Identity rhetoric in Italian cultural policy under scrutiny

Fabrizio Federici critiques the pervasive use of 'identity' and 'identitarian' in Italian cultural discourse, especially under the right-wing government. Former Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano applied the term indiscriminately to events like March 17 celebrations, wine, Sanremo Festival, Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia, and Trieste. His successor, Minister Giuli, attempted a softer approach, speaking of 'plural identity' in his first parliamentary speech, emphasizing dialogue and respect for differences. However, the ministry allocated €500,000 to the Festival of Identitarian Cities, a pro-Meloni event, while cutting funds to major institutions like the Venice Biennale and the Festival dei Due Mondi. Federici argues that heritage embodies not only identity but also alterity—the recognition of difference. He contends that reducing historical artifacts to mirrors of the present trivializes them, as seen in comparisons of Roman thermopolia to fast food or pizza in Pompeian frescoes. Embracing alterity, he suggests, fosters curiosity about other civilizations, a trait that historically shaped European identity during colonial expansion, despite its tragic aspects. Museums themselves are spaces of otherness, demanding silence and reflection, yet are increasingly filled with superficial exhibitions, dialogues, and yoga classes that dilute their unique atmosphere.