CFP: Calandra Italian American Institute’s Eco Italie Conference

Calandra Italian American Institute is taking submissions for their conference, “Eco Italie: Material Landscapes and Environmental Imaginaries,” taking place on April 28–30, 2022. This interdisciplinary conference builds on the growing scholarship analyzing Italian histories and cultures from the perspective of the environmental humanities, the environmental histories of Italian migrations, and the ecological dimensions of Italian colonialism and Fascist imperialism. 

Italians operating under diverse historical conditions within the national borders and beyond have participated in varied roles and perspectives in transforming the global environment. The conference is open to a wide range of topics concerning the environment, broadly understood, from backyard gardening practices to industrial farming, from Fascist-era agricultural projects to the dumping of toxic waste by perpetrators of organized crime. At the forefront of this scholarly encounter is the dire global climate crisis and the science, activism, and everyday cultural shifts involved in preventing a future catastrophe. 

As in the past, the 2022 Calandra Institute conference proposes a transnational and inclusive approach to Italy and Italian mobilities, including inhabitants of the nation-state, members of the diaspora, current immigrants in Italy and their descendants, and former colonial subjects. Deadline for submissions is September 20, 2021. Inquiries should be addressed at [email protected]. For more information, visit the Calandra Italian American Institute.