Francesca Econimo is a scholar of philological, linguistic, and historical Classics, whose focus is on Roman literature, in particular Flavian epic poetry. She has published numerous articles in both Italian and English. She has held postdoctoral fellowships at the Scuola Normale Superiore (Pisa) and Trinity College Dublin. Her fellowship research project is titled ‘Other’ Worlds? Islands as Female Domains in Flavian Epic. Francesca is a 2024-26 A&S Postdoctoral Fellow in Environmental Humanities.
What are your main research interests and what excites you most about them?
My current postdoctoral project explores the literary representation of islands in Flavian epic poetry, a group of Latin poems written during the Flavian age (69–96 CE), as liminal spaces that foster gender and political experimentation. More specifically, I focus on how islands often function as sites that challenge traditional gender hierarchies and established power structures. The tensions that these insular spaces are associated with, despite appearing as peripheral, secluded, and self-contained, may paradoxically reflect political and cultural anxieties in contemporary Rome, understood as the imperial center. An aspect that excites me about this project is the opportunity to organize a workshop to discuss the representation of islands more broadly across Latin poetry.
What project are you working on at the JHI and why did you choose it?
For this year’s theme, Dystopia and Trust, I focused on a specific episode of Statius’ Thebaid, namely Hypsipyle’s account of the Lemnos myth, a problematic story of intrafamilial strife and political upheaval. I approached it as a dystopian scenario of discord in which narrative trust is also questioned. The fact that the dark story of the island – particularly the massacre of the male kin and its political aftermath – is narrated by Hypsipyle, the daughter of the former king and the new leader of the community, from her subjective perspective, raises the issue of her reliability as a narrator, or at least of her personal viewpoint. Combining these perspectives, I explored how dystopian events and unspeakable facts that become individual memories affect the narratorial voice and, consequently, the bond of trustworthiness between narrator and reader.
How has your JHI Fellowship experience been so far?
This is my second year at the JHI, and I can say that my experience has grown richer in multiple ways thanks to the invaluable perks of being a fellow here. Beyond the practical advantages – such as enjoying the warm, almost domestic atmosphere of the 10th floor – what I value most are the human connections I have found. The staff and my fellow scholars are incredibly supportive, and I deeply appreciate both the generosity of our exchanges and the interdisciplinary discussions that accompany our weekly seminars.
Why do you believe the humanities are important?
I believe that the Humanities provide us with the tools to refine our understanding – and, consequently, our interpretation – of human realities across time and space. I work on texts from a literary perspective. The questions they pose, the issues they raise, and the multiple ways in which they can be approached make them an endless source of critical thinking. These complex and multilayered systems of interactions, which encourage us to constantly question and reconsider our ideas and positions, can extend beyond specific disciplines within the Humanities and help us engage with the challenges of the contemporary world, in our role as both agents and interpreters of the events around us.
Can you share something you read/watched/listened to recently that you enjoyed/were inspired by?
While reading an academic article by an English scholar on the concept of description in classical literature, I came across a passage from a short story by the Italian writer Leonardo Sciascia titled 1912+1. Intrigued both by the unusual title and by the excerpt – which described a photograph supposedly taken in the year of the title, 1913 – I ended up reading this short story without knowing exactly what it was about. What I found particularly interesting was its connection with the JHI’s annual theme. Starting from a real judicial case, the narrative blends fiction and history, bringing together different voices and opinions and prompting reflection on the problem of identifying truth(s).
What is a fun fact about you?
I have always loved experimenting with calligraphy. I believe that the visual form of writing conveys meaning in itself, and I would love to learn more about this art and perhaps take a course someday.