Speaker: Carmelo Galati, Assistant Professor of Italian, Temple University
A prevalent theme in early literature describing immigrant experiences focuses on assimilation and identity. Often, the reader is introduced to a protagonist that struggles with the contradictions between the beliefs and traditions of the old world and those of the new. The struggle of identity, however, is no longer limited to assimilation as it also highlights themes of race, gender, and sexuality.
Join the Historical Society of Philadelphia and Dr. Carmelo Galati for a discussion exploring sexual identity in literature and media, with a particular emphasis on the concept of masculinity in the Italian American community. Case studies will include Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Robert Ferro’s The Family of Max Desir, Felice Picano’s Ambidextrous: The Secret Lives of Children, Peter Covino’s “The Poverty of Language”, David Chase’s The Sopranos, Andy Cohen’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and Tina Fey’s The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Register Now
Breaking the Code of Omertà: Sexual Identity in the Italian American Community
College of Liberal Arts