Cara Napoli

Naples and the Nation

This book addresses Naples’ relationship with Italy, since the introduction of direct mayoral election in 1993 and as articulated in cultural production. It deploys theoretical frameworks pertaining to postcolonialism and cultural accentedness to challenge the historical framing of Naples as Italy’s internal ‘other’ and to reposition the city at the very heart of the Italian cultural imaginary. The book showcases the breadth of texts and media addressing the city-nation relationship, analysing less renowned works of journalism, literature, fashion and film alongside celebrated texts such as Roberto Saviano’s Gomorra, Elena Ferrante’s ‘Neapolitan Novels’ and the soap opera Un posto al sole. It highlights how such works contest perceptions of Naples as diverging from a national norm by emphasising the continuities that align the city with the nation. Though developed with the specificities of Naples in mind, the approach is intended as a model for the study of city-nation relations in other cultural contexts.

Reframing Naples

This book tells the story of Naples as a city shaped by migration, creativity, and cultural resistance. It reframes Naples within global conversations about identity, mobility, and belonging, offering a South-centric perspective that challenges dominant narratives. Through personal reflections and a wide array of vivid examples from film, music, literature, and public art, Patrizia La Trecchia explores how Naples defies stereotypes and redefines Italian national identity. Each chapter highlights the city’s contrasts—beauty and decay, tradition and innovation—as reflections of broader experiences across the Global South. With a focus on resilience and transformation, Reframing Naples invites readers to see the city not as a forgotten corner of Europe, but as a vibrant crossroads of global culture. Blending scholarly insight with personal storytelling, and featuring original photographs and archival materials, this book is both a cultural study and a personal archive of resistance.

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