The Observatory on Dante Studies (ODS) is a research project initiated by Gandolfo Cascio in 2016 and founded with the support of the Institute for Cultural Inquiry (ICON) through the Talentontwikkeling programme.

The scope is to monitor and interpret the legacy and afterlife of Dante’s works within the circles of writers, artists and musicians, as well as performers and popular culture.

Its community carries out critical analysis from an interdisciplinary and transmedia perspective which offers an up-to-date, plural and transnational view of Dantean reception and readership.

The Observatory is also engaged in knowledge brokering, combining the academic activities with teaching and open lectures in order to fulfill an act of social impact.

Over the years, the ODS has become the most important centre for Dante studies in the Netherlands and a partner for international institutions and scholars.