers of Knowledge: Politics of Inclusion, 2015 – to-date. The Institute of Comparative Literature Margarida Losa (ILCML), Faculty of Letters of the University of Porto (PT). Research fellow;
• University of Exeter (UK), invited by the Dept. of Foreign Languages and Translation, from 20-01-2015 to 28-02-2015. Visiting Associate;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.ys 2014-2015, 2015-2016: “Warning and Information System for Humanitarian Emergency Strategies (WISHES)”, Dept. of Political Sciences, University of Naples Federico II (Italy). Research fellow;
• Translating Project inTranslation, 2013 – to-date. Scientific coordinator;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.y. 2012-2013: “La retorica del Líder” (Associate research). Research fellow;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.y. 2011-2012: “Linguaggi d’Africa contemporanea: il potere delle immagini come forma di rappresentazione identitaria” (Associate research). Principal investigator;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.y. 2010-2011: “Questioni identitarie nelle due Americhe: comunicazione e rappresentazioni nel discorso istituzionale” (Associate research). Research fellow;
• Italian National Operational Programme 2009–2011: “The use of space in the discursive construction of cultural and professional identity”, coordinated by Prof. Marina Bondi, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy). Research fellow;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.ys 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009: “L’inglese nella rete, o nella rete dell’inglese? Indagine sugli stili interattivi, discorsivi e di apprendimento nell'e-learning dell'inglese” (Associate Research). Research fellow;
• Italian National Operational Programme 2006-2007: “Identità e cultura nei linguaggi settoriali inglesi” on “Processi interculturali e valenze identitarie nell'Unione Europea”, MIUR 2006/2007, coordinated by Prof. Gabriella Di Martino, University of Naples Federico II (Italy). Research fellow;
• Italian National Operational Programme 2000–2006: “Ricerca Scientifica, Sviluppo Tecnologico ed Alta Formazione” – Misura III.4 “Formazione Superiore e Università” (PhD in English for Special Purposes cofunded by the European Social Fund). Research fellow;
• Italian National Operational Programme 2002–2004: “Interculturality and discourse in ESP” on "The languages of European Commission” MIUR 2002/2004, coordinated by Prof. Gabriella Di Martino, University of Naples Federico II (Italy). Research fellow;
• University funding for Scientific Research a.y. 2002-2003: “Nuovi modelli statistici per le analisi delle preferenze”, University of Naples Federico II (Italy). Research project co-funded by Regione Campania, coordinated by Prof. Angela D’Elia. Research fellow.

SUMMARY OF THE SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY
The research experience gained over the years has consolidated my interest in the study of online discourses in English as the privileged tools for analyzing the several discursive constructions on various social networking sites within a multimodal perspective. This line of research has been pursued with reference to the study of media discourse as a tool for redefining gender identities or as a form of re-appropriation enacted by the so-called minority or targeted groups. These interests have focused on the multimodal analysis of different forms on online hate speech in the wide English-speaking contexts. Various identity representations have been explored by examining both descriptive and evaluative elements suitable for the recognition of socially 'weak' groups and of the values they belong to.
The contributions originated from this activity have merged into some scientific articles and in four edited volumes, and two monographs, but also in papers read at international conferences. Another research interest has worked to deepen the investigation concerning the discursive strategies implemented by the media in the construction of organized crime syndicates, also in its multimodal dimension and through the analysis of audiovisual translation (AVT). The research has deepened the discussion on organized crime, a phenomenon that in Ireland is mainly the result of media construction. In particular, the analysis was carried out by means of:
1. tools for the linguistic analysis of large corpora, using Sketch Engine and WordSmith Tools;
2. innovative multimodal critical tools for the study of the representation of social actors through the examination of the semiotic grammar used in the construction of crime – e.g. nVivo and Atlas.ti.
The study has required the collection of dedicated multimodal corpora, whose examination has led to the identification of new elements in the semantic field. The results of these studies have been presented at various national and international conferences and published in journals of the disciplinary sector and in volumes and collective works, both nationally and internationally.