Staff Profile

Maria holds a PhD in Language Education (University of Glasgow), and her doctoral research looked at intercultural language education in the context of siege of the Gaza Strip (Palestine). She also hold a MA (Hons) in Applied Linguistics and Intercultural Communication (University for Foreigners of Siena, Italy), and a BA (Hons) in Linguistic and Intercultural Mediation (University for Foreigners of Siena). She is a qualified language teacher and teacher trainer, and has taught Italian and English as foreign languages to adults in Italy, Australia, Lebanon, Morocco, UK. 

She is interested in intercultural language education in situations of emergency and protracted crisis, and in language education for wellbeing and resilience. Her focus is on adult education. Her doctoral study applied the capabilities approach to English language teaching and developed intercultural pedagogies grounded in creative methods.

She is also interested in conflict transformation and peacebuilding through languages and the arts. Following the award of her PhD, she worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in several research projects mainly in ODA contexts.

Methodologically, she is interested in participatory methodologies, in art-based methods, in decolonizing methodologies and indigenous knowledges, with a strong interest in ethics in research in fragile settings. 

 

Selected Publications: 

Imperiale, M. G., Phipps, A. and Fassetta, G. (2021) On online practices of hospitality in higher education. Studies in Philosophy and Education, (doi: 10.1007/s11217-021-09770-z) (Early Online Publication)

Imperiale, M. G. (2021) Intercultural education in times of restricted travel: lessons from the Gaza Strip. Intercultural Communication Education, 4(1), pp. 22-38.(doi: 10.29140/ice.v4.n1.446)

Imperiale, M. G. (2021) Building relationships and praxis despite persistent obstacles. In: Kara, H. and Khoo, S.-m. (eds.) Qualitative and Digital Research in Times of Crisis: Methods, Reflexivity and Ethics. Policy Press. ISBN 9781447363798 (In Press)

Imperiale, M. G. (2020) (In)articulability of pain and trauma: idioms of distress in the Gaza Strip. In: Fassetta, G., Al-Masri, N. and Phipps, A. (eds.) Multilingual Online Academic Collaborations as Resistance: Crossing Impassable Borders.Series: Researching multilingually (4). Multilingual Matters: Bristol. ISBN 9781788929592

Fassetta, G. , Imperiale, M. G., Aldegheri, E. and Al-Masri, N. (2020) The role of stories in the design of an online language course: ethical considerations on a cross-border collaboration between the UK and the Gaza Strip. Language and Intercultural Communication, 20(2), pp. 181-192. (doi: 10.1080/14708477.2020.1722145)

Imperiale, M. G. (2017) A capability approach to language education in the Gaza Strip: “To plant hope in a land of despair”. Critical Multilingualism Studies, 5(1), pp. 37-58.

Fassetta, G. , Imperiale, M. G., Frimberger, K., Attia, M. and Al-Masri, N. (2017)Online teacher training in a context of forced immobility: the case of Gaza, Palestine. European Education, 49(2-3), pp. 133-150. (doi: 10.1080/10564934.2017.1315538)

Fassetta, G. , Phipps, A. and Imperiale, M. G. (2016) Review essay. Hospitality and Society, 6(2), pp. 183-192. (doi: 10.1386/hosp.6.2.183_7)

White, R. G. , Imperiale, M. G. and Perera, E. (2016) The capabilities approach: fostering contexts for enhancing mental health and wellbeing across the globe.Globalization and Health, 12, 16. (doi: 10.1186/s12992-016-0150-3)