Cold War Trieste: Nationalism, Diplomacy, and "Italianità" in a Contested Borderland: 24 (Cultural Memories)

“In this insightful, meticulously researched study, Capano reveals the complexities of Italian nationalist ideology and advocacy in the contested Yugoslav-Italian border regions, making sense of the cacophony of voices that shaped local relations and Italian foreign policy from the end of World War II to the 1975 Osimo Accords and beyond.” ― Maura Hametz, Professor of History, James Madison University

“Fabio Capano’s book traces how Trieste – the ‘unruly city’ – was a symbol of Italianità, a Cold War hotspot, and a bridge between Italy and the Socialist Bloc. It is a major contribution to the literature of contemporary Italy and of the Cold War and deserves to be widely read. Italian nationalism was much more resilient than many believe, Capano argues. Cold War Trieste illustrates his point well.” ― Mark Gilbert, C. Grove Haines Professor of History, Johns Hopkins University

A captivating journey through the tumultuous socio-political landscape of a contested city, this book investigates the enduring influence of nationalism as a political ideology in Cold War Italy. It views this topic through the lens of a disputed borderland teetering on the southern edge of the Iron Curtain between 1945 and 1975. Taking a multidimensional approach, the author explores the entanglement of local, national, and international politics in shaping projected meanings of the border’s Italianità within public discourse from containment to détente. It narrates how the views and actions of a wide array of political actors and émigré associations left an indelible imprint on the city’s historical memory and its Italian community. Drawing on a rich tapestry of primary sources, this book ultimately offers readers a panoramic view of Cold War Trieste and its contested borderland.

Fabio Capano is a Visiting Scholar in Residence in the History Department at American University, specializing in twentieth-century Europe. His research covers nationalism, modern Italy, and Cold War borderlands. He has held teaching and administrative roles, and his work has been published in academic journals and edited volumes.