The Ambiguity of Violence in the Decade after 1968: A Memoir of "Gli anni di piombo"

Abstract

The Ambiguity of Violence in the Decade after 1968: A Memoir of GH anni di piombo Simonetta Falasca-Zatnponi Dcpartmciit of Socioloiiy iJiiiversity oj California, Santa Barbara In the second half faith in its of the 1970s, Italy experienced yet another crisis of state institutions, in part due to the governnient's inability to rate, particularly provide solutions to the high uneniploynient aniong youth. Mass education, the conquered right of the student niovenient of 1968, appeared to have nierely prolonged the tnne before young nien and wonien began hunting for issue ot a job, rather than resolve the uneniployment. Those tew students mass universities in the who were actually physi- cally attending 1970s (aniong the niany more thoiisands enrolled) future became more and more aware of their problematic 1977 with the interruption of lectures and challenged education from within.The occupation of major took place in universities sites and seminars and the physical expulsion ot professors. 977 was my first year in Rome as a sociology student. Sociology at was not necessarily the only discipline Historically, the Facolta ot Architecture, the vanguard of protests. others, had also pro- among duced the main leaders ot the student movement. But since the originai founders ot the Red Brigades were sociology students at the University of Trento, sociology 's radicalism was an accepted fact m the public this belief. imagination, and sociology students did not wish to disclaim Thus, in the winter of 1977, the Facolta sociology was housed, closed asseniblies di Magistero in Rome, where down and Autonomia Operaia organized Italian sociologist at the time. and protests. The most tamous Franco Ferrarotti, was intimidated and somewhat beaten up, others were threatened, etc. Festivals of'Indiani Metropolitani, the so-called creative wing of the student movement led by Autonomia, replaced scholarly and lectures in the halls of the Facolta and, with dances and songs, presented politicai another side of youth protest: social demands necdcd to .i22 CARTE ITALIANE, VOL.