Sara Fani

My research focuses on the history of the book in Arabic script and the transmission of technical and scientific knowledge in the Islamicate world, with particular attention to recipe literature, the arts of the book, and the circulation of knowledge between East and West. I adopt an interdisciplinary approach that combines linguistic, philological, historical, and material expertise in the study of Arabic sources.

I have worked on historical collections of Arabic-script manuscripts and printed books preserved in European libraries, as well as on manuscript collections from the Horn of Africa. My research also explores the history of Oriental collections and the emergence of Oriental studies in Europe, with particular attention to the Italian context.

I teach Arabic Language and Literature and the codicology of Arabic-script manuscripts.