Critical Made in Italy

This new series, designed by the Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies, focuses on the relevance of the Made in Italy in today's world. The fact that the Made in Italy is the third most popular brand in the world after Coca Cola and Visa - as an unverified yet much quoted source on the Internet claims - speaks to the unrivaled role of Italian products in the current market, and 

especially in the Tri-State area of the United States, as embodiments of good taste. Yet, the concept of the Made in Italy and the practices attached to it go well beyond the manufacturing, distribution and consumption of products within an economic perspective. The Made in Italy brand can be understood as a complex network of values, traditions, skills, and images that tell us about the country’s national identity as much as they tell us about how it is forged in the perception of the Made in Italy abroad.

Inspired by a 2016 collection of essays edited by Daniele Balicco - Made in Italy and Culture - this series of panels aims at offering a critical take on this fascinating concept, which embraces anthropological, aesthetic, and socio-political considerations. In foregrounding the complex interplay between symbolic and practical issues such as quality, creativity, passion, emotion, technological innovation, artisanal abilities, elegance, beauty, and well-being as quintessential elements of the Italian lifestyle, the series will show how the Made in Italy is effectively acting as a counterpoint to the hegemony of increasing global standardization, thanks to and despite the intrinsically fragmented nature of the country’s culture and entrepreneurial spirit.    

The series starts with two panels in the academic year 2016-17 devoted to design and food respectively. They will both feature Daniele Balicco and a second speaker active in the specific field covered by the panel. The first panel was developed in line with the celebration of Italian language and culture that takes place every October worldwide as part of an Italian government’s initiative: its 2016 edition focuses on design and creativity.