Publications
Identitarian Movements in the Touristic City: The Marketing of Hate in Verona
Verona, renowned for its tourist appeal as the city of Romeo and Juliet, also serves as a strategic node for far-right and populist right movements. This study reveals how these groups exploit the city's historical center to construct an exclusionary territorial identity rooted in white supremacy, northern pride, and Catholic fundamentalism. Through practices of bordering and territorialization, they market Verona as a 'model' city for a transnational identitarian network, leveraging its preserved heritage and assumed authenticity to promote anti-modernist nostalgia. The research, based on ethnographic fieldwork, archival analysis, and in-depth interviews, uncovers the mechanisms by which certain historical centers are showcased to build such networks through everyday boundary-drawing practices.
The Walled City of Verona. Integrated Survey Systems for the Enhancement and Promotion of Verona's City Walls
Integrated survey systems, including TLS (Terrestrial Laser Scanning), MLS (Mobile Laser Scanning), and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), have been validated for their potential to enhance the documentation, conservation, and promotion of Verona's city walls. The study, conducted as part of the 'Verona Città Murata' project, demonstrates that these technologies can provide high-accuracy planimetric and elevation data, which are crucial for timely restoration and management studies. The research also emphasizes the importance of multi-disciplinary approaches and flexible tools in managing complex cultural heritage sites like Verona's fortified system and Veronese Park. This methodology not only aids in diagnostic and conservative analysis but also serves as a valuable tool for narrating and disseminating the military technology fabric of Verona, contributing to its valorization.
‘Feminizing’ Saint Augustine’s City of God: Sister Veronica, the library and scriptorium at Santo Spirito, Verona
A rare Italian codex of Saint Augustine's 'City of God,' copied by nun scribe Veronica in 1472 at the Benedictine convent Santo Spirito in Verona, reveals how women religious interpreted and engaged with this influential text. Unlike known iconographic models, Veronica’s manuscript features unique pen-and-ink miniatures that convey emotional tension, philosophical depth, and allegorical mediation, offering a distinct visual and intellectual lens on Augustine's work. The study also highlights the convent’s vibrant scribal culture, supported by a c. 1475 library inventory and other extant manuscripts, showcasing both elementary and advanced devotional literature accessible to its community. This is the first analysis of a vernacular 'City of God' produced by a nun, shedding light on women's active role in medieval humanist practices and their unique contributions to religious scholarship.
Accommodation prices on Airbnb: effects of host experience and market demand
Hosts on Airbnb dynamically adjust accommodation prices based on their experience and market demand, according to a study analyzing 1,056 listings in Verona, Italy. The research, using regression analysis, found that price flexibility increases with host experience and responds to booking date demand. This challenges traditional pricing models and offers insights for hotels facing Airbnb's disruptive growth. The findings support innovator’s dilemma theory, suggesting strategies for conventional hospitality businesses to adapt.
Holistic model-based monitoring of the human health status in an urban environment system: pilot study in Verona city, Italy
A pilot study in Verona, Italy, reveals significant correlations between urban environmental factors and human health outcomes. Researchers found that hospitalization rates for cancerous diseases were four times lower in the municipal population compared to a regional reference group, with similar trends observed for cardiocirculatory and respiratory pathologies linked to air pollution and landscape ecological quality. The study employed a holistic model integrating landscape ecology, environmental quality indexes, and health indicators, utilizing GIS technology to analyze spatial data. Fisher exact test confirmed non-independence between cardiocirculatory diseases, air pollution, and landscape ecological quality, suggesting that urban environment systems can effectively represent the complexity of human health dynamics.
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