Francesca Lupi

Francesca Lupi is a PhD student in Modern Languages Studies at the University of Bologna.

Her PhD project explores the intersection between sociolinguistics and disability studies, with a focus on the language practices and ideologies of the Japanese Deaf community. Other research interests include CMC sociolinguistics, disability media studies, and Deaf and Sign Language studies.

She graduated with honors in Language, Culture and Society of Asia and Mediterranean Africa from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice in 2021, specializing in Japanese and Vietnamese. She then obtained a MA with honors in Language and Civilization of Asia and Mediterranean Africa from the same university in 2024, with a thesis titled “Japanese Sign Language and Manually Signed Japanese: Usage and Prestige in the Japanese Deaf Community”.

During her master’s degree, she undertook a study exchange at Sophia University in Tokyo, and an internship for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens.

In 2025 she pursued further university studies in Deaf and Sign Language studies by attending courses and a summer school at Ca’ Foscari University.