Dr. Alessandra Podda has an academic background in literature and translation. She completed her Master’s research at The University of Buckingham, focusing on social and religious outsiders within Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Her thesis, titled ‘The villainy you teach me I will execute’: An exploration of Shakespeare’s Shylock through religious and social prejudice (2019), examined the portrayal of Shylock in the context of religious and social biases.
Alessandra continued her academic journey at The University of Buckingham, where she earned her Ph.D. Her doctoral thesis, ‘In fair Verona where we lay our scene’: The Inspiration and Treatment of Italy in Shakespeare’s Plays (2023), explored the connections between Shakespeare’s works and Italy’s literature, history, culture, and religion. This research provided her with a deep understanding of early modern Italian Catholic influences compared to the newer English Protestant state.
Currently, Alessandra is conducting research at The Margaret Beaufort Institute. Her project, provisionally titled Evolving Meanings: A Comparative Analysis of Latin, Italian, and English Translations of Liturgical Texts Pre-1896 to Present, focuses on documenting the translations of Catholic liturgical texts from the First and Second Vatican Councils. This project delves into linguistic and cultural trends that may have caused shifts in translations, extending to translations prior to 1869. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges literature, linguistics, and theology, contributing significantly to the field of digital humanities.