We, The Divided

In this history of Italian culture and philosophy from the founding of the Italian Republic to the present day, philosopher Remo Bodei examines Italian society in one of the most exhilarating and intriguing periods of its history. Following World War II and the defeat of Fascism, the reconstruction of the country and onset of the Cold War brought new challenges to Italy. The Italian people-- whose sense of national identity has always been precarious-- were divided between the competing political passions and ideologies of Catholicism and Communism, and compelled to negotiate these differences against the backdrop of both American cultural and economic hegemony and the utopian enticements of a more equitable society purportedly represented by the Soviet Union.

Alternating between imaginative historical research and sharp theoretical analysis, Bodei reconstructs this process of cultural negotiation, showing how the ethos of the Italian people was parsed in specific spheres, such as the family, the military, political parties, religion, the judiciary, and organized crime. He examines both the ways in which philosophers have sought to make sense of the ethical and political problems the Italian people have had to confront, as well as the decisions effectively taken by individuals and groups. Bodei concludes with some reflections upon the difficulties and challenges that Italy faces in an increasingly interdependent world.