Italy Made in Britain: Contemporary British Perspectives on Italian Culture

Giacomo Comiati,Kate Willman,Martina Piperno

doi:10.3828/mlo.v0i0.195

Giacomo Comiati, Kate Willman + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3828/mlo.v0i0.195

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Abstract

This special issue of Modern Languages Open is about how contemporary Britain perceives and imagines Italy, and how it mirrors itself in Italy’s image. It aims at interrogating the current cliches about Italy, showing how imagery about the country is multi-faceted and prismatic, highlighting areas of dialogue as well as tendencies towards stereotyping. It problematizes the images of Italy as it is seen in various layers of British society – from the media, to film, to politics – showing how the construction of the southern European country still corresponds to a horizon of expectations more than to reality. Initially inspired by the one-day conference Italy Made in England, held at the University of Warwick on 22nd February 2014 and funded by the Warwick Humanities Research Centre, this special issue emerges from an ongoing dialogue among a group of scholars whose work focuses on the interaction between Italian and British culture.

Highlights

‘The Italy perceived by the British travellers is – at the least – “half-created” by them
The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Italies of British Travellers. This special issue of Modern Languages Open is about how contemporary Britain perceives and imagines Italy, and how it mirrors itself in Italy’s image
It aims at interrogating the current clichés about Italy, showing how imagery of the country is multifaceted and prismatic, highlighting areas of dialogue as well as tendencies towards stereotyping. It problematises the images of Italy as it is seen in various layers of British society – from the media, to film, to politics – showing how the construction of the southern European country still corresponds to a horizon of expectations more than to reality

Summary

Introduction

‘The Italy perceived by the British travellers is – at the least – “half-created” by them. This special issue of Modern Languages Open is about how contemporary Britain perceives and imagines Italy, and how it mirrors itself in Italy’s image.

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