
Prophetic Times
Visions of Emancipation in the History of Italy
Maurizio Viroli(Author)
Cambridge University Press
Published on 5. January 2023
Book
Hardback
300 pages
978-1-009-23318-7 (ISBN)
Description
Throughout Italy's history, prophetic voices-poets, painters, philosophers-have bolstered the struggle for social and political emancipation. These voices denounced the vices of compatriots and urged them toward redemption. They gave meaning to suffering, helping to prevent moral surrender; they provided support, with pathos and anger, which set into motion the moral imagination, culminating in redemption and freedom. While the fascist regime attempted to enlist Mazzini and the prophets of the Risorgimento in support of its ideology, the most perceptive anti-fascist intellectual and political leaders composed eloquent prophetic pages to sustain the resistance against the totalitarian regime. By the end of the 1960s, no prophet of social emancipation has been able to move the consciences of the Italians. In this Italian story, then, is our story, the world's story, inspiration for social and political emancipation everywhere.
Reviews / Votes
'In this learned and engaging monograph Maurizio Viroli focuses on the combination of politics and religion. More specifically, he assesses how it has been articulated and expressed in Italian history from the late Middle Ages to the present. The author's ability to synthetize is, in my opinion, one of the main merits of this wide and interdisciplinary (almost encyclopedic) study. Viroli has managed to gather almost eight centuries of Italian history in a mere 250 pages ... placing the topic at hand within its wider European context.' Stefano U. Baldassarri, History of European IdeasMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Edition type
New edition
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 144 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
544 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-009-23318-7 (9781009233187)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
12/2022
Cambridge University Press
€36.99
Available for download

E-Book
12/2022
Cambridge University Press
€36.99
Available for download
Person
Maurizio Viroli is Professor of Politics at Princeton University (Emeritus) and Professor of Government at University of Texas, Austin.
Content
Part I. From Dante to the Republic of Prophets: 1. Prophets and poets; 2. Savonarola's republican prophecy; 3. Prophetic Machiavelli; 4. The republic of the prophets (1527-1530); Part II. The Decline of Prophecy and Italy's Bondage: 5. The domination over consciences; 6. Prophets of self-denial; 7. Prophecy, reason of state and utopia; 8. Reverberations of bygone prophetic times; 9. Prophets are impostors or fools; 10. The revolution of the philosophers and the counterrevolution of the prophets; Part III. The Prophetic Voices of the Risorgimento and the Antifascist Resistance: 11. The times of prophets; 12. Prophetic poets; 13. Giuseppe Mazzini and his prophetic legacy; 14. The autumn of the Risorgimento and the birth of the Republic.