CfP: Conference Within and Beyond the Empire: New Research and Perspectives on the Italian Case, between Colonialism and Decolonization

Rome, 6–7 May 2026

Since the early 2000s, Italian colonialism has been at the centre of renewed historiographical

interest, leading to a remarkable expansion of research on the subject. Scholars have examined Italy’s imperial expansion from a variety of perspectives and through diverse theoretical and methodological approaches.

One of the first moments when this new season of studies became evident was the conference held in Milan in 2006 – on the 70th anniversary of the end of the Ethiopian War – organized by the National Institute for the History of the Italian Liberation Movement. In the following years, SISSCO became one of the main venues where debates on colonial history could develop, particularly through three cycles of seminars on colonialism and Italian identity, the first of which took place in Cagliari in 2013.

Twenty years after the Milan conference, on the 90th anniversary of the end of the war of invasion of the Ethiopian Empire, in a period when colonial history has once again become a subject of public reflection that directly engages academic research, we believe it is important for the University and SISSCO to promote a new initiative that brings together scholars from different generations.

The aim of the conference is twofold: on the one hand, to review the current state of research;

on the other, to highlight the most promising perspectives emerging from ongoing studies, with particular attention to comparative approaches and to the most recent historiographical trends.

We invite scholars at all career stages to submit paper proposals that stand out for the originality of their sources and/or for the adoption of innovative interpretive approaches. Proposals may address specific aspects of the history of Italian colonialism and decolonization in their various geographical contexts (Italy, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, Somalia, and the Dodecanese), or may be part of broader reflections that explore their transnational and global dimensions. The conference languages are Italian and English.

Possible thematic areas include, but are not limited to:

• Environment

• Material culture

• Global and transnational echoes and connections of Italian colonialism

• Economy

• Historiographical developments

• Gender and sexuality

• Wars, resistance, and anticolonial movements

• Imaginaries and representations

• Institutions and law

• Migration

• Racism and discrimination

• Religion, churches,and missions

• Society

Proposals (max. 6,000 characters, including spaces and notes) should be sent by 1 December 2025 to oltrelimpero@gmail.com

Each proposal must include:

• Title of the paper

• Abstract

• Indication of primary sources

• Short bio-bibliographical profile (max. 10 lines)

The scientific committee will select up to 18 papers. Notification of acceptance will be sent by 7 January 2026.

The conference will take place in person in Rome. In specific cases, upon request, the committee may consider the possibility of remote participation for speakers.

A limited number of travel grants might be available to partially cover expenses for non-tenured participants.

Scientific Committee:

Simona Berhe, Lucia Ceci, Valeria Deplano, Emanuele Ertola, Nicola Labanca, Alessandro Pes.