Buona E Bravo

Buona e Bravo The representation of gender in Italian education Amanda Samson Submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy June 2000 Department of French and Italian Studies The University of Melbourne Abstract Buona e Bravo: The Representation of Gender in Italian Education The purpose of this thesis is to examine the way in which gender is represented in educational textbooks and dictionaries in use in Italian schools in the 1990s. The thesis will examine the development of the women’s movement in Italy in order to understand the particular feminist philosophies and theories on which the gender issues are based. Further to this will be an extensive examination of the texts available on Italian feminist linguistic theories which have been influential in the creation of non sexist language guidelines. The educational objectives of Italian feminists and teachers working within the movements of autoriforma and educare nella differenza will also be examined in conjunction with the official directives on gender in school from il Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione. Once the intra-cultural paradigm has been established, the methodology for the research will incorporate the aims and objectives of Italian feminists pertaining to how gender should be represented in order to accurately and appropriately represent women and men. The way in which females and males are represented linguistically and contextually in school textbooks and school dictionaries will be analysed and the results presented in the form of commentary, tables and graphs. The conclusion of this thesis will incorporate the philosophies of the Italian women’s movement, the feminist linguistic theories that arise from them and whether the results from the analysis show any evidence of their inclusion into the educational curriculum. ii Declaration This is to certify that (i) the thesis comprises only my original work except where indicated in the preface, (ii) due acknowledgement has been made in the text to all other material used, (iii) the thesis is less than 100,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, maps, bibliographies and appendices. Signature: Amanda Marie Samson iii Preface The linguistic and semantic methodology used in this thesis has followed the work undertaken by Alma Sabatini, Marcella Mariani, Edda Billi and Maria Santangelo in the 1987 report on Il sessismo nella lingua italiana (Sabatini et al 1987). The methodology used by them has been detailed in Chapter Four Forms and Formats and the recommendations can be found in Appendice One. The methodology used in the contextual analysis of the school textbooks was devised by me primarily for this study. I have used a similar examination of imagery and themes in my early study Il sessismo nella lingua italiana delle riviste settimanali (Burns 1996). I am unaware of any studies into Italian dictionaries that use the comparison of noun definitions in a similar way other than Bressan 1998. The primary and secondary sources used in this thesis are listed in the bibliography. Apart from using the work of Sabatini et al 1987 I have not knowingly used the work of other scholars without appropriate referencing. No part of this work has been submitted for other qualifications nor was carried out prior to Ph.D. candidature enrolment. This research project was carried out by myself and without the collaboration of other researchers. iv Acknowledgments In Melbourne I would like to thank the University of Melbourne for enabling me to undertake this research project and assisting me with a Melbourne Research Scholarship for the duration of my Ph.D. candidature. I would like to thank the Arts Faculty of the University of Melbourne for awarding me with a Travel Grant to enable me to attend the SAVAL international conference in South Africa and go to Italy. Many thanks as well to the Emma Grollo Memorial Fund for awarding me with their annual scholarship in 1997 which enabled me to carry out important research work in Italy. I would also like to thank Professor Dino Bressan for his supervision of my work and to Professor Bressan and Dr. John Hajek for their availability to offer advice and assistance whenever I required it. Furthermore, I am grateful for the financial assistance from the DRAGS committee which offset some of the costs of the research material. I am very grateful for the opportunity provided by the Department of French and Italian studies to present some of my work at seminars and as an undergraduate course. Many thanks to Helen Hassard for her cheerfulness and ability to conjure up what was needed. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Mirna Cicioni for loaning me some important Italian feminist texts early on, her excellent advice, suggestions and willingness to listen whenever I asked her. In Italy I would like to thank the following academics and scholars in Italy who were, and continue to be, unfailing helpful and welcoming; Dr. Chiara Zamboni and Dr. Elisabetta Zanowski (Università degli studi di Verona); Dr. Gianna Marcato (Università di Padova), who also very kindly passed on recent and pending publications; Dr. Eva-Maria Thüne (Università di Bologna) who sent me the recent edition of All’inizio di tutto la lingua materna; and Dr. Stefania Spina (Università di Perugia) for their encouragement and interest in my research. The Università La Sapienza in Rome for access to their library. I would also like to warmly thank Marcella Mariani for her information and advice and, in particular, Cristina Papa from Il paese delle donne for her great company and continuing encouragement. Personally I would also like to thank all my fantastic friends who believed I could do this, my family, Richard for all his encouragement, belief and help with the editing! And a special thanks to Richard and Renato for keeping life in perspective. v Buona e Bravo: The Representation of Gender in Italian Schools Abstract ii Declaration iii Preface iv Acknowledgments v Table of Contents vi List of Tables ix Introduction xii Aims Objectives Motivations Chapter One FEMMINISMI ITALIANI - Italian Feminist Theory 1.0 Introduction – Focus on Women 1 1.1 Italian Feminism – Historically Speaking 2 1.1a Difference and Diversity 10 1.1b Dual Subjectivity 14 1.2 Present Paths and Policies 17 Chapter Two LA DONNA E LA PAROLA - Italian Feminist Linguistics 2.0 Introduction – Focus on Difference 20 2.1 Language and Linguistics 22 2.1a The Difference Debate 23 2.1b Feminisation versus Neutralisation 24 2.1c Neutralisation 27 2.1d Feminisation 28 2.2 Women and Language 30 2.2a Early Developments 30 2.2a.1 Women’s relationship to language 33 2.2b Universality 35 2.2c Sexual Difference 40 2.2d Subjectivity – il soggetto sessuato 47 2.2e Language of the Mother 53 2.3 Il linguaggio sessuato – The Sexed Language 56 2.4 Disputes and Discussions 64 2.4a Linguistic Purity 64 2.4b Linguistic Economy 67 2.4c Precedence and Suona Male 68 2.4d Sexed versus Neutral – worldview 69 2.4e Speaking Out 73 2.4f In Summary 78 2.5 Other Research into Il linguaggio sessuato 79 2.6 Concluding Comments 89 vi Chapter Three A SCUOLA - Italian Education 3.0 Introduction – Focus on Gender 91 3.1 The Links – Education, Europe and Italy 93 3.1a Education Now and in the Future 93 3.1b Schools as Places of Reform 100 3.2 Equality versus Difference 105 3.2a Defining Directions 105 3.2b Female Genealogy – Male Universality 109 3.2c Educare nella differenza 113 3.3 Those Who Teach 116 3.3a Schools as Female Dominated Environments 116 3.3b Resistance, Rebellion, Support, Strategies 119 3.4 Teachers and Textbooks 124 3.4a Early Research 125 3.4b P.O.L.I.T.E. 128 3.5 Concluding Comments 131 Chapter Four LE FORME E I METODI - Methodology 4.0 Introduction – Focus on Research 133 4.1 Analysis Criteria – School Textbooks 137 4.1a Linguistic Layout 140 4.1b Contextual Categories 147 4.2 Analysis Criteria – School Dictionaries 152 4.2a Defining Details 155 4.2b Linking Language 156 Chapter Five I LIBRI SCOLASTICI - Textbooks and Classrooms 5.0 Introduction – Focus on Books 159 5.1 Scuola Elementare 160 5.1a Introduction 160 5.1b Analysis and Data 161 5.2 Scuola Media Inferiore 175 5.2a Introduction 175 5.2b Analysis and Data 176 5.3 Concluding Comments 203 vii Chapter Six LA PAROLA AL LAVORO - School Dictionaries 6.0 Introduction – Focus on Results 209 6.1 Talking Pictures – Introduction 210 6.1a Data and Graphs 6.1b Talking Pictures – Analysis 212 6.2 Defining Details – Listing Lexicon 216 6.3 Singular Definitions 247 6.4 Linking Language – Introduction 258 6.4a Language Trees 259 6.4b Linking Language - Analysis 279 6.5 Concluding Comments 291 Chapter Seven ALLA FINE - Girls & Boys to Women & Men 7.0 Summary of Research – Focus on Results 297 7.1 Conclusion –Gender Representation in Italian Education 301 Appendice One – Le Raccomandazioni per un uso non sessista della lingua 307 Appendice Two – Dictionary Entries 309 Bibliography 337 viii List of Tables Table 5.6c Generic forms Table 5.6d Illustrations Il nostro tempo Il novecento Table 5.6e Themes Table 5.1a Linguistic categories Table 5.6f People Table 5.1b Semantic categories Table 5.1c Generic forms Table 5.1d Illustrations Table 5.6g Authors Table 5.1e Themes Table 5.6h Authorities Table 5.1f People Table 5.6i Grammar exercises Table 5.1g Authors Percorsi di vita. Table 5.1h Authorities Table 5.7a Linguistic categories La ruota delle parole 1 Table 5.7b Semantic categories Table 5.2a Linguistic categories Table 5.7c Generic forms Table 5.2b Semantic categories Table

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