Dear colleagues,
Princely ideology, politics and power in Italian literature
Political and philosophical thought has always contributed to enrich and enhance the literary debate surrounding the theory and practice
of political power. This panel seeks to examine interactions among politics, philosophy and literature throughout different periods of Italian history, with a specific focus on the ideal image of ‘the prince’ as a literary and ideological figure. Our goal
is to analyze the development of this political figure in the Italian literary tradition, from the medieval era to the modern age. In literary and philosophical contexts, the princely image has often been linked to the rise of new political systems and their
intimate need for legitimacy. The literary making of this political figure is likewise connected with the will and necessity to create a theory of consensus —
one that is ultimately aimed at maintaining political control. ‘The prince’, therefore, becomes a vehicle of persuasion and propaganda, taking on a crucial role in the establishment of a relationship between dominus and dominati.
We welcome papers from different research areas which include, but are not limited to, the following topics:
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Relations between politics and literature
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The prince as an ideal image
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The figure of the prince and his charismatic legitimacy
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The building of consensus through literary vehicles
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The image of the leader in literary works
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Intersections between politics and morality
- Literary expressions of political dissent
- The creation of political utopias
Best wishes,
Barbara Olla (St. Peter’s College, University of Oxford) and Marta Celati (St. Edmund Hall, University of Oxford)
