Teresa de Lauretis, an Italian activist, author and academic, died on February 9, 2026.
She was a Distinguished Professor Emerita of the History of Consciousness at the University of California, Santa Cruz, with interests in semiotics, psychoanalysis, film theory, literary theory, feminism, women’s studies, lesbian and queer studies, and science fiction. Born in Bologna on November 29, 1938, she earned a doctorate in Modern Languages and Literatures from Bocconi University in Milan before moving to the United States.
Fluent in English and Italian, she wrote in both languages, and her work was translated into 16 other languages.
Teresa de Lauretis (Italian: [teˈrɛːza de lauˈrɛːtis]; 29 November 1938 – 2 February 2026) was an Italian author and academic who was a Distinguished Professor Emerita of the History of Consciousness at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her areas of interest included semiotics, psychoanalysis, film theory, literary theory, feminism, women’s studies, lesbian and queer studies. She also wrote on science fiction. Fluent in English and Italian, she wrote in both languages. Additionally, her work has been translated into 16 other languages.