This
conference will focus on research in the fields of oral history,
local history, ethnography, and oral tradition, as they pertain
to Italians in America, and will consider: research methodologies,
applications, and their sites (academia, community, public sector).
Proposed themes:
1) Oral history research and Italians in America: methodologies
and applications
2) Ethnography, oral tradition, and its sites: academia, community,
public sector
3) Italians in Southern California: local history, institutions,
organizations, community life, special projects, etc.
4) Any topic in the area of Italian/American studies
Panel sessions preferred: While participants may submit individual
paper proposals, panel sessions are especially welcome.
Please consider some of these Organizing Committee’s suggested
panel topics:
:: John Fante and
other southern California writers
:: Oral History and
Ethnic Literature
:: Italian folk art
sites and artists (e.g., Sam Rodia and the Watts towers, Baldassare
Forestiere and the Underground Gardens of Fresno)
:: Italian Americana
on display: patron saint feast days, Columbus celebrations, and
heritage festivals
:: Folk art sensibilities
in children’s literature (e.g., Leo Politi, Tomie de Paola)
:: The Italian folk
music revival in the U.S. (e.g., the legacy of Alessandra Belloni
and I Giullari di Piazza; the Salentine pizzica in the U.S)
:: Performing, inventing,
subverting tradition
:: Community documentation
projects
:: Selling Italian
culture in the public sector: festivals, museums, and cultural tourism
:: Personal experience
narrative and the scholar: self-referential ethnography, personal
history, and reflections on the insider/outsider paradigm
To
participate, send Conference
Registration form (including name, affiliation, contact
information, a paper title, short and long abstracts of proposal)
to address below by June 1, 2005. PANEL PROPOSALS
ENCOURAGED. Digital submissions preferred. In addition
to conference theme, we encourage submissions on ALL topics which
touch on Italian American culture.
All participants must be paid up members of AIHA for 2005. Join
online at: www.aiha.fau.edu
Registration may also be sent by regular post by submitting a completed
form as a paper printout. Proposals will be evaluated by the conference
program committee and notification of acceptance will be sent by
early September. N.B. Participants may not give multiple presentations
(but may also serve as chair or discussant to another panel).
“AIHA in LA 2005” Conference Chair:
Luisa Del Giudice, Director,
IOHI – Italian Oral History Institute,
P.O. Box 241553,
Los Angeles, CA 90024-1553 USA
Tel: (310) 474-1698, Fax: (310) 474-3188,
E-mail: luisadg@humnet.ucla.edu,
Web site: www.iohi.org
