Papers by Pierluigi Erbaggio
Modern Italy, 2015
Based on Roberto Saviano&... more Based on Roberto Saviano's book Gomorra (2006), production of the TV series Gomorra – La serie (2014) was met with scepticism as many feared it would glamorise organised crime and, consequently, attract young people toward Camorra affiliation. The series' bleak portrayal of criminals and criminality was offered as a response to such concerns. Despite the preoccupations, Gomorra – La serie was hugely successful and, because of its quality, was sold to other countries. In Italy, the series' success can be measured by the popularity of its Twitter hashtag #GomorraLaSerie. Engaged with Henry Jenkins' theories of media convergence and based on a corpus of tweets bearing this official hashtag, this article proposes a quantitative analysis and advances conclusions regarding the Italian TV audience and second-screen viewing practices. Additionally, through a qualitative study of Saviano's tweets about the series, it examines the writer's use of the social media platform as a tool of narrative continuity. Finally, the article highlights a few examples of fan-generated media and concludes with remarks regarding Saviano's problematic position at the centre of a transmedia object.
"Editing Mussolini: Il Duce’s American Biographies on Paper and on Screen, 1922-1936” us... more "Editing Mussolini: Il Duce’s American Biographies on Paper and on Screen, 1922-1936” uses an unexplored corpus of non-fiction texts (including Benito Mussolini’s own English-language editorials and American newsreels), along with published biographies, to argue that, between 1922 and 1936, American media established Mussolini as a political celebrity. In this interdisciplinary study, I position the American response to the Fascist dictator in relationship with prevailing cultural trends regarding biographical narration, personality studies, and oratorical performance. I explain Mussolini’s acclaim by considering it in the context of exemplary biographical experiences and personality traits of representative men of the American financial and political spheres. Il Duce’s biographical tales broadcast the attractive image of an efficient leader and a political model, a modernizer and an essential actor in world politics. Through the analysis of connections between the media and their financial backers, I further suggest that institutions such as J.P. Morgan favored Mussolini’s positive portrayal to profit from their involvement in Italian economy.
TOTalitarian ARTs: The Visual Arts, Fascism(s) and Mass-society, 2017
Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies
Oxford Bibliographies Online Datasets, 2000
Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies
Based on Roberto Saviano's book Gomorra (2006), production of the TV series Gomorra -La serie (20... more Based on Roberto Saviano's book Gomorra (2006), production of the TV series Gomorra -La serie (2014) was met with scepticism as many feared it would glamorise organised crime and, consequently, attract young people toward Camorra affiliation. The series' bleak portrayal of criminals and criminality was offered as a response to such concerns.
Students exposed to authentic materials in the foreign language classroom are better able to proc... more Students exposed to authentic materials in the foreign language classroom are better able to process foreign language input in real-life situations and have a more positive attitude towards learning the foreign culture. However, exposure to authentic materials can also result in reactions of anxiety and frustration on the part of the foreign language learner. By providing access to authentic content online, the pedagogical benefits of the use of authentic material can be maximized, while some of the drawbacks inherent in such use can be mitigated. In this article, we discuss how the use of online technologies offers opportunities to provide access to authentic material that is engaging, appropriate, and affordable. By using the multi-media capabilities of a Course Management System (CMS) to deliver authentic materials online, instructors of French, Italian, and Chinese were able to both positively impact student attitudes toward the subject matter and to design learning and evaluation activities that increased student engagement. We find that using technology to deliver authentic Scarafiotti, C., & Cleveland-Innes, M. (2006). The times they are a-changing.
The Italianist, Jan 1, 2011
Books by Pierluigi Erbaggio
"Editing Mussolini: Il Duce’s American Biographies on Paper and on Screen, 1922-1936” uses an une... more "Editing Mussolini: Il Duce’s American Biographies on Paper and on Screen, 1922-1936” uses an unexplored corpus of non-fiction texts (including Benito Mussolini’s own English-language editorials and American newsreels), along with published biographies, to argue that, between 1922 and 1936, American media established Mussolini as a political celebrity. In this interdisciplinary study, I position the American response to the Fascist dictator in relationship with prevailing cultural trends regarding biographical narration, personality studies, and oratorical performance. I explain Mussolini’s acclaim by considering it in the context of exemplary biographical experiences and personality traits of representative men of the American financial and political spheres. Il Duce’s biographical tales broadcast the attractive image of an efficient leader and a political model, a modernizer and an essential actor in world politics. Through the analysis of connections between the media and their financial backers, I further suggest that institutions such as J.P. Morgan favored Mussolini’s positive portrayal to profit from their involvement in Italian economy.
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Papers by Pierluigi Erbaggio
Books by Pierluigi Erbaggio