A Female Activist Elite in Italy (1890–1920) : Its International Network and Legacy

This book explores and traces the progressive activism and radical ideas of several elite women in Italy beginning in the early 20th century. It discusses the shared political culture that shaped the thinking and the activity of these women, mainly oriented towards political philanthropy and work, seen as the cornerstone of a comprehensive redefinition of gender relations. It also discusses the connections linking them to an international network of women involved in similar political actions and economic initiatives addressing womens' interests, as well as their legacy for the next generations. With essays from a range of scholars, this book provides an interdisciplinary framework for understanding these activists and deals with methodological and historiographical issues in reconstructing womens contribution to history. Elena Laurenzi is Professor of the History of Political Thought in the Department of History, University of Salento (Lecce, Italy) and Visiting Professor at the University of Barcelona (UB, Spain). Manuela Mosca is Full Professor of the History of Economic Thought in the Department of Economics, University of Salento (Lecce, Italy) and Visiting Professor at the University of Bologna (Italy) Contents 5 Notes on Contributors 7 1 The Political Philanthropy of the Female Elites 9 1.1 Female Activist Elites 9 1.2 The International Network: A New Methodological Approach 12 1.3 The Legacy 14 1.4 Political Philanthropy 15 1.5 The Italian Female Industries 17 1.6 Practical Feminism 21 1.7 The Contributions 25 1.8 Our Aims 30 References 31 Part I A Women’s Network in Early 20th Century Italy 36 2 Harriet Lathrop Dunham alias Etta de Viti de Marco 37 2.1 Introduction 37 2.2 The Origins 38 2.3 Antonio de Viti de Marco 39 2.4 The Marriage 41 2.5 Culture and Patronage 42 2.6 Social Commitment and Philanthropy 47 2.7 The Mobilisation of the Liberals 49 2.8 Democracy, Free Trade and Civil Progress 55 2.9 After the Great War 57 2.10 Conclusion 59 References 60 3 Alice Hallgarten Franchetti: A Woman Beyond Barriers 64 3.1 Introduction 64 3.2 Family History 65 3.3 Life with Leopoldo Franchetti 68 3.4 Social Welfare Activities 74 3.5 Traditional Female Works Between Weaving, Embroidery and Emancipation 76 3.6 Promotion of Canvases and Laces 81 3.7 The Franchetti Vocational School for Women 84 3.8 The Franchetti Schools 86 3.9 Conclusion 93 References 93 4 Cora Slocomb Savorgnan di Brazzà: An Artisan of Peace and Social Justice 98 4.1 Introduction 98 4.2 The Lace Schools 100 4.3 Business and Marketing 103 4.4 Multiple Groundbreaking Activities 114 4.5 Seven Rules of Harmony 115 4.6 Against the Death Penalty 120 4.7 The Flag of Peace 121 4.8 Conclusion 128 Appendix: Timeline of the life of Cora Slocomb Savorgnan di Brazzà 129 References 133 Part II From Generation to Generation: A Case Study 135 5 Harriet Luthrop Dunham and Carolina de Viti de Marco: Emancipation Through Lacemaking 136 5.1 Introduction 136 5.2 The Political Philanthropy of Etta de Viti de Marco 137 5.3 The Italian Female Industries 139 5.4 Carolina de Viti de Marco: Freedom Gained 142 5.5 The Casamassella School: A Groundbreaking Project 147 5.6 A Modern Approach to Women’s Professional Training 149 References 153 6 The Second Generation: The Transmission of the Philosophy of Work and Assistance 156 6.1 Introduction 156 6.2 From Casamassella to Koppies. The Internationalisation of a Model 157 6.3 Giulia Starace’s Welfare Work and Its Sources in Catholic Modernism 161 6.4 The Steiner Community of Lucia de Viti de Marco 166 6.5 Giulia and Lucia’s Project: A Utopian Passion 171 References 175 7 The Present-Day Heritage 178 7.1 Introduction 178 7.2 From Past to Present 179 7.3 The Living Space of a Community 183 7.4 Reflections on What Is Transmitted 186 References 190 Part III Arts, Politics and Transmission: Methodological and Historiographical Considerations 192 8 The Signs of an Art 193 8.1 ‘Good Work’ and the Art of Democratic Happiness 193 8.2 A New Art 197 8.3 Tracing the Signs of a Defeated Art 199 8.4 The Signs of Political Work: The Art of Composing a Life 202 8.5 Popular Art, Socialist Art, Arts and Crafts 203 8.6 A Landscape as a Finely Woven Lace 205 References 207 9 Female Biographies and Family History: An Approach to Social and Political History 209 9.1 Introduction 209 9.2 Individuals and Citizens: The Contribution of Family History and Biography to Women’s Political History 212 9.3 Backwardness/Development, Tradition/Modernity: Philanthropy and the Origin of the Welfare State 218 9.4 History and Memory 223 References 225 10 A Feminine and Feminist Story of Transmission 229 10.1 Introduction 229 10.2 Reflections on Exclusion from the Canon 232 10.2.1 Non-Existence or a Lack of Tradition? 232 10.2.2 The Introduction of Women as an Anomaly or Exception 233 10.2.3 Introducing the Difference 234 10.2.4 Let Them Be 235 10.3 Reflections on the Clues of Female Experiences 236 10.3.1 Recording an Awareness of One’s Own Place and Value: Granting Authority 236 10.3.2 The Evidential Paradigm: Making Sense 238 10.4 Reflections Based on the Idea of a Hidden Tradition 240 10.4.1 A Female Tradition? 240 10.4.2 The Given Tradition and the Reappropriated Tradition 241 10.4.3 A Tradition to Be Created or Reconstructed? 242 References 245 Index 246