(June 22, 2016) Literature, psychology, research and history. “Italian psychology and Jewish emigration under the fascist regime. From Florence to Jerusalem and New York” by Patrizia Gualtieri will be presented on Wednesday June 29 at 18:00 at the Italian Cultural Institute in New York. The event promoted by the ICI New York will be attended by the author, Guido Calabresi and Mary Gibson. Fascism and the 1938 racial laws have radically changed scientific research and the academic community in Italy. Guarnieri focuses on psychology, from its promising origins until the end of World War II. Psychology was marginalised in Italy due to the neoidealistic reaction against science and due to fascism (on the contrary to Nazism), with longstanding consequences. University professors and students were persecuted for being antifascist or Jewish. The history of Italian students forced to leave the country is still embarrassing today. The book follows the story of those students who emigrated to the United States such as the psychologist Renata Calabresi and to Palestine such as Enzo Bonaventura. Guarnieri traces their journey and the help they received from antifascist and Zionist cells and from international organisations. Some Jews were successful while others were not, however only a few turned back. (PO/red)
