Prof. Dr. Daniela Tarantino | Law and Religion | Best Researcher Award

Associate Professor at University of Genoa, Italy

Daniela Tarantino is a distinguished academic specializing in Canon Law and Comparative Religious Law. She currently holds the position of Associate Professor at the University of Genoa, where she also serves as the Director of the Observatory on Religious and Migration Phenomena. Her research spans religious legal systems, migration studies, and interdisciplinary approaches to law and religion. Over the years, she has contributed significantly to the study of ecclesiastical law and its evolution in contemporary society.

Profile

ORCID

Education

Daniela Tarantino pursued her undergraduate studies in Law, earning her degree in 2000 from the University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro. She further advanced her academic credentials with a Ph.D. in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome in 2007. Her rigorous legal training has enabled her to explore the intersection of law and religion, shaping her scholarly contributions to ecclesiastical and comparative religious law.

Experience

With years of academic and research expertise, Tarantino has been actively involved in several prestigious institutions and projects. She has led research initiatives like “Religion and Emergency Rules” in PRIN 2022 and has served as the scientific director for the Genoa unit of the ProCEDI project. Her role as a member of numerous international academic committees, such as the European Academy of Religion (EUARE) and the International Society of Medieval Canon Law (ICMAC), highlights her leadership in advancing scholarly discourse. She has also contributed to doctoral education, serving on teaching boards and directing courses related to fundamental rights and governance.

Research Interest

Tarantino’s research interests revolve around Canon Law, religious legal frameworks, migration law, and the broader relationship between law and religion. She has extensively analyzed the implications of regulatory changes on religious practice and governance. Her interdisciplinary approach incorporates perspectives from anthropology, sociology, history, and geography, enriching the scholarly discussion on how legal systems interact with religious denominations and migration trends.

Awards

Her outstanding contributions to research have earned her multiple prestigious accolades. In April 2025, she was honored with the 23rd Edition of the International Research Excellence Awards-Book of Award in the Social Sciences category, recognizing her exceptional work in law and religion. Following this, in May 2025, she received the Certificate of Excellence in the Social Sciences at the 2nd Global Research Awards, further cementing her reputation as a leading scholar in her field.

Publications

Tarantino has authored numerous influential academic papers, focusing on Canon Law, religious legal studies, and migration-related legal issues. Some of her most recent publications include:

(2025) The Challenges of Canon Law in the Church of the Third Millennium: Reflections on His “Sociality” from the Italian Doctrine, in Religions 16, 510, pp. 1-14. (Cited by studies on ecclesiastical governance).
(2025) La Iglesia «al lado de las heridas». La función del abogado en el acompañamiento procesal de las partes en la era digital entre pastoral y derecho, in Ius Canonicum (Early Access: 2025). https://doi.org/10.15581/016.129.003, pp. 1-21. (Referenced in publications on digital pastoral care).
(2024) Via Pulchritudinis. La tutela dell’arte sacra nella storia della Chiesa come cammino di evangelizzazione delle culture, in Ephemerides Iuris Canonici, 64/2, pp. 435-448; ISSN 0013-9491. (Cited in works on sacred art and religious history).
(2024) Migrating or Staying: The Church’s Magisterium on the Migration Phenomenon in the Post-Covid Era for an “Inclusive” Citizenship, in Unwanted People and Desired Citizens Contemporary Attitudes, Challenges and Perceptions, Cezary Smuniewski, Andrea Zanini, Cyprian Aleksander Kozera, Błażej Bado (edited by), Dom Wydawniczy ELIPSA, pp. 187-206; ISBN: 978-83-8017-565-5. (Referenced in studies on migration policy and religious integration).
(2024) The Dicastery for Communication in the synodal path of the “outgoing Church”, in NomoK@non, 18/09/2024, pp. 1-6; ISSN: 2749-2826. (Noted in publications on ecclesiastical communication strategies).
(2023) Comunicare la testimonianza. Il Dicastero per la Comunicazione nella riforma curiale, collana Diritti, Religioni, Società e Migrazioni (DiRSoM), PM Edizioni di Marco Petrini, Varazze (SV), pp. 1-343, ISBN: 979-12-5534-018-8. (Cited in religious studies focusing on communication and governance).
(2023) “Aqua fons vitae”: The Church’s contribution to the narration of water as a symbol and resource between pastoral care and law, in Water Resource and Environmental Sustainability, M. Spotorno, D. Tarantino (edited by), PM Edizioni, Varazze (SV), pp. 9-19; ISBN: 979-12-5534-032-4. (Referenced in works analyzing environmental sustainability and religious perspectives).

Conclusion

Daniela Tarantino has established herself as an influential voice in the intersection of law and religion, with an emphasis on Canon Law and migration-related legal frameworks. Her academic leadership, extensive research contributions, and commitment to interdisciplinary perspectives have significantly impacted the study of religious governance, ecclesiastical law, and social inclusion. As an award-winning scholar and dedicated educator, she continues to shape the conversation around legal responses to religious and migration issues in the modern world.