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Maria Grazia Rossi is an Assistant Professor of Strategic Communication at the Department of Communication Sciences – NOVA FCSH and an integrated member of the NOVA Institute of Philosophy (IFILNOVA), where she co-coordinates the ArgLab Research Colloquium, a permanent research seminar series organized by the Argumentation, Cognition and Language Lab (ArgLab). Her work engages with the complexity of the Humanities, enriching her interdisciplinary approach to communication, argumentation, and healthcare contexts.
The main areas of her academic activity are situated at the intersection of communication sciences and philosophy, with a particular focus on argumentation, pragmatics, and cognitive approaches. Within this framework, her research addresses healthcare communication in clinical and public health contexts. Rossi has worked particularly on the discursive and ethical complexity of healthcare communication, with a specific focus on processes and strategies—such as the use of metaphors—that foster mutual understanding and support patient and citizen participation in health-related decision-making. Her research also addresses medical scepticism and the management of doubt in healthcare controversies.
Since 2019, she has represented the School of Social Sciences and Humanities in the NOVA Saúde Chronic Disease and Infection Group. She is also Associate Editor of Patient Education and Counseling, one of the leading journals in healthcare communication. She served as a member of the Advisory Committee and Deputy National Representative for Portugal at the International Association for Communication in Healthcare (2018–2021).
PTMaria Grazia Rossi é Professora Auxiliar de Comunicação Estratégica no Departamento de Ciências da Comunicação – NOVA FCSH e investigadora integrada do Instituto de Filosofia da NOVA (IFILNOVA), onde co-coordena o ArgLab Research Colloquium, uma série permanente de seminários de investigação organizada pelo Argumentation, Cognition and Language Lab (ArgLab). O seu trabalho envolve-se com a complexidade das Humanidades, enriquecendo a sua abordagem interdisciplinar à comunicação, argumentação e contextos de saúde.
Os principais âmbitos da sua atividade académica situam-se na interseção entre as ciências da comunicação e a filosofia, com particular enfoque na argumentação, na pragmática e nas abordagens cognitivas. Neste quadro, a sua investigação incide sobre a comunicação em saúde em contextos clínicos e de saúde pública. Rossi tem trabalhado particularmente sobre a complexidade discursiva e ética da comunicação em saúde, com um enfoque específico em processos e estratégias — como o uso de metáforas — que promovem a compreensão mútua e apoiam a participação de doentes e cidadãos na tomada de decisões em saúde. A sua investigação aborda igualmente o ceticismo médico e a gestão da dúvida em controvérsias em saúde.
Desde 2019, representa a Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas no grupo NOVA Saúde Chronic Disease and Infection. É também Associate Editor da Patient Education and Counseling, uma das principais revistas na área da comunicação em saúde. Foi membro do Advisory Committee e Representante Nacional Adjunta para Portugal na International Association for Communication in Healthcare (2018–2021).
Research interests
Argumentação médica; Comunicação em saúde; Análise do discurso; Teoria da metáfora; Estratégias de enquadramento; Filosofia da comunicação; Pragmática; Emoções.
Education/Academic qualification
Cognitive Science , Doctorate, Linguaggio, Apprendimento e Adattamento Prospettive sulla genesi della grammatica, University of Messina
Award Date: 13 Apr 2012
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Clinicians’ use of metaphoric language in conversations with families of critically ill patients in the intensive care unit
Hillen, M. A., Rossi, M. G., Akkermans, A., Baatenburg de Jong, L. A. L., Dobbe, J. H. M., Henkel, T., Lehmann, V., Oudbier, S. J., de Rijke, T. J., Smets, E. M. A., Cherpanath, T. G. V., van Heerde, M., van Kaam, A. H., van de Loo, M., Schultz, M. J., van Woensel, J. B. M., Prins, S. & de Vos, M. A., Aug 2025, In: Patient Education and Counseling. 137, p. 1-8 8 p., 108813.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Expression of patient and caregiver uncertainty in view of decision-making in online health communities
Bigi, S., Ganfi, V., Parlato, S., Piunno, V. & Rossi, M. G., May 2025, In: Patient Education and Counseling. 134, p. 1-7 7 p., 108659.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
Future perspectives in medical argumentation
Bigi, S. & Rossi, M. G., 4 Dec 2025, In: Journal of Argumentation in Context. 14, 3, p. 275-279 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
Metaphorical Language: Hesse’s Revolutionary Approach to Metaphor
Macagno, F. & Rossi, M. G., 2025, Mary B. Hesse (1924–2016): Metaphors, Models, and the Growth of Scientific Knowledge. Cham: Springer Nature, p. 137-157 21 p. (Women in the History of Philosophy and Sciences; vol. 24).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
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Toward a community-centred approach to healthcare: Argumentative tools to disentangle the intertwining of public and interpersonal communication
Rossi, M. G. & Mohammed, D., 4 Dec 2025, In: Journal of Argumentation in Context. 14, 3, p. 280-304 25 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Prizes
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SEAL OF EXCELLENCE CERTIFICATE
Rossi, M. G. (Recipient), 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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XPRAG.IT 2020(21) – YOUNG INVESTIGATOR TRAINING PROGRAM AWARD
Rossi, M. G. (Recipient), 22 May 2020
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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XPRAG.IT 2020(21) – YOUNG INVESTIGATOR TRAINING PROGRAM AWARD
Rossi, M. G. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Discursive Injustice as Interactional Harm: Microaggressions in Pancreatic Cancer Care
Floris, M. (Speaker), Consolandi, M. (Speaker), Ganz, C. (Speaker), Paciscopi, N. (Speaker) & Rossi, M. G. (Speaker)
12 Feb 2026Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
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Metaphors as explanatory devices when talking about the progression of illness to patients with hematologic malignancies in an early palliative care setting
Bigi, S. (Speaker), Midea, C. (Speaker), Parlato, S. (Speaker), Rossi, M. G. (Speaker), Borelli, E. (Speaker), Luppi, M. (Speaker), Bandiera, E. (Speaker) & Potenza, L. (Speaker)
Jun 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
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Pandemia e comunicação Social
Rossi, M. G. (Speaker)
Mar 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Talk given within the panel on "Média, Comunicação e Linguagem"
Rossi, M. G. (Speaker)
11 Nov 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Closing the Gap Between Public Controversies and Interpersonal Interactions in Healthcare: Addressing Medical Skepticism Through Participatory Communication
Rossi, M. G. (Speaker)
11 Oct 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk