Simposio Africa/Italia

[9-11-1998]

AFRICA/ITALY: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

Marcum Conference Center

MIAMI UNIVERSITY

OXFORD, OHIO 45056

NOV. 6-8, 1998

Over the past two decades Italy, previously known as a country of massive emigration, has instead become the destination of a great number of immigrants from African countries. Some estimates put the influx of African immigrants to Italy over the past decade at more than one million, giving a new face to Italian society and adding intriguing new dimensions to Italian culture. This interdisciplinary symposium will explore past, present, and future relations between Italian and African cultures from various perspectives: geographical, historical, political, economic, sociological, and cultural, including literature, and cinema. Much of the history and culture of the Italian peninsula--and by extension all of Europe--has been shaped by its contacts with African cultures: from the Punic wars between Rome and Carthage in classical times, to the Crusades on the threshold of the Renaissance, to the colonial wars of the Fascist regime. The current renewed contact between Africans and Italians, with the flow of migrants going in a historically new direction, presents a new set of issues, problems, and opportunities which have important implications not only for the future of Italian society but for intercultural and interracial relations throughout the world. By considering a broad historical and multi-disciplinary context, the symposium will attempt to perceive and understand the diverse dimensions and opportunities inherent in this new encounter between Africa and Italy: whether it will give birth to another racially, culturally, and economically divided and unequal society, or if it may not instead prove to be the first step in a process of cross-cultural fertilization which might generate a new Renaissance.

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM: The symposium will be held over a three-day period, from Friday afternoon, Nov. 6, to Sunday morning, Nov. 8. Papers should be limited to 20 minutes, 9-10 typed, double-spaced pages. All presentations will be in English, except where noted: at the Saturday evening session, 5:30-6:30 PM, Pap Khouma and Armando Gnisci will speak in Italian. An English translation of their texts and/or an interpreter will be provided. The schedule below is still preliminary. The final program will be distributed at the conference registration desk.

Friday, Nov. 6:

Registration, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Lobby, Marcum Conference Center

Art Museum Auditorium

Panel A, 1:00-2:50 PM: Geological, Archeological, and Historical Foundations

1. Welcome

2. Larry Mayer, Geology, Miami U., "Italian Earthquakes: A Legacy of the

Past and a Preview of the Future"

3. Reuben G. Bullard, Archaeological Geology, U. of Cincinnati &

Cincinnati Bible C., "The Cultural Presence of Rome in the Territory of

Ancient Carthage"

4. Edwin Yamauchi, History, Miami U., "Romans and Meroe in Nubia"

Panel B, 3:00-4:50 PM : Historical and Geographical Projections

1. Evelyn Edson, History, Piedmont Virginia Community C., "Defining

Africa: European Views of the Continent in the Middle Ages"

2. John Brackett, History and Afro-American Studies, U. of Cincinnati,

"Africa and Africans in the Imagination of Renaissance Italians"

3. Tom Conley, French, Harvard U., "Early Cartography and Euro-African

Exchanges in the 16th Century: Ramusio, Leo Africanus, the Cantino

Planisphere"

4. Francesco Loriggio, Comparative Literature, Carleton U., Ottawa,

Ontario, "Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean: The Cultural Debate at the

Turn of the Century"

Reception, 5:15-6:15 PM, McBride Hall, sponsored by Black World Studies

Dinner, 7:00-8:30 PM, Marcum Conference Center, sponsored by the Office of

Student Affairs

Theatrical encounter, 9:00-11:00 PM: Studio Theater, Center for Performing

Arts; An African Harlequin in Milan, by Marco Martinelli (ed. & trans.

Wiley Feinstein & Teresa Picarazzi)

1. Wiley Feinstein, Italian, Loyola U., and Teresa Picarazzi, Italian, U.

of Arizona, "Ravenna Teatro's African Actors and Authors in Romagna and

Dakar: Theater Between Two Worlds"

2. Paul Jackson, Chair, Theatre, Miami U., "An African Harlequin in Milan:

Reading Cross Culturally, A Dramaturgical Encounter"

Sat., Nov. 7: Marcum Conference Center

Registration, 9:00-1:00, Lobby

Panel C, 8:00-9:50 AM: Social and Anthropological Perspectives

1. Stefano Bellucci, Political Science, Miami U., "Immigration: The Unjust

World"

2. Jacqui Andall, European Studies, Bath U., UK, "Migration of African

Women to Italy"

3. Giulia Barrera, History, Northwestern U., "Eritrean Women and Italian Men"

4. Benedetta Rossi, Anthropology, London School of Economics, UK, "Italian

Aid in Niger: Evidence from the Rural Development Project of the

Ader-Doutchi-Majiya"

Panel D, 10:00-11:50 AM: Ethiopia/Italy: Conflict and Partnership

1. Anatoly Antohin, Literature, and Esther Sellassie Antohin,

great-granddaughter of Emperor Haile Sellassie, U. of Alaska, Fairbanks,

"The Good of Evil: Two Ethiopian Wars with Italy: Military Conflicts as

Constructive Forces of Historical Interactions"

2. Harold Marcus, History and African Studies, Michigan State U., "Italyâs

Ignorance of Ethiopia, 1885-1942"

3. Assefa Mehretu, Geography and African Studies, Michigan State U.,

"Potentials for Ethio-Italian Partnership for Regional Integration in

Ethiopia: Progressive Engagements Using Social Capital Dividends"

4. Gian Paolo Calchi Novati, Political Science, U. di Pavia, Italy, "Italy

and the Horn of Africa: The Unbearable Weight of a Weak Colonialism"

12:00-1:00 PM, Lunch

Panel E, 1:30-3:20 PM: Africans Writing in Italy

1. Graziella Parati, Italian, Dartmouth C., KEYNOTE: "Immigrant Literature

in Italy"

2. Gabriella Romani, Italian, U. of Pennsylvania, "Italian Identity and

Immigrant Writing: The Shaping of a New Discourse"

3. Laura Harris, Literature and African Studies, Pitzer C., "L'abbandono:

Desire and Immigration in the Africa-Italian Diaspora"

4. Carla Ghezzi, Is.I.A.O., Italian Institure for African and Asian

Studies, Rome, Italy, "African Immigration Literature in Italian: How Far

Is the Scent of Mint?"

Panel F, 3:30-5:20 PM: Who's Other? Whose Other?

1. Marie Orton, Italian, Brigham Young U., "The Economy of Otherness"

2. Peter Pedroni, Italian, Miami U., "Two Italians and Two Africans:

Moravia, Volponi, Ebbri, Wasswa"

3. Khadar Bashir Ali, Italian, Ohio State U., "Voices from the Margins: A

Look at Emergent Immigrant Literature in Italy"

4. Peter Carravetta, Italian, Queens C., "The Invention of Africa"

Panel G, 5:30-6:30 PM: Voci Africane in Italia (African Voices in Italy):

Papers delivered in Italian, with English translations available.

1. Armando Gnisci, Comparative Literature, U. di Roma "La Sapienza," "La

voce dell'Africa ed il silenzio degli intellettuali europei, oggi" (The

Voice of Africa and the Silence of European Intellectuals, Today)

2. Pap Khouma, Senegalese-Italian author of Io, venditore di elefanti, "La

vita di un immigrato in Italia" (An Immigrant's Life in Italy)

Banquet, 7:00-8:30 PM: Address: Michele Quaroni, Italian Consulate, Detroit

Party, 9:00-11:00 PM, Club Room: Oxford Gourd and Drum Ensemble

Sun., Nov. 8: Marcum Conference Center

Panel H, 8:00-9:50 AM: Italians Writing about Africa and Africans

1. Kevin Carollo, Comparative Literature, U. of Illinois, "Giuseppe

Ungaretti: Colonialism, the State of the Nation, and Nomadic Thought"

2. Pina Palma, Italian, Hofstra U., "Between Peasants and Soldiers: Images

of Africa and Social Consciousness in Fontamara and Cristo si è fermato a

Eboli"

3. Cristina Lombardi-Diop, Comparative Literature, New York U., "Mothering

the Nation: Rosalia Pivania Vivaldi's Tre anni in Eritrea"

4. Charles Klopp, Italian, Ohio State U., "Buster Keaton Goes to Africa:

Gianni Celati's Avventure in Africa"

Panel I, 10:00 AM-12:00 noon: Africa and Africans in Italian Cinema

1. Karen Pinkus, Literature, U. of Southern California, "The Inscription

of Blackness in Italian Cinema"

2. M. Silvia Riccio, Italian, Indiana U., "La pelle nera/Black Skin"

3. Alessia Ricciardi, Italian, Northwestern U., "Humanism and Ideology:

Pasoliniâs Appunti per un'Orestiade africana:

4. Chandra Harris, Italian, Brown U., "Nel continente nero: The

Representation of Africans in Italian Cinema"

REGISTRATION: To submit your registration, please print out this form,

complete the appropriate sections, and return it to the address at the

bottom of this document.

Registration/Payment Deadline: September 18, 1998

TRAVEL: The closest airport to Oxford, Ohio, is the Cincinnati

International Airport (actually located in Northern Kentucky), which is a

hub for Delta Airlines. Driving time to Oxford is between one hour and one

hour and fifteen minutes. The next closest is the Dayton, Ohio, airport,

which takes 5-10 minutes longer to reach than the Cincinnati airport.

We intend to provide a van from and to the Cincinnati airport at

approximately the following times (subject to change, depending on actual

arrival times of participants):

Cincinnati airport to Oxford: Thursday, Nov. 5, 9:30 PM; Friday, Nov. 6,

9:30 AM, 10:45 AM

Oxford to Cincinnati airport: Sunday, Nov. 8, 11:45 AM, 1:00 PM

If you arrive at other times or at another airport, you must make your own

travel arrangements from/to the airport. Area airport limousine/van

services include: Door-to-Door 800/535-0088; Need-a-Ride 800/891-0064;

Access Limo/Bus Service (Cincinnati) 800/979-4498; ELS International Limo

(Dayton) 888/876-6482. Approximate cost is $75 round trip.

Please indicate your arrival and departure times below:

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

ARRIVAL Date:___________ Airline:__________________

Flt. No.:____________ Time:_______________ ___a.m. ___p.m.

DEPARTURE Date:_____________ Airline:_________________

Flt. No.:_______________ Time:______________ ___a.m. ___p.m.

FOR THOSE DRIVING:

ARRIVAL Date:_____________ Time:______________ ___a.m. ___p.m.

DEPARTURE Date:____________ Time:______________ ___a.m. ___p.m.

LODGING: A block of rooms has been reserved for Friday and Saturday nights,

Nov. 6 and 7, and a smaller number for Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Marcum

Conference Center, the site of the symposium, on the campus of Miami

University. To reserve a room please check the appropriate boxes below and

submit with your registration form:

[] Single occupancy: $75 per day

[] Double occupancy: $75 per day ($37.50 per person)

[]one bed []two beds

I need a: []barrier-free room []TDD []special room due to allergies

[]nonsmoking

Lodging Arrangements for Double Occupancy

[]I have arranged to share a room with ______________________________________

[]Assign me a roommate: I am a []smoker []nonsmoker.

I am a []male []female.

MEALS: Continental breakfast will be provided each morning for guests of

the Marcum Conference Center. There will also be refreshments available

for all participants during the breaks between panels. Three full meals

will also be provided for all registered participants: Friday evening

dinner, Saturday lunch, and Saturday evening banquet.

SPECIAL MEAL REQUIREMENTS (check ONE box only). No changes can be

made starting one week prior to the conference:

[]Vegan (no meat/no dairy products)

[]Vegetarian (no meats)

REGISTRATION FORM: We encourage you to return this registration form with

your check as soon as possible. All reservations must be made and received

by September 18, 1998. Payment must accompany this form.

Name and Title:__________________________________________________

Address:_________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Office Telephone Number: ________________________________________

Fax Number:______________________________________________________

Home Telephone Number:___________________________________________

E-Mail Address:__________________________________________________

TITLE OF PAPER: _____________________________________________________________

Special requirements (vcr, projector, tape player, etc.):

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

PAYMENTS:

REGISTRATION FEE (Includes program, meals, refreshments, receptions, and

party): $100

LODGING: Single: $75 x number of days ____ = $__________

Double: $37.50 x number of days ____ = $_________

TOTAL: $____________

Enclose a check with this registration form payable to Miami University.

Sorry, we cannot accept credit cards or money orders. Payment must be

received with this form by September 18.

PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM AND PAYMENT TO:

Sante Matteo

Africa/Italy Symposium

Dept. of French & Italian

Miami University

Oxford, OH 45056

If you have any questions, please contact us:

TELEPHONE: (513)529-5932 FAX: (513) 529-1807

E-MAIL: matteos@muohio.edu WEB SITE: http://muohio.edu/~smatteo

• *****Registration/Payment Deadline: September 18, 1998*******

Thanks! We are glad you can join us!

Sante Matteo

Professor of Italian

Dept. of French and Italian

Miami University

Oxford, OH 45056

tel. 513/529-5932

fax: 513/529-1807

e-mail: matteos@muohio.edu