Italy: From Revolution to Republic, 1700 to the Present 3/e fills a serious gap in the field by synthesizing modern Italian history and placing it in a fully European context. In this new edition, Spencer Di Scala considers significant developments since the book's initial publication. Because the "Second Republic" has completed its first decade, it is now possible to assess the results of the "Bribesville" scandal, the reforms that followed it, the performance of the center-right government of Silvio Berlusconi, and the fate of the Left. Di Scala analyzes the successor organizations of the once-powerful Italian Communist Party and the Christian Democrats and considers their prospects. He also reexamines whether Italy's financial policies, designed to bring the country into the first tier of nations by fulfilling the Maastrict conditions for a single EU currency have been successful and whether, in light of the Albanian situation, Italy is moving toward an active foreign policy more in keeping with its economic clout as one of the world's largest producers. Presenting the history of modern Italy from the eighteenth century to the present, this book begins with a brief introduction to the legacy of the Renaissance and the seventeenth century. Di Scala also critically reexamines certain traditional historical interpretations and assumptions. The "European context" ranges from the Enlightenment to unity, to liberalism, to the South, to Fascism, and to the Republic. This new edition includes expanded examinations of contemporary Italy's economic, social, and cultural development while providing a picture of how ordinary Italians live. It emphasizes globalization, the country's transformation from a land of emigration to one of immigration, and the country's growing cultural importance in the contemporary era. Di Scala discusses the role of women and gives ample attention to the Italian South, not only in terms of the "problems" of that region but also in terms of its active participation in the historical and cultural life of the nation. Also new to this edition are biographical sketches in every chapter. Cast in a clear and lively style that will appeal to students, Italy: From Revolution to Republic makes a strong addition to the field by incorporating the most recent scholarly contributions in its analysis. The book includes a detailed, completely updated bibliographical essay that is designed to guide undergraduate and graduate students to further reading and research on the various topics under consideration.
Spencer M. Di Scala is research professor of history and History Graduate Program Director at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He is the author of numerous scholarly books and articles on Italian and European politics and culture, serves on the editorial boards of scholarly journals, and edits a book series on Italian and Italian American Studies. Spencer M. DiScala
