We study Italy's many diasporas, focusing on the history of migration(s) and on the investigation of various cultural aspects of the Italian communities in the world. We privilege the intersectional analysis of ethnic, gender and class dynamics, the framing of plural identities, and historical consciousnesses, in a community-based epistemological framework. We promote a new vision of the South of Italy through the lenses of the Italian Diaspora.
Our Mission
We aim to discover and to disseminate a new transnational discourse on Italy through educational projects such as courses, seminars, conferences and workshops open to international students, scholars and professionals. We also want to encourage the re-discovery of the South of Italy, and especially of Calabria, through a series of guided tours and educational field trips.
“In spring the Kydonian
apple trees, watered by flowing
streams there where the Maidens
have their unravished garden, and vine buds,
growing under the shadowy branches
of the vines, bloom and flourish.”
What We HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
Since 2014, every Fall term: CLIA course – Cultura e Letteratura italo-americana (Italian American Culture and Literature)–, a full 9-credit course in the Master of Arts in Modern Philology, Dept. of Humanities, University of Calabria. Every year, the course hosts up to six visiting professors from the US and Canada.
From 2019, every Spring term: the CLIA course is associated with a Fulbright Lectureship.
From 2015 to 2017, June-July: Italian Diaspora Studies Summer Seminar, a three-week training workshop for doctoral, post-doctoral students and professionals. The Seminar included seven full courses from leading scholars and a series of guest speakers.
June 2017: first Symposium IASA in Italy
Several field trips in June 2015, 2016 and 2017, the most important one being the Umbertina tour, on June 18 2017, based on the novel by Helen Barolini.
May 2018: 10 days Workshop on the topic: The future of Italian Diaspora Studies. On invitation. A selected group of academics and writers shared their work and discussed ideas for the development of the research center at UniCal. With field trips in the Cosenza’s province.
May 2019: Italian Diaspora Studies Writing Seminar - Heritage and Memory. a two-week experiential learning and Community Engaged program focused on creative writing, with a master workshop led by Maria Mazziotti Gillan. With field trips in Northern Calabria (Mount Pollino) and Basilicata (Aliano, Metaponto, Matera)
July 2019: Italian Diaspora Studies Seminar tour in Japan. Prof. Ganeri presents the Seminar at the Italian Cultural Institute in Tokyo and in two universities in Tokyo and Kyoto.