Adult education and the struggle against illiteracy in the Italian Mezzogiorno in the first half of the 20th century

Authors

  • Brunella Serpe University of Calabria (Italy)

Keywords:

analfabetisme, associacions, Itàlia meridional, història de l’educació, història de l’educació d’adults.

Abstract

Following Italian unification (1861), illiteracy represented a serious problem which economic and social poverty, the inadequacy of school buildings and a shortage of suitably qualified teachers made difficult to resolve. This paper analyses the measures adopted against illiteracy in Southern Italy in the early twentieth century. These measures were actively pursued by the state together with a number of philanthropic associations including the Associazione Nazionale per gli Interessi del Mezzogiorno d’Italia (National Association for the Interests of the Italian Mezzogiorno, ANIMI). By analysing data on illiteracy and documents held in the ANIMI archives, it has been possible to reconstruct the history of adult education, which enabled many individuals to become literate and free themselves from ignorance, especially when ANIMI and other associations resumed their activities after 1945.

Key words: illiteracy, associations, Southern Italy, history of education, history of adult education.

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Issue

No. 36 (2020): juliol-desembre

Section

Monographic theme

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