Rione Paper

 

Regola is a long, narrow rione and the seventh of fourteen riones located in the city of Rome. The name Regola was given to the rione in response to the material left behind by the Tiber River after flooding the area. When the Tiber River would return to average depth, there would be fine sand left all over Regola and the surrounding riones. In Latin, this fine sand was called renula. In the early 20^th century walls were built around the Tiber River to maintain the banks and prevent the common flooding of the Tiber.

In the Middle Ages, Regola was called Regio Arenule et Chacabariorum and was famous for its coppersmiths who made cauldrons and kitchenware. The word chacabariis referred to these coppersmiths. Later, Regola became increasingly popular for its leather and suede tanners who used mostly deer skin to make clothing and other wares. This explains Regola's coat of arms: a deer.

Now days, Regolas economy is based on restaurants and museums but long ago the economy was based heavily on craftsmanship. Wood, metal, leather and suede workers produced many goods that were highly prized at the time. Many of the streets of Regola are names after these skilled craftsmen. Today, Regola is still a very popular place for craftsmen. On a short walk through this rione you will see several workshops, art galleries and studios. Often the doors to these workshops are open and if you are lucky you can catch a peek inside! As far as graffiti art in the area, other than small tags here and there, there is not much to see.

Piazza Farnese is located in the heart of Regola and is home to one of Rome's finest Renaissance buildings. This building is Palazzo Farnese. This building was designed in the 16^th century by famous architects (Michelangelo, Della Porta, Sangallo) and sponsored by cardinal Alessandro Farnese. The cornice that frames the top of the building, designed by Michelangelo, is a band of beautiful, intricate flowers – each one different than the other.  

Palazzo Farnese has changed ownership several times since its construction in the 16^th century. It was first owned by the Farnese family, then passed to a royal family of Naples, then to the French government. Today the building remains in the hands of the French government and is home to the French embassy in Rome.

In piazza Farnese there are twin fountains that were used as tubs in ancient Roman baths. Their bases are made from marble and the tubs are made from copper. Behind Palazzo Farnese, running parallel to the Tiber River, is via Giulia. During the Renaissance, Via Giulia was the first long, straight road built in this neighborhood and followed the path of a previously built ancient Roman road. Via Giulia celebrated its 500^th anniversary in 2008.

Also located behind Palazzo Farnese, on via Giulia, is via Giulia's fountain. This fountain is know as Mascherone di cia Giulia which means “via Giulia's grotesque face.” The fountain was built in the 17^th century using ancient Roman marble and is topped by a large bronze fleur-de-lis (the French family emblem). 

A little further up the street from via Giulia's fountain in the Farnese arch. This arch is a walkable passage way from Palazzo Farnese to buildings on the other side of the street. Many believe this archway was originally being constructed to become a much longer passageway that would connect Palazzo Farnese to a second mansion on the other side of the Tiber River in Trastevere. 

Directly below the Farnese arch is the church of Santa Maria dell'Orazione e Morte (“St. Mary of prayer and death”), built in 1575. This church is small and beautiful with an eerie, but caring, past. The original mission of the congregation was to scour the countryside for bodies of poor peasants who had been left unburied. They were to bring the bodies back to the church and give them a proper resting place in the church's cemetery. However, after many years, the church and cemetery began to run out of space and had to remodel in 1733 and became to look as though it still looks today. The men and women of the congregation began to use bones as decoration inside the church. They hung bones on the walls, decorated crosses with skulls and made chandeliers from bones. The old cemetery was removed when the construction of the walls around the Tiber River began in the 20^th century. Santa Maria dell'Orazione e Morte is one of two churches in Rome that continues to display this gruesome form of artwork to the public. 

At the far end of via Giulia, away from the Ponte Sisto, there is a large brick building with barred windows on the ground level. These are the “New Prisons.” Over the entrance of the building there is a plaque that reads in Latin "were built in 1650 by pope Innocent X out of justice and clemency, for a safer and milder custody of the guilty." Although built in 1650, the building was not used as a jail until 1658. The reason behind this delay was the outbreak of the plague. Soon after its outbreak in Rome, the building became a place to house the sick in order to keep them quarantined from the public. The location of the New Prisons signify the end of Regola and the start of the rione Ponte. 

As a temporary resident of Rome, I saw this rione from a tourists perspective. Regola is a beautiful place filled with restaurants, street musicians, venders, bars, a picturesque market in Campo di Fiore, and much more. However, these great aspects led me to make assumptions about the rione. One assumption being that anyone would love to live in this area. This is assumption is not true to all, however. First of all, it is very difficult to tell who lives in Regola and who does not. When interviewing local Italians working in the area (who live outside Regola) the majority said that they do not wish to live in Regola because of the tourism and hustle bustle. The more people I talked to the more I began to realize how greatly being a tourist affected my assumptions and biasses of the area. I saw this area as hip and fun and all the activity turned me on – but to many Italians, this is not an ideal living situation. The Italians I talked to said they were sometimes annoyed by the amount of tourists and lack of Italian speaking customers and by the lack of true Italian food and culture.

This rione especially impacted me and influenced my frames of reference because of how much time I spent there. Each day I walked from my apartment in Trastevere across the Ponte Sisto, down Via Giulia, past Via Giulia's “big mask” fountain and through Piazza Farnese to the UW Rome Center. Every morning I drank my cappuccino in Regola and in the afternoons I would eat lunch with friends in the rione. A few nights a week a group of us would get drinks in the rione, as well. Through all of this, I got to know the people, the culture and even some of the language of this rione.

I enjoyed having Regola assigned as my rione because I got to know the area on a deeper lever. Attending class and spending time in the rione each day is one thing, but if I had not been assigned this rione I fear I would have only gotten to know Regola skin-deep. After researching the rione I began to experience my surroundings in a more intimate way. I could imagine what it was like in the early days of Rome.

Regola is where many of my greatest memories of Italy took place. From group dinners and hanging out in the Compo with friends, visiting the French embassy with our class and even mine and Souvonnahs presentation in the rain was a blast!

Assignment 8 - Service Learning

Arcigay, founded in 1985, is Italy's largest gay rights organization. Arcigay is a non-profit organization operated by volunteers all over Italy and in 2007 had over 160,000 members. Although the organization originated in Palermo, the headquarters is located in Bologna. The main goal of Arcigay is to combat homophobia, heterosexism, prejudice, and anti-gay discrimination. The organization is strongly committed to achieving equality for all people regardless of sexual orientation and “aims to reinforce a full, free and happy life for gay people” (arcigay.it).

There are several proactive ways in which arcigay volunteers work towards achieving this goal. Members set up social gatherings, initiatives and welfare services, and work together towards promoting a positive public image of gay people in society. Arcigay works in conjunction with public and private institutions, social and political organizations and other civil rights organizations to defend and protect the rights of LGBT individuals.

One example of how Arcigay works alongside political institutions is through their work with David Thorne, the U.S ambassador in Italy. Thorne is a strong supporter of Arcigay and recently filmed a commercial promoting and spreading word of a new gay helpline.

The video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9kcA1CHu4o

Arcigay also works closely with the Italian Ministry of Health to spread knowledge, awareness and prevention of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. They also offer classes for social workers, school teachers and staff, health counsellors, and parents and family members of LGBT people. One thing I discovered while browsing the Arcigay website is that their sexual orientation training courses for secondary school teachers are recognized by the Italian Ministry of Education – that is truly amazing.

The first time I met Carlo and Roberto was when they came to talk to our class in the beginning of the quarter. Manka had arranged for them to come and talk to us about the LGBT movement in Italy. Coming from America, I do not believe any of us were prepared to face the reality of what Carlo was about to tell us. He informed us that LGBT people in Italy were not protected by law and basically had no rights, unless they kept their sexuality concealed. They are not protected by anti-discrimination laws, they are not protected against hate crimes, can not adopt children, can not get married and are unwelcome in many churches and social events.

As an American, this came as a huge shock to me. I thought LGBT individuals had rights in most developed countries, especially in Europe, but I was wrong. My frames of reference that I had brought from home began to shift as I became more knowledgeable of the struggles of the LGBT community in Italy. At first I used my frames of reference as a point of knowledge to understand what was happening in Italy, however, I soon realized that in order to truly understand it I had to forget about what I knew and focus on what I was learning. I had to stop making comparisons. At first, making comparisons between the U.S and Italy is all I could do but after some time I began thinking only of Italy and what measures could be proactive for change in this country.

My initial impression of the organization has also changed. At first, I did not understand why Arcigay was not more visible and demanding of what they wanted. Yet, I soon realized that that is not the way to do things in Italy, especially in this circumstance. Right now, excessive visibility and demanding attitudes from Arcigay can be negative for several reasons. They are taking the fight at a steady pace and right now the best thing is to maintain a positive image as LGBT people.

Some recent good news for Arcigay is the building of a new community center in Testaccio. My critical moment was when I went to Arcigay in Testaccio and saw what was going to become an incredible community center, Carlo and Arcigay's dream. I had head about the plans for the center from Carlo but I couldn't quite wrap my head around it until I saw the center for myself. The upstairs was mostly offices but downstairs was a huge space with a few big rooms and separate rooms off to the side. At this time building had not yet begun but the space had been cleared out and painted. Building was to begin in a few weeks and scheduled to be done somewhere around May or June of this year. Carlo walked Luis and I through each room explaining what it was going to become. There was a bar area, a kitchen, a lounge area, conference rooms, bathrooms, and more. His voice was full of excitement and pride. His vision is turning into reality.

This community center will be the first fully functioning center for LGBT Italians. They will offer a wide range of services to the public and events are open to all people – LGBT, straight, anyone under the sun can come whenever they like. Some of the services offered include support lines, legal assistance, seminars on LGBT rights and visibility (as well as other informative topics), youth counseling and support, support and counseling for parents and family members, social events, networking, scholarships, and more. This community center is going to change the lives of LGBT people living in Rome and, I strongly feel, is going to be a huge success.

Something I would like to know more about, or how to find on the website, is an event calendar. I would also like to know more about gay youth in Italy and the struggles they face. Are young people bullied in schools? Do they experience many of the same things American teens face? I am eager to hear about the progress of the center and plan to remain in contact with Carlo via email and facebook. Working with Arcigay was a life changing experience and I am grateful for having the opportunity to work with such amazing people.

Modern Roles: The Changing Identity of Italian Women

Introduction

Like all things in society, gender roles are socially constructed, fluid, and susceptible to change. I am studying the women's movement in Italy and conducting research on the changing identity of Italian women. For many years women have been fighting for equal rights and opportunities all over the world. In the 1970's, feminist movements began in Italy but then began to fizzle out. However, that certainly was not the end of their struggle. In 2011, women's rights organizations are at an all-time high in Italy. I am interested in studying the path to women's revolution and exploring the cause behind the changing identity of Italian women. In this study I will discuss women's traditional gender roles versus modern gender roles, the declining birth rate, and women's rights organizations in Italy.

Methods

In order to find information on my research topic, I relied mostly on the internet and interviews with Italian women. Via the internet I could easily access databases full of current news articles relating to the changing image of women in Italy. I also used databases from JSTOR and the University of Washington libraries. I conducted interviews with three Italian women to whom I was introduced by my professors, Julie Villegas and Manka Varghese. My first interview was with Anna Galdo, a supervisor at Caritas. Caritas is a migrants’ counseling center in located in Rome that offers services to immigrants – job placement, language classes, housing programs, etc. My next interview was with Aurora Santoro, an Italian language professor who lives and works in Rome. Lastly, I interviewed Anita Joshi, an Italian woman who works for Internationale, a European magazine in Italy.

Literature Review/Findings

Traditional Roles vs. Modern Roles of Italian Women

Traditional roles of Italian women focus primarily on being a homemaker and a mother. According to an article from the BBC, “Traditional society in Italy was typically Mediterranean in the sense that Italian society was very patriarchal. Up until the 20th century, most women in Italy were not educated and were not expected to follow any vocation in life other than being a wife and rearing children (4).” Traditional values such as these are still held today by many Italians, especially those from older generations. Yet, in present day Italy it is difficult for men and women to maintain these traditional roles for several reasons, the most prominent being money and ever-changing societal values. Most young Italians want to work outside the home, attend college, and wait to get married or have children.

In an article titled “Italian Women Shun 'Mamma' Role” from BBC News, a woman is interviewed about the modern attitude of women in Italy. Laura Callura, the interviewee, states that “Many single women work hard to avoid the responsibilities of childcare. An increasing proportion of educated women no longer want to be just mothers and wives (5).” In fact, the college graduation rate for women in Italy has doubled over the last 20 years and just over the last decade the percentage of women in the workforce has gone from 22% to 47% (5). “Women's traditional role of wife and mother is no longer appealing, and young housewives perceive their situation more as a necessity than as a choice – working mothers declare themselves more satisfied than housewives and mothers” (5). Modern roles of women are different in the South than in the Northern part of Italy. Women in the South typically maintain more traditional roles because there are less job opportunities (5). All over Italy, however, one traditional roles that is still held for both men and women is living at home for a very long time. Laura Callura adds, "I lived with my parents until I was 29, most of my friends stayed with their parents until they were married (5).”

Low Birth Rates

Italy has one of the lowest birth rates in the Western world, according to BBC statistics. The Italian population is getting older and growing smaller by the day. With one in five Italians over age 65 and the fertility rate at 1.33 children per woman, it is estimated that by the year 2050, there will be 14 million less Italians (5). In the article “Social Viagra: Reproducing Boundaries, Social Cohesion, and Modernity in Italy” by Krause and Marchesi, the “demographic emergency” is discussed. There are several reasons behind the low birth rate in Italy. The increasing numbers of women attending university and joining the workforce is one reason but there are several more explanations, which are highlighted in Krause and Marchesi's article. Men not helping around the house with chores and childcare is another reason behind the low birth rate in Italy. However, the most prominent reason, according to Krause and Marchesi, is the inability to afford having a family (6).

Silvio Berlusconi

In a recent article from The Telegraph titled “Silvio Berlusconi Faces Nation's Women as a Million Protesters take to Streets” the scandal surrounding Silvio Berlusconi and the anger from Italian women is discussed. Silvio Berlusconi has been charged with having sex with a minor and abusing his privileges as a government official. The specific rally being highlighted in this article took place on 13 February 2011 and the aim of the rally was for women to protest how their dignity and the image of the country had been offended by the media tycoon’s obsession with young girls (7). At this particular rally women could be seen dressed as nuns and prostitutes waving banners saying “Berlusconi resign now” and “No prostitutes, no Madonnas, just women” (7). On this day in Italy over 200 cities nationwide voiced their disgust towards Berlusconi. The largest rallies were held in Milan, Genoa, Naples, Bari, and Rome. Rome, hosting the largest rally of all, hosted a gathering of thousands in Piazza del Popolo.

Women Fighting Back

The recent scandal involving Silvio Berlusconi has triggered a massive uproar from women's rights organizations all over Italy. “If Not Now, When?” is the largest women's rights organization in Italy and is a major leader in the fight for change. A recent article in The Guardian titled “Fighting Back Against Berlusconi” discusses an interview with Valeria Fedeli, one of the head coordinators of “If Not Now, When?”. Fedeli explains that “If Not Now, When?” is “A massive organization that protests against sexism and is designed to express the frustration of Italian women who are asking what it will take for Mr. Berlusconi to resign” (1). She goes on to explain that “The women proclaim 'If not now, when?' in regards to very sexualized and sexist (macho) environment of Italy, specifically, the attitude and activities of Berlusconi which is deemed to encourage underage prostitution. Berlusconi is also accused of abuse of power as he used his influence to get the girl in question out of police custody when she was detained (for theft). The organization “If Not Now, When?” is being discussed in the media as one of the most prominent movements at this time.

Discussion

In my opinion, the changing of traditional gender roles and the low birth rate in Italy makes sense for several reasons. First, increasing numbers of women are graduating college and becoming professionals than ever before. Therefore, if they are going to have a child, it will most likely be later in life after they have worked for several years, saved money, and are comfortable leaving their career. It is almost necessary for Italian women to leave their job after having a child because there is very little childcare available, private or public, and husbands commonly do not help out much at home. According to Aurora Santoro, an Italian professor in Rome, “Women are tired of putting up with men not working at home and leaving them to do all the chores and take care of the children, so, they have stopped getting themselves in that situation and work outside the home.” However, the most common reason for not having children in Italy is insufficient income and simply not being able to afford having a family. Once a couple has a child, there is only one source of income and many families cannot live on that alone. Also, it is often very difficult for a woman to return to work after having a child because of childcare options and because they become less attractive to employers. Employers fear that hiring a newly wed or a woman with a young child will affect her work and hours in the office. “Employers fear that newly weds will soon become mothers and that mothers will request too much time off to stay home caring for their child,” says Anna Galdo from Caritas. 

One specific comment that came up numerous times up in each of my interviews is that women want to work. It is very hard for a woman to have children in Italy because, unlike other European countries, they get very little paid time off. The government is knowledgeable of this concern and the effect it is having on the birth rate in Italy. The government has started trying incentives to entice women to have children. In 2003, Roberto Marconi, the labor and welfare minister in Silvio Berlusconi's administration, began a trend of offering 1,000 euros to any woman who gave birth to a second child (8). This incentive worked relatively well and nearly 190,000 women in Italy decided to have a second child. Due to the success of the cash incentive, Maroni decided to offer women 1,000 euros for having one child. The success of the incentive was not long-lived, however, and birth rates continued, again, to decline. As a result, Marconi decided to offer women 10,000 euro over a 5 year period for each additional child they had (8). This effort from Marconi did not prove to be very successful, therefore, the government decided to go out and survey women to find out what incentives needed to be provided by the government in order to raise the birth rate in Italy. In an interview with Aurora Santoro, she mentioned that she had heard of the government conducting a survey of this type and she believes that many women would respond with demands of a system similar to that of so many other European countries – more paid time off and more government-paid childcare options available. 

One aspect that I found particularity surprising was the lack of knowledge held by the average Italian man or woman who I spoke with on the street or in a cafe regarding this topic. In several interviews I conducted with local Italians, both men and women, when I asked about women in the workforce or the gender wage gap, or women's rights, most would not understand what I was talking about. Time and time again I would receive the same response, “of course women work, or course men and women are paid the same, women and men are treated the same.” This common response, I deduce, most likely has to do with the demographic of my interviewees – restaurant owners, sales clerks, musicians, and bartenders. There is in fact a gender wage gap in Italy but it is not common in every profession. According to a journal article by Bianca Beccalli, “Women working white-collar jobs are paid the same wage as their male counterparts but women working in manual labor are paid 1/3 less than men” (2). After several interviews with Italians I realized that the only way to get a strong response regarding the women's movement was to bring up Silvio Berlusconi. 

I caught news of the Berlusconi scandal shortly after arriving in Rome. The case in question involves Nicole Minetti, Berlusconi's former dental hygienist and current member of his government. She is accused of “pimping” for Berlusconi and organizing "bunga-bunga" sex parties; and, of course, Ruby Rubacuori, the underage woman he allegedly paid for sex (1). Women are outraged by Berlusconi's behavior and deeply ashamed of how his actions are affecting Italy and the Italian people, especially Italian women. Several times during my time in Italy I was approached by women (on the bus, on the train, even on the street) explaining that Italians are embarrassed by Berlusconi, “Please do not think of him as the face of Italy.” Women are also ashamed that young Italian women are using their bodies to make a living from attracting Berlusconi's attention. Italian women want this to end immediately and are pushing for change as well as reaching out to young women to let them know that they can do more with their lives. Flavia Perina, editor of the Secolo d'Italia, stated in a recent article that “In the beginning, women were the hardcore Berlusconi voters, he was a seductive leader but now people understand that the gallantry was hollow. He has said too many things against women."

Lorella Zanardo, from CBC Radio, states that “For some Italian women, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's sex scandal represents a tipping point. Time for women to rise up against a long standing culture of sexism...something that has been perpetuated by years of hyper-sexualized images on Italian television. And since Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi owns three national television stations... some lay much of the blame on him” (9). This goes right along with a conversation I had with Anita Joshi: I asked her for her opinion regarding Berlusconi and his ownership of the main broadcasting systems and whether or not she felt advertising had been affected by his control? She responded by saying that “The media has been the same for many years, however, the recent scandals involving Berlusconi has changed the attention that is being given to the subject matter and has become an embarrassment to the country.”

As a result of Berlusconi's recent behavior, the men and women of Italy have begun to act. Marches and rallies have been taking place all over the country since the beginning of this year. As I previously discussed, Berlusconi has been treating women with disrespect and using the media to materialize females for many years, yet, until recently, little attention had been given to the issue. So why did it take women so long to act on this? Fedeli (“If Not Now, When?”) believes that “women have been anticipating for this movement for many years, they were just waiting for someone to lead them." According to an article in The Guardian, many Italians believe what is currently happening with the women's movement could turn into a cultural revolution in Italy.

Conclusion/Recommendations/Limitations/Benefits

I encountered several limitations while researching this topic. First, it was difficult to find recent scholarly articles about women in modern Italy. The majority of information I found was from the 1980's or early 1990's. This was difficult for me because the aim for my research is to discuss women and the women's movement in modern day Italy. In the future I plan to revisit this topic and hope to find scholarly research articles discussing the cultural revolution that is presently taking place in Italy. I would also like to find more information regarding sociological theories behind the changing identity of women in Italy. 

 

On Tuesday, 8 March 2011, I attended a women's rally in Campo di Fiore. 8 March is women's day and the Campo was full of dancing women dressed in costumes and a truck playing loud music. I wish I would have been able to u understand what they were saying over their megaphone. My inability to speak Italian, I feel, limited my ability to truly understand everything there was to grasp about the women's movement. I wish I could have understood their passionate words of hope.

There are several benefits to researching this topic, as well. The biggest benefit I received from my research is that everything I have discussed here is currently taking place in Italy. I read several excellent articles with up-to-date information regarding the women's movement in Italy. Another unique benefit I received from doing this research is having been fortunate enough to be in Italy during this current time of women's action and being able to experience it firsthand. 

 

I am a strong supporter of women's rights organizations and strongly feel that “If Not Now, When?” is making excellent progress towards changing the lives of women in Italy. It's an exciting time to be a woman in Italy. The women's movement in Italy has a lot of power behind it and I foresee a very positive future for Italian women.

Works Cited

1. Arie, Sophie. "Fighting Back against Berlusconi: Italian Women Take to the Streets." The Guardian. 18 Feb. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/18/fighting-back-against-berlusconi-italian-women>.

2. Beccalli, Bianca. "The Modern Women's Movement in Italy." New Left Review A.8 (1994). JSTOR. Web. 12 Mar. 2011.

3. Fantone, Laura. "Precarious Changes: Gender and Generational Politics in Contemporary Italy." Feminist Review 87.1 (2007): 5-20. JSTOR. Web. 19 Mar. 2011.

4. "Italian Women Hold Anti-Berlusconi Demonstrations." BBC News. 13 Feb. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12442833>.

5. "Italian Women Shun 'mamma' Role." BBC News. 27 Mar. 2006. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4739154.stm>.

6. Krause, Elizabeth L., and Milena Marchesi. "Fertility Politics as "Social Viagra": Reproducing Boundaries, Social Cohesion, and Modernity in Italy." American Anthropologist 109.2 (2007): 350-62. JSTOR. Web. 16 Mar. 2011.

7. Pisa, Nick. "Silvio Berlusconi Faces Nation's Women as a Million Protesters Take to Streets - Telegraph." Telegraph.co.uk. 13 Feb. 2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/8321866/Silvio-Berlusconi-faces-nations-women-as-a-million-protesters-take-to-streets.html>.

8. Push Journal. "Italy’s Birth Rate Is The Second Lowest in the Western World." Doki.NET. 19 Apr. 2004. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.doki.net/tarsasag/novedelem/upload/novedelem/document/birth_rate_in_Italy.htm>.

9. "Women's Rights in Italy." CBC.ca. 18 Feb. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2011.

            <http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/news-promo/2011/02/18/womens-rights-in-italy/>.

Interviews
A. Galdo (communication via email, 4 March 2011)
A. Joshi (communication via email, 6 March 2011)
A. Santoro (personal communication, 3 March 2011)

Assignment 7

Since the beginning of the quarter my idea of who/what is Italian has drastically changed. The idea of what is considered Italian is a socially constructed concept developed by individuals living in Italian society. This concept is fluid and constantly changing. It is affected by many things including immigration, education, language, and the church.

Italy is a very hard country to prosper within if you are an immigrant. Italians are very concerned with preserving the 'true Italy' – working with Italians, speaking only Italian, marrying only Italians, living in Italian neighborhoods, attending Italian, Roman Catholic Churches and so on. I have discussed the concept of Italian identity with several of our guest speakers and local Italians as well. When I ask about what/who society considers Italian, the answer is usually the same: a person is Italian if at least one of their parents is Italian – it does not matter where the person is born. Italy is a popular destination for refugees and immigrants because its relatively lax borders and many end up staying in Italy to make a better life for themselves and their families. They come here, have children, learn the language, adopt the culture and assimilate; yet, they, or their children, will most likely never gain citizenship, land a well-paying job (usually reserved for Italians), or be seen as Italian. This is the never ending, vicious cycle of immigration in Italy.

The Roma, for instance, have been in Italy for over 500 years but are not seen as Italian. Over the last decade, however, immigrants have come together and formed organizations who work to combat these issues. G2 is an example of one of these organizations. G2 is made up of immigrants – some were born in Italy, some came as children. The two men who came to talk with us, Ezequial and Alpha shared their struggles with us and explained how difficult it is to gain citizenship in Italy.

Ezequial was born in Argentina and came to Italy when he was three years old. He is fair skinned so many people say “Wow, you were born in Argentina? You speak Italian so well!” His response is always the same, “Well, I am Italian. I've been speaking Italian my entire life.” In the beginning of the quarter we conducted interviews with Italians regarding their opinion on immigrants and immigration. A common response when asked about immigrants was that they were a burden because they don't speak Italian. This is apparently one of the biggest issues with Italians accepting immigrants.

Alpha, also from G2, told a similar story but instead of his birth place, he is often judged by his skin color. His parents are from Senegal but he was born here in Italy. When asked where he is from, he says “Italy,” of course, the person commonly responds with “no, I mean where are you from??” This is painful for individuals like Alpha and Ezequial because they have lived in Italy their entire lives – there is no other country where they call home. Italy is where they most identify with, it is who they are, it is the language that they speak, is it a place that they love; yet, this place does not love them back.

Education and the concept of youth is another social construct affecting Italian identity. The education system here in Italy is very different than any I have learned about before. The method of teaching, the lack of technology, and especially the separation of Italian children and immigrant children into different classrooms as sometimes even different schools. The school we went to visit near Piazza Vittorio, for example, is attended primarily by immigrant children. Iqubal Masih, on the other hand, is a mix of immigrants and Italian children – which is how it should be, according to Italian law. In the discussion we had with Anna from Caritas, she explained to us that in Italy, classrooms are not allowed to have more than 30% immigrant students. Having studied the Civil Rights movement, this is scary to me – except here it isn't separate but equal, it is just separate. Immigrants and Italians are rarely, if ever, seen as equal in society. Keeping native Italian students and immigrant students separate in schools maintains the concept that immigrants are different and should be treated differently. This something, I feel, influences Italian identity.

This separation in schools maintains the system of social stratification in Italy for many reasons; specifically because of the language barrier. When children come to Italy with their parents at a young age and begin school there are very few resources to help them learn the language. They instantly fall behind the Italian students; therefore, reinforcing the stereotype that immigrants are less intelligent than Italian students. Some schools have Italian second language programs but because of budget cuts, many of these programs have been taken away. According to Anna, “children who come to Italy in their teens fall so far behind because they do not speak the language that they sometimes cannot recover because there are no Italian second language programs found in high schools.”

The church is also an influential factor of Italian identity. “All Italians are Roman Catholic. Period.” this is the mentality of many Italians according to Roberto from ArciGay, “There are just some things that all Italians do: the church, the language, the food, the family, the culture. You do not know these things unless you are raised with them. It is not the same if you adopt them later in life – “True Italians have lives this way their entire lives, it's in their blood.” I understand where Roberto is coming from but there are many immigrants who come to Italy who were raised Catholic, willing to adopt Italian culture and assimilate. Italians are a tough crowd!

Italian identity is changing and progressing, just slower than other countries. To me, it is impossible to answer the question “who/what is Italian,” just as it is impossible to answer the questions”what/who is youth.” The answer will always depend on who you are asking. In my opinion, one way to look at this is to see it as two Italys – traditional and modern. Traditional has to do with the food, the ruins, church and antiquity. Modern Italy has to do with food, language, youth making a comeback and becoming progressive, fertility, church, immigration, education and the many different colors of Italy. This is what Italy has become, without these influences, Italy and Italian identity would not be as it is today. And today, I like Italy!

 

Readings

“Return”

The narrators critical moment is when she physically crosses the boarder into Cambodia. “On foot, we crossed the boarder and I mentally went and kissed the little sign in Cambodian Khmer Land. My eyes filled with tears, I took a fistful of Earth and I out it in my pocket, my earth (29).” By physically crossing this boarder she crossed an emotional threshold as well. She is finally in a place that she has come to recognize as her home and physically becoming part of it has created her critical incident.

“Give Me Back My Coat”

The narrator of this short story I obsessed with suicide. He considers all the different possible ways he could die, and yet manages to talk himself out of each one. He finds a reason or detain within each method that deters him and forces him to find another possible method. Finally, he creates the perfect scenario. However, it is foiled by “you.” When his perfect idea is foiled, it torments him internally: “I was even more distressed that before. I struggled to open the door to the house and then double-bolted it. I felt like the loneliest person in the world, swollen everywhere, without a coat, or anything of value. I couldn't kill myself in that state. It would have been wrong. You have to take stock of reality (43).” Since his plan could not be carried out he is left, trapped in his mind, to think of the chaos “you” created.

“Light Beer and Peanuts”

Color is very important to the narrator. It is something she struggles with in Italy and India. It seems as though she in unable to fit in anywhere and resorts to the use of products to camouflage her appearance. Her mother buys her “anti-wrinkle cream for her face, and firming cream for her body, a jar of cellulite cream and conditioner, a horse-hair glove for bathing, eye cream, dental whitening powder, and some other potions that would be lined up under the bathroom mirror or piled up on the pink vanity in the pink bathroom...(52).” After she buys into this 'look' she realized that her being natural may be the best option even though she concludes with “You can't say being natural is always the best look (53).”

“The B-Line”

he narrator begins discussing all of the words that have died inside of her. Her own thoughts are trapped by the words of the metro, symbolizing how her culture and background is trapped by the new society that she has entered. She never seems to have a critical point or incident but one can see her internal turmoil at its peak when she says “The words inside assail me like flashes, sudden musical chords or like something that snaps (54).” even though it is seen how deep her internal struggle is, she remains wordless, trapped still by the society that is not hers.

“The Beggar”

I found the interesting theme of word-loss as connected with the authors story “The B-Line” to be particularly interesting. His fascination with all words and rejection of some indicate that the words for the beggar have more weight and volume than the paper they are written on. This is most clearly defined with the word absence: “The poet fit ABSENCE into his box – and what a strange thing! It took up more space than UNCONSTITUTIONALLY (63).” His box is saturated with words but he has to sleep in order to use them. This reflects his relationship to society and that he is disconnected and cannot fully participate because a barrier has been created between him and society.

Art Project

  This painting portrays emotion. Each word is something I have felt since being here in Italy. This experience has taught me so much about myself, others, and life in general. In the beginning of the quarter we were 15 separate objects moving in different directions, trying to piece together a common picture. That picture has now been painted.

  The rainbow symbolizes happiness – my happiness for being here in Italy and for making friends that I know I will have forever. The different colors of the rainbow represent the different cultures, religion, personalities and backgrounds of the group, flowing together in beautiful harmony.

  Under the rainbow there are the Hawaiian islands, on the right there is the word 'Kwajalein' and on the left 'Seattle.' I wrote these words because I am torn with where I identify with the most. I was raised for 10 years, until I was 18, on the beautiful island of Kwajalein, yet, I will most likely never move back to the Marshall Islands. I most recently moved to the states from Hawaii and all of my family lives in Maui. However, my home for right now, and where I am happy, where I have friends, where I have a job, is in Seattle.

Assignment 6 (Rione: Monti)

Today Souvonnah, Gina and I went to check out out riones. Mine and Souvonnahs rione is Monti. Monti is pretty close to the Colosseum so we were familiar with the area and knew where we were going, which was nice. After visiting Gina's rione in Testaccio, and doing a little shopping, we caught the bus to Monti. However, we accidentally got on the wrong bus so it ended up taking us quite a while to get to Monti, which was ok with me because I took advantage of the long bus ride and had a great nap! When we got off the bus by the Colosseum it was getting a little dark so we decided to walk for a while and see if we happened to come upon any inviting local bars where we could grab a drink and talk with Italians and/or tourists.

It didn't take long to find an inviting place: The Colosseo Wine Bar. The bar was pretty empty, seeing as it was early evening and Italians tend to eat late, but it looked warm and welcoming so we went in. We could see from the outside that a young woman was working here and I was particularly interested in hearing a young Italians perspective of life in Monti. Up to this point, the majority of people I had interviewed in Italy were older so I thought this was a great opportunity to speak with someone who was around the same age as me. She greeted us with great friendliness and helped us choose a bottle of red wine. She asked us where we were from and we began talking about living and studying in Rome. She spoke English well and this opened up a chance for us to begin our interview. She said she had been living in Monti with her parents for a long time and had been working at the wine bar for 6 years. She went on to tell us about how Monti is a hip part of town with good clubs, restaurants, and lots to do.

After we each had a glass of wine, hunger set in. To our dismay, the woman told is they they did not serve food until 7 but she could serve us some chips – we eagerly accepted. She brought corn nuts and potato chips that really hit the spot!

While we were munching away, two gentlemen came in and sat down at a table near us. They had thick English accents and we figured they were tourists. They looked friendly, so we began talking with them. The men said that they had just arrived in Rome and were here to visit with some old friends. The men asked us where we liked to go out, where we didn't like to go out, and how to get to Trastevere. They were in luck, seeing as I live in Trastevere and know how to get there on the bus. We gave them great directions and it felt good to be helping people, just as we needed to be helped when we first got to Rome. They said they had arrived at the wine bar after leaving termini and not knowing which bus to take, then they saw the Colosseum and decided to get off and walk around. They did not know anything about Monti except that they liked everything about it so far!

Our experience today in Monti, I feel, was relatively atypical. I feel this way because for one, it is rare to find someone who is young and works and lives in the same rione, and second because not all tourists get a chance to have an engaging conversation a local Italian. This experience left me with a few questions that I wish I would have asked at the wine bar – what is the demographic of Monti residents? How old is the average resident? Is it very expensive to live in Monti – so close to the Colosseum? Because Monti is relatively touristy, do the Italian residents living here feel as “Italian” as Italians living farther away from the tourism? Do residents of Monti mind the tourists more or less than Italians living outside of Rome? Are they just used to it? Why do they live in Monti? Do the majority of residents in this area rent or own their homes?

Today was a blast, we had an excellent time hanging out together and are very happy with our assigned rione!