Thursday, January 8, 2009

SS Course 2009: Italy in the Contemporary World

Course 141
Date: 19–23 January
Time: 6.00 pm
Full Price: R270,00 Staff: R135,00 Reduced: R70,00


Italy in the Contemporary World
Presented by Paolo Bernardini, Professor, Università degli Studi dell’Insubria Como, Italy, Director of Boston University Centre for Italian and European Studies, USA


Italy is currently experiencing a political, economic and cultural crisis. The new Berlusconi government, a centre-right coalition backed by the autonomist Lega Nord party, faces zero economic growth, a static population, and a perceived decline in Italy’s prestige and power in comparison with other European Union (EU) states, including new entries. Many Italians, especially the well-educated, have become emigrants, and there is concern for Italy’s future ability to maintain its status in the European Union, despite retaining some of its cultural magnetism. The gulf between the north and south of the country is once again widening, so that there are at least ‘two Italys’, one still relatively well off (Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and to a certain extent Piedmont) with all the rest close to recession. Italy also has to deal with the social complexity of absorbing immigrants from poorer non-EU countries, and its recent handling of migrants and refugees has incurred internal and international criticism as well as support.

This course will analyse Italy’s current social, political and economic situation and role in the world as well as its future prospects.

LECTURE TITLES

  1. Modern Italy: the historical background.
  2. Italy in 2009: the political trends.
  3. Economic crisis.
  4. The failure of education, university and research.
  5. Options for the future: federalism, regional independence, centralisation.

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