About us

Presentation of the Cesare Bonacossa Center for Studies of Non-European Peoples

Pavia University’s Center for Studies of Non-European Peoples, which Vittorio Beonio Crocchieri founded in 1959, in 1990 was named after Cesare Bonacossa, a distinguished scholar of Asian studies, whose scholarly formation and academic career unfolded at the University of Pavia. Since its founding in 1959, the Center has been directed by Vittorio Beonio Brocchieri (1959-1973), Giorgio Borsa (1973-1987), Paolo Beonio Brocchieri (1987-1991), Marco Mozzati (1991-2006), Gabriele Crespi Reghizzi (2006), Renata Lenti (2006-2008), and Silvio Beretta (2008-2012). In 2012 the direction passed to Pierluigi Valsecchi. The Center promotes scholarly research on the history, politics, sociology, economics, legal frameworks and anthropology of Africa and Asia. To achieve its prescribed ends, the Center has set up and developed a specialized library and a news media library. It curates academic publications, and organizes conferences, round tables, lectures and other scholarly activities. It awards academic degrees and scholarships and/or research grants to scholars in disciplines and/or sectors related to the Center’s activity, and holds courses in Asian and African languages.

Awards and scholarships

The Center’s awarding of grants and scholarships has contributed, since its establishment, to training young scholars on academic and cultural issues related to Africa and Asia. The Center confers an annual award in memory of Cesare Bonacossa for theses composed in PhD Schools or Master’s Degree Courses of Italian Universities on problem-related topics of modern and contemporary Asian societies.

Bonacossa Lecture

Since 1992 the Center has organized the annual “Bonacossa Lecture”. The cycle, inaugurated in 1992 by Umberto Eco, features illustrious exponents of Italian and international culture.