Homepage — History and Cultures - DiSCi

Students are sitting and talking in front of the well in the cloister of the Santa Cristina Complex, the main campus of DiSCi

Living in a Changing World

We study societies, cultures and places across time and space to understand the present and its transformations.

We are building the future through knowledge

  • Wars and crises
  • Empires and colonialism
  • Migration and diasporas
  • Power and institutions
  • Work and inequality
  • Gender and society
  • Religions and rituals
  • Cities and territories
  • Environment and landscapes
  • Excavations and material cultures
  • Archives and Libraries
  • Memory and heritage
  • The Mediterranean
  • Asia and Africa
  • Everyday life
  • Visutal art and images

Events

Conference
Clasped hands

19 – 23 October 2026

Sìcura - Settimana della sicurezza

A series of events dedicated to emergency management, safety, psychosocial risks, and the prevention of discrimination, violence, and harassment

Event Within the Framework of:
Sìcura - Settimana della sicurezza

Conference
Archaeological landscape at sunset

23 October 2026

The transformation of the village between Copper Age and Final Bronze Age

Archaeologists discuss the case study of Sardinia and mainland and peninsular Italy

Lab

27 October 2026

First-year students in the library

Two hours at the Library of History, Cultures and Civilizations to discover the resources your University offers its students for free

Meeting
A lecturer is talking with some female students from his course

27 October 2026

PhD and Management: building a bridge

Managers and PhD holders compare skills and opportunities: talks and workshop tables to explore the value of a PhD in business

News

Are you interested in global sustainability? Join the UnaVEx – Virtual Exchange for Sustainability

Between November and December 2026, join the online international exchange programme to discuss and act on today’s global sustainability challenges. Apply until 1 November.

Have you heard of the Field Work call for applications?

Would you like to gain experience in development cooperation in countries of the Global South? Get ready to apply – you can now propose a position of your own choosing.

TPER and Start Romagna bus subsidies

Unibo students can purchase annual public transport passes for Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini at subsidised prices.

Course: “BEYOND RESEARCH - Tools and strategies for transforming research into innovation”

Learn the tools and skills to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Join this introductory entrepreneurship course, organised in collaboration with Almacube. Register by 20 September.

About us

Understanding the present in the light of the past lies at the heart of DiSCi’s work. We study societies, cultures and territories. Through research, teaching and collaboration with cultural and social institutions, we seek to advance and share knowledge, foster critical thinking and protect cultural heritage.

Find out more

4.132

Students

122

Lecturers, professors and researchers

41

Competitive research projects

53

Public engagement events in 2023
The picture shows Archaeologists conducting an excavation at the Kainua archaeological site in Marzabotto, in the province of Bologna

Archaeological Missions

Through excavation and field research, we promote knowledge, protection and enhancement of cultural heritage, working closely with the local area and communities.

Fieldwork

Excavations currently being carried out by researchers from the department in Italy, the Mediterranean, the Near East and Central Asia.

Lands of Memory

How do these lands preserve the past and pass it on? The project for which DiSCi was recognised as a Department of Excellence for 2023–2027.

Telling the Story of Archaeology

Experience the thrill of discovery first-hand: guided tours, laboratories and cultural events to bring archaeology to the public.

Study and research centres: the venues that host our scientific activity

Research is also carried out in venues where researchers from different fields can share their competencies. Find out more

Go to the page
An illustration of the department’s Research Areas

Job opportunities, calls and contracting

Opportunities for professional development, training and collaboration offered by the Department. (in Italian)

Find out how