Italian decolonisation
after the Second World War

Tuesday, March 17, 2026
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Nelson Mandela Library
Via La Spezia 21
Rome

Poster

How did Italy process the loss of its colonial empire after 1945? In this seminar, historian Valeria Deplano traces the political, cultural and identity processes through which Italian society confronted – often in contradictory and incomplete ways – the end of its colonial experience. An opportunity to reflect on a page of national history that has still been too little explored, and on the weight that colonial silence continues to have in the present.

The meeting is part of the series: Colonialism and Decolonisation. History lessons. Meetings in the library to learn about a past that must not be forgotten.

The history of colonialism and decolonisation has been one of the salient features of contemporary history, including in the case of Italy. In recent years, a new generation of scholars has rediscovered, on innovative grounds, the importance of restoring a piece of history that is still largely unexplored. The aim of the lessons is to bring the research to a wider audience, as it can provide useful food for thought in today’s Italy (click here for information on the project).

ORGANISED BY
CNR-ISMed
Rome Libraries – Intercultural Service
Casa della Memoria e della Storia Library
Nelson Mandela Library
Archive of Migrant Memories

ORGANISATIONAL CONTACT
Stefano Gallo
stefano.gallo@ismed.cnr.it