Italy Today

by Andrea Mammone (Editor), Giuseppe A. Veltri (Editor)

Italy Today represents one of the most comprehensive examinations of contemporary Italy. It is a provocative and an innovative collection that aims to highlight the current ‘crisis’ of the country through an analysis of several different ‘dark shadows’ of contemporary Italian society. Italy already had a long history of ‘unsolved’ issues, several chronic problems and contradictions that have been ignored for a very long time, during which they have assumed dramatic proportions and gravity. The peninsula has now become the ‘Sick Man of Europe’, a country facing a veritable decline also caused by apparent incapacity and difficulties of the ruling economic, political and social elites. Discussions Written by leading experts in the field and covering a wide range of topics, this collection is essential reading for all those seeking to understand the issues and problems that are facing contemporary Italy.

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Jane S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a strong fondness and affinity for Italy as I spent some time there years back. As such, I still bear fond memories of the life, culture and people there that is more than a little tinged by nostalgia. Reading this book saddened me somewhat as the social, political and civic issues faced in modern Italy has been a long time in coming and yet they seemingly have not been well-addressed by their politicians or government.

More alarming to me is the rising specter of incipient and institutionalized racism and xenophobia toward migrants; I'd encountered instances of racism during my time there and throughout my travels in the peninsula as a student and tourist but never of the violent or threatening variety, and in all fairness, it was no different than the variety I experienced when living in the UK. It makes me apprehensive to think that if Italy - for long a tolerant place could change so much in this way, how much more would the rest of Europe feel when I visit again?

[Alfiero Santarelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book dates back to 2010 with studies from 2007-2009 and it's impressive to see prophecies that were fulfilled within years. It does a great job in providing analytical insights into modern Italy's weaknesses, from its political stagnation to social underdevelopment, the influence of a misinterpreted Catholic doctrine and the underlying power of mafias, down until the evident bias of mass media.
It's not just Berlusconi, it was not just Berlusconi. And we still can see this today.