italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
CALL FOR PAPERS - ASMI CONFERENCE 2003
ASSASSINATIONS, MURDERS AND MYSTERIES IN MODERN ITALY
22 November 2003
Italian Cultural Institute, London
This conference will seek to analyse a series of assassinations and murder
cases that have in one way or another represented turning points in Italian
public life. The intention is to explore the cases in terms of their
genesis, conjuncture and consequences. Particular attention will be paid to
representations in the press and other media - in other words to the way in
which these cases were turned into scandals, narratives, or defining
moments. A high proportion of the cases that may be examined were surrounded
in mystery or were never completely resolved. Hence they remained `live' in
public opinion for many years, becoming in some cases permanent fixtures of
public or political discourse. The terms `assassination' and `murder' will
be defined broadly to include failed assassination attempts and suicides
(where these were motivated by public reasons or where these were defined by
some as murder). The conference will also be concerned with the imaginative
dimension of such cases and more generally with the place or murder and
assassination in Italian culture.
These cases that might be examined fall into at least seven broad
categories. Names are inserted as examples.
1. `Regicides/Patricides': Umberto I, Mussolini (attempts and/or
execution), Togliatti, Pope John Paul II (assassination attempts).
2. Political murders: Matteotti, Rosselli brothers, Moro, Mattei.
3. Mysteries: Balbo, Pinelli, Sindona, Calvi.
4. Scandals: delitto Murri, Wilma Montesi, Pasolini, Marta Russo,
Gucci, Versace.
5. Mafia killings: Notarbartolo, Dalla Chiesa, Falcone/Borsellino
etc...
6. Suicides: Pavese, Luigi Tenco, Primo Levi, Gardini.
7. Killings of demonstrators: Bava-Beccaris episode, Modena 1950, Rossi
1966, Lorusso 1977, Carlo Giuliani 2001.
Proposals for papers of 20-30 minutes duration are welcome on any of the
above or other violent non-accidental deaths or on related themes, including
black and red terrorism and murder, postwar settling of accounts, Mafia and
murder, delitti d'onore etc.. In addition, proposals will be considered on
Italian detective fiction (where the issues or plots are directly connected
to historical events), film treatments of real cases (e.g. Il caso Mattei,
Il caso Moro, Giovanni Falcone and so on) and on magazines like Cronaca vera
that dwell on murder and scandal.
Please submit proposals (name, institutional affiliation and status, 300
word outline) to Stephen Gundle ([log in to unmask]) preferably by 31 May
2003. The overall coherence of the conference will be a factor in the
acceptance or otherwise of proposals.
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