Anti-Italianism: Essays on a Prejudice (Italian and Italian American Studies)

& Quot;There has been an odd reluctance on the part of historians of the Italian American experience to confront the discrimination faced by Italians and Americans of Italian ancestry. This volume is a bold attempt by an esteemed group of scholars and writers to discuss the question openly by charting the historical and cultural boundaries of stereotypes, prejudice, and assimilation. Contributors offer a continuous series of cultural encounters and experiences in television, literature, and film that deserve the attention of anyone interested in the larger themes of American history"--Provided by publisher "From its bold introduction, through its superb research on racism and intelligence testing, to its intensely challenging concluding essay, this stylish collection is by turns deeply historical, movingly, impressively interdisciplinary, and productively combative. United in their themes, but not outlook, the selections offer constant surprises and much food for thought."--David Roediger, Babcock Professor of History, University of Illinois and author of How Race Survived U.S. History "This is one of those very rare books that narrate an important and forgotten story - the experience of American anti-Italianism - and recount it in a rigorous and touching manner, combining historical, sociological and personal perspectives. Italian-Americans must know this story to be aware of how painful it had been for their parents and their grandparents to be accepted and recognized in America. Italians must know it to learn how painful the discrimination, prejudice and stereotyping they are now too often inflicting on immigrants are."--Maurizio Viroli, Professor of Politics, Princeton University "At first blush, anti-Italianism seems like a comic punchline, the premise of a Sopranos or Jersey Girls episode rather than the subject of a serious book. Yet behind the wisecracks about gangsters and 'Guidos' lay a long and complex history - a history of pervasive exclusion and persistent stereotyping, of defiant bravado and habitual self-deprecation. As the contributors to this path-breaking collection show, the history of anti-Italian prejudice has much to tell us not only about the Italian American experience but also about the past and future of America as a whole."--James T. Campbell, Edgar E. Robinson Professor of United States History, Stanford University and author of Middle Passages: African American Journeys to Africa, 1789-2005 Machine generated contents note: Introduction: Invisible People : Shadows and Light in Italian American Writing / Fred Gardaphe; Darker Aspects of Italian American Prehistory / William J. Connell "Between White Men and Negroes" : The Perception of Southern Italian Immigrants Through the Lens of Italian Lynchings / Peter Vellon "Utterly Faithless Specimens" : Italians in the Catholic Church in America / Peter R. D'Agostino Perversions of Knowledge : Confronting Racist Ideologies Behind Intelligence Testing / Elizabeth G. Messina Frank Sinatra and Notions of Tolerance : The House I Live In / Anthony Julian Tamburri What Luigi Basco Taught America About Italian Americans / Dominic L. Candeloro Affirmative Action for Italian Americans : The City University of New York Story / Joseph V. Scelsa The Changing Roles of Italian American Women : Reality vs. Myth / Susanna Tardi Prejudice and Discrimination : The Italian American Experience Yesterday and Today / Salvatore J. LaGumina "Good Enough" : An Italian American Memoir / Joanne Detore-Nakamura Stereotypes Sell But We're Not For Sale / Gina Valle Shark Tale : Puzza da cap' : An Attempt at Ethnic Activism / Jerome Krase If Defamation Is Serious, Why Don't Italian American Organizations Take It Seriously? / LindaAnn Loschiavo Transacting Guido : Contested Meanings of an Italian American Youth Subculture / Donald Tricarico. cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 7 Contributors 9 Preface 11 Introduction Invisible People: Shadows and Light in Italian American Writing 15 1 Darker Aspects of Italian American Prehistory 25 2 “Between White Men and Negroes”: The Perception of Southern Italian Immigrants Through the Lens of Italian Lynchings 37 3 “Utterly Faithless Specimens”: Italians in the Catholic Church in America 47 4 Perversions of Knowledge: Confronting Racist Ideologies behind Intelligence Testing 54 5 Frank Sinatra and Notions of Tolerance: The House I Live In 79 6 What Luigi Basco Taught America about Italian Americans 88 7 Affirmative Action for Italian Americans: The City University of New York Story 97 8 The Changing Roles of Italian American Women: Reality vs. Myth 104 9 Prejudice and Discrimination: The Italian American Experience Yesterday and Today 115 10 “Good Enough”: An Italian American Memoir 124 11 Stereotypes Sell, But We’re Not for Sale 138 12 Shark Tale—“Puzza da cap’ ”: An Attempt at Ethnic Activism 144 13 If Defamation Is Serious, Why Don’t Italian American Organizations Take It Seriously? 158 14 Narrating Guido: Contested Meanings of an Italian American Youth Subculture 170 Index 207 Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Introduction: Invisible People....Pages 1-10 Darker Aspects of Italian American Prehistory....Pages 11-22 “Between White Men and Negroes”....Pages 23-32 “Utterly Faithless Specimens”....Pages 33-39 Perversions of Knowledge....Pages 41-65 Frank Sinatra and Notions of Tolerance....Pages 67-75 What Luigi Basco Taught America about Italian Americans....Pages 77-85 Affirmative Action for Italian Americans....Pages 87-93 The Changing Roles of Italian American Women....Pages 95-105 Prejudice and Discrimination....Pages 107-115 ”Good Enough”....Pages 117-130 Stereotypes Sell, But We’re Not For Sale....Pages 131-136 Shark Tale—“Puzza da Cap’”....Pages 137-150 If Defamation Is Serious, Why Don’t Italian American Organizations Take It Seriously?....Pages 151-162 Narrating Guido....Pages 163-199 Back Matter....Pages 201-210

There has been an odd reluctance on the part of historians of the Italian American experience to confront the discrimination faced by Italians and Americans of Italian ancestry. This volume is a bold attempt by an esteemed group of scholars and writers to discuss the question openly by charting the historical and cultural boundaries of stereotypes, prejudice, and assimilation. Contributors offer a continuous series of cultural encounters and experiences in television, literature, and film that deserve the attention of anyone interested in the larger themes of American history.    

"There has been an odd reluctance on the part of historians of the Italian American experience to confront the discrimination faced by Italians and Americans of Italian ancestry. This volume is a bold attempt by an esteemed group of scholars and writers to discuss the question openly by charting the historical and cultural boundaries of stereotypes, prejudice, and assimilation. Contributors offer a continuous series of cultural encounters and experiences in television, literature, and film that deserve the attention of anyone interested in the larger themes of American history"-- Provided by publisher