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Preface

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 October 2023

Andrea Scapolo
Affiliation:
Kennesaw State University, Georgia
Angela Porcarelli
Affiliation:
Emory University, Atlanta
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Summary

In recent years, the concept of space, its representations, and the social, cultural, and political forces that shape and inhabit it have drawn increasing attention from a broad range of disciplinary perspectives. Urban spaces in particular, have come to the fore as crucial subjects of investigation and reflection. In this sense, the history of the Italian cities offers a sort of litmus test to verify the validity and ramifications of this connection between space and cultural production, economy, and political order.

Our research trajectories, specifically the study of early modern Italian comic literature and theater, naturally led us to realize the vantage point that Italian studies offer to the research in urban studies. That realization motivated us to facilitate a conversation among scholars at the cutting edge of the field. Our goal was to track the connection between the city and modernity from its origins, in the proto-capitalist Renaissance Italian city-states, to the current globalization of urban space. At the same time, we aimed at putting Italian studies in dialogue with disciplines and perspectives at the forefront of intellectual conversation in other fields of study. Finally, we wanted to propose a trajectory of analysis that questions the national dimension of Italian cultural production by delocalizing it both at the level of its regional diversity and the global scale beyond national borders.

This ambitious vision lies at the core of this collection of essays by a diverse group of scholars working in North American and European institutions. Bringing this vision to fruition was not an easy task. It entailed a long process and the need to overcome numerous challenges brought about by the unprecedented circumstances of a global pandemic. The COVID pandemic has profoundly and durably changed how we inhabit and conceive of shared spaces. It also sheds light on the impact that the city space has on our life, culture, and what it means to be human. At a time when our way of life has been disrupted and dramatically limited, we looked back at the history of the representations of urban spaces in Italian culture to make sense of our present and imagine a possible future.

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Publisher: Amsterdam University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Preface
  • Edited by Andrea Scapolo, Kennesaw State University, Georgia, Angela Porcarelli, Emory University, Atlanta
  • Book: Interpreting Urban Spaces in Italian Cultures
  • Online publication: 26 October 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9789048554638.001
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Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Preface
  • Edited by Andrea Scapolo, Kennesaw State University, Georgia, Angela Porcarelli, Emory University, Atlanta
  • Book: Interpreting Urban Spaces in Italian Cultures
  • Online publication: 26 October 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9789048554638.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Preface
  • Edited by Andrea Scapolo, Kennesaw State University, Georgia, Angela Porcarelli, Emory University, Atlanta
  • Book: Interpreting Urban Spaces in Italian Cultures
  • Online publication: 26 October 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9789048554638.001
Available formats
×