Make it explicit: Documenting interpretations of literary fictions with conceptual formal models – MITE

MITE is a two-years research project funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through the PRIN 2022 PNRR call.

Our goal is to establish the foundational principles for documenting and analyzing observational data in the human sciences. This includes hypothetical and partial data produced through various research methodologies and conceptual systems. Specifically, we focus on the interpretation of female characters in some episodes of Medieval Italian Literature across different epochs and cultures.

To achieve this, we propose a formal framework based on ontological modeling to provide a conceptual setting for representing and analyzing literary interpretational data resulting from literary scholarship and criticism. This framework will also introduce a novel approach to characterizing literary characters, intersecting philosophy, literary studies, and criticism.

Through a comprehensive study on the modeling of observational data, MITE aims to support the creation of a novel generation of computational artefacts to enable the documentation, analysis, and sharing of diverse critical perspectives, reflecting the pluralism of debates in research.

To learn more about the project’s initiatives, stay updated with MITE’s progress and explore additional information available on the website!

  • Upcoming publications

    Fresh and recent publications/presentations about the project: – Michele Paolini Paoletti: The Identity of Fictional Entities and the Place of Authors. Talk at the European Society for Aesthetics (ESA 2024), 6-8 June, 2024, Naples, Italy. – Emilio M. Sanfilippo, Claudio Masolo and Roberta Ferrario: Literary Characters and Interpretation Practices. Talk at the European Society for…

  • Special Issue of «Humanities»

    The Interpretation of Fictional Characters in Literary Texts: History of Literary Criticism, Philosophy and Formal Ontologies A Special Issue of the open-access journal «Humanities», guest edited by M. Paolini Paoletti, E.M. Sanfilippo, G. Tomazzoli This Special Issue of Humanities (link) aims to foster reflection on fictional characters in literary texts and the interpretive practices associated…

  • MITE Research Seminars

    Upcoming research seminars in the context of the MITE project will feature prominent scholars in the fields of literary studies, philosophy, and computer science. Visit this page for more information on the calendar!    

  • Hot from the press!

    MITE’s first publication is out! In 2023 we took part in the 13th FOIS (Formal Ontology in Information Systems) international conference, and the proceedings are now online and available in open access! Emilio M. Sanfilippo, Antonio Sotgiu, Gaia Tomazzoli, Claudio Masolo, Daniele Porello, Roberta Ferrario, Ontological Modeling of Scholarly Statements: A Case Study in Literary…

  • Project kick-off meeting

    MITE has just begun! Check out the following introductory slides to learn more about the project and navigate through the website: Emilio Sanfilippo’s presentation of MITE and WP’3 work (slides) Gaia Tomazzoli’s presentation of WP1’s work (slides) Michele Paolini Paoletti’s presentation of WP2’s work (slides) Feel free to get in touch to learn more or…