Visiting Guest PhD Student Andrea Berettera
During the spring semester 2026, Andrea Berettera, PhD researcher from IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca (Italy), is visiting the Department of Historical Studies and the Centre for Critical Heritage Studies (CCHS) at the University of Gothenburg.
Andrea is an Italian archaeologist and critical heritage scholar whose work sits at the intersection of Public Archaeology and Critical Heritage Studies. His research explores how archaeology moves beyond excavation sites and museums to shape public debate, political narratives, and contemporary identities in Europe.
Archaeology, identity, and politics in contemporary Italy
Andrea’s current PhD project investigates how archaeological heritage is mobilised in the public discourse of political actors in 21st-century Italy. His research focuses on the relationship between heritage, identity-building, and ideological uses of the past.
He is working on two compelling case studies: the Bronze Age Sardinian statues known as the Giants of Mont’e Prama and the 5th-century BCE Greek statues known as the Riace Bronzes. Although both were discovered by chance in the 1970s, they have increasingly become central to political and territorial debates since the early 2000s.
In Sardinia, the Mont’e Prama statues are today divided between two museums, separating the original sculptural complex and sparking debates about territory, ownership, and representation. The Riace Bronzes, on the other hand, have repeatedly been requested for temporary relocation to serve economic or political events — proposals that have consistently generated strong institutional resistance.
Through these cases, Andrea examines how archaeological objects are transformed into powerful identitarian symbols and how they become embedded in broader socio-political conflicts.
An interdisciplinary perspective
Andrea adopts an interdisciplinary approach that brings together:
- Critical Discourse Analysis (linguistics)
- Sociology of culture
- Museum and exhibition studies
By analysing parliamentary speeches, media statements, and exhibition narratives, his research sheds light on the mechanisms through which heritage is politicised and strategically framed in contemporary public debate.
Research stay in Gothenburg
During his stay in Gothenburg 2026, Andrea will present his work in two seminars:
- March 20th – School of Global Studies seminar series
- April 15th – Archaeology doctoral research seminar
He will also contribute to undergraduate teaching and engage with scholars at the Centre for Critical Heritage Studies. The visit offers an important opportunity to further develop the theoretical and methodological dimensions of his project while strengthening international academic collaborations.
I hope this research stay will lay the groundwork for future joint projects and long-term scholarly exchange.
More information
Andrea holds a BA and an MA in Archaeology from the University of Padua (Italy). After working for two years as a field archaeologist with MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology), he is currently enrolled in a fully funded PhD programme in Analysis and Management of Cultural Heritage at IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca (Italy).
More information about his research:
https://www.imtlucca.it/andrea.berettera
