BerlusconItaly's Immor(t)ality

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• Dr Georg Schedereit, Wolfson Press Fellow 2012, Broadcaster and Commentator at RAI Sender Bozen (South Tyrol/Italy)
• Wednesday 08 May 2013, 13:00-14:00
• Combination Room, Wolfson College.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact DJ Goode.

What is the secret of the persisting popularity of two charismatic “clowns” (courtesy The Economist et.al.) like Silvio Berlusconi, Europe’s most powerful media tycoon, and Beppe Grillo, Europe’s most influential blogger?

At least one of these terribles simplificateurs, of these two rivalling role models of 21st Century populism, is now crucial to the future of the most unstable of Europe‘s biggest countries.

Given Italy’s historical role as a laboratory of Alta Moda not only in fashion, but also in politics (Fascism and Eurocommunism docent), Mr Berlusconi’s and Mr Grillo’s electoral successes may be illuminating (obscuring?) the future of Western-style parliamentary democracy itself.

Our initial question should be apt to stimulate debate on Italy, and beyond. Being put at lunchtime, however, it should provide some exhilarating answers too, be it from Italy’s best political cartoonist, be it straight from the horses mouths, as it were, namely from various DVD ’s featuring live performances of both the most successful Italian narcisists themselves.

Buon appetito con Silvio Berlusconi e Beppe Grillo!

Dr Georg Schedereit is a broadcaster and commentator who learned his trade decades ago at the BBC ’s German Language Service in London, and is still practising it at RAI ’s Sender Bozen in his Alpine home province South Tyrol/Italy.

His dissertation in political science at the University of Salzburg/Austria dealt with the enigmatic jargon of Italian political discourse in pre-Berlusconian times.

As a Wolfson Press Fellow 2012, researching on Anglophone Fascist Studies, he produced the trilingual blog www.faschistensindimmerdieanderen.wordpress.com (“The Fascist is always the other“)

This talk is part of the Wolfson College Lunchtime Seminar Series - Wednesdays of Full Term series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Combination Room, Wolfson College
• Wolfson College Lunchtime Seminar Series - Wednesdays of Full Term

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