Italian Studies

Andrea is a Ph.D. student-worker in Italian Studies and Anthropology at Brown University. He holds a B.A. in Foreign
Languages and Literature from the University of Verona (2017) and M.A. degrees in Russian Studies (2019) and
Didactics of Italian (2021) from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. His research examines identity-making both within
Trentino, Italy, and among the Trentino diaspora in the United States and Brazil, exploring how regional identity—
locally and abroad—is shaped by notions of race and whiteness, including the influence of white supremacist
frameworks on cultural practices. Situating his work within the broader field of migration studies, Andrea aims to
expand the scope of Diaspora and Italian-American studies to include a wider range of migratory experiences and
transnational perspectives.

Deeply committed to pedagogy and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Andrea has extensive teaching
experience, including a MIUR language assistantship in Germany (2020–2021) and a lectureship in Italian at
Dartmouth College (2022–2023), where he also served as Faculty Advisor for the Italian Living Learning Community,
coordinating resident advisors and mentoring students. His work emphasizes equity-centered, inclusive, and
experiential approaches to language and culture education, integrating research insights into classroom practice.
Whether you are an undergraduate student seeking guidance and feedback or a fellow graduate student wanting to
share insights and ideas, feel free to reach out to him at andrea_zoller@brown.edu.
Outside of academia, Andrea enjoys hiking and climbing in the mountains of Trentino, cooking, exercising at the gym,
singing, and playing the guitar, with a particular interest in folk and country music across European and American
traditions.