Roberta Bartoletti is Full Professor of Sociology of Cultural and Communication Processes (Scientific Disciplinary Sector SPS/08 – Academic Recruitment Field 14/C2) at the Department of Sociology and Business Law, University of Bologna, Alma Mater Studiorum.
Her research mainly focuses on consumption practices; imaginaries and practices of urban natures; media narratives; memory practices; the relationship between death and media; and the transformation of participatory civic practices.
She is currently conducting research on the cultures and practices of wild urban nature and on narratives of mourning in Italian and international fiction.
Education
She graduated in Political Science (Political-Economic track) from the University of Bologna in July 1989. She obtained her PhD in Sociology and Social Policy (6th Cycle) from the Faculty of Political Science, University of Bologna, in 1995.
Academic Career
From 1999 to 2003 she was Assistant Professor (Ricercatore) in SPS/08 at the Faculty of Sociology, University of Urbino Carlo Bo. From 2003 to 2015 she served as Associate Professor at the Department of Communication Sciences at the same university.
Since 2015 she has been Full Professor of Sociology of Cultural and Communication Processes, first at the Department of Communication Sciences, Humanities and International Studies at the University of Urbino “Carlo Bo” and, since 2 November 2023, at the University of Bologna.
Teaching Activity
She currently teaches Consumption, Sustainability and Social Innovation, and Platforms and Everyday Practices: Identities, Relationships and Resistances (formerly Sociology of the Web), and Ethnographic Research Laboratory on Everyday Practices in the Master’s Degree Programme in Sociology and Social Service – Curriculum in Sociology and Social Research at the University of Bologna.
Since 1999 she has continuously taught courses as course leader in Sociology of Consumption, Sociology of Communication, Forms of Cultural Memory, Sociology of Culture, and Cultural Studies at the Faculty of Sociology and subsequently at the Department of Communication Sciences, University of Urbino.
Research
She has participated in numerous national and international research programmes, including:
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Action-Research for Youth in Europe, 2023–2025, Erasmus+ KA220-HED programme, member of the University of Bologna research team (PI: Pierluigi Musarò).
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Death, Dying and Disposal in Italy. Attitudes, Behaviours, Beliefs, Rituals, PRIN 2015, Principal Investigator of the University of Urbino Carlo Bo research unit; National Scientific Coordinator: Asher Daniel Colombo, University of Bologna (2017–2020).
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Head of the University of Urbino research group in the project La construcción de los asuntos públicos en la esfera pública mediatizada. Análisis semioetnográfico de la información, coordinated by the research group “Semiotica, Comunicación y Cultura” at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid; biennial project funded under the Spanish I+D+I programme by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (2014–2016).
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Social Relations and Identity Online: Italians’ Experiences and Narratives on Social Networking Sites between Public and Private Space, PRIN 2009, member of the University of Urbino research unit; Scientific Coordinator: Giovanni Boccia Artieri (2011–2013).
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Consuming Welfare Services, PRIN 2008, collaboration within the University of Bologna local unit; Local Scientific Coordinators: Corrado Benassi and Patrizia Battilani; National Coordinator: Emanuela Scarpellini, University of Milan (2012).
She was Visiting Researcher at the Laboratoire Architecture/Anthropologie of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR CNRS 7218 LAVUE), Paris, collaborating on the research project “Natures urbaines en pratiques digitales” (2016–2019) during March–April and December 2018.
She serves as referee for Italian and international journals in sociology, cultural studies, and media studies.
Institutional Roles and Academic Appointments
Research Delegate for the Department of Sociology and Business Law, University of Bologna (since May 2024).
Member of the National Scientific Qualification (ASN) Committee 2021–2023, Academic Recruitment Field 14/C2 – Sociology of Cultural and Communication Processes (September 2021–December 2023).
Member of the University Evaluation Board (Nucleo di Valutazione) of the University of Urbino Carlo Bo (February 2019 – 31 October 2023).
Member of the Group of Evaluation Experts (GEV), Area 14, Research Quality Assessment (VQR) 2014–2019 (2021–2022).
President of the School of Communication Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo (2018–2021).
Member of the University Research Committee, University of Urbino Carlo Bo (2017–2018).
Deputy Director of the Department of Communication Sciences, Humanities and International Studies, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo,” and Department Quality Delegate (2015–2018).
Member of the Board of the PhD Programme in Sociology and Social Research, University of Bologna (2025–2026).
From 2014–2015 to 2024–2025 she was member of the Board of the PhD Programme in Humanities at the University of Urbino Carlo Bo. Previously, she served on the Board of the PhD Programme in Humanities Cultures (29th Cycle, 2013–2014) and, from 2003 to 2012–2013, on the Board of the PhD Programme in Sociology of Communication and Performing Arts at the University of Urbino “Carlo Bo.”
