The Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America at Columbia University
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America at Columbia University Annual Report 2006–2007 it alian academy for ad italian academy for advanced studies in america 1161 Amsterdam Avenue v New York, NY 10027 anced studies in americ tel: (212) 854-2306 fax: (212) 854-8479 e-mail: [email protected] www.italianacademy.columbia.edu a Annual Repor t 2006–2007 The Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America at Columbia University Annual Report 2006–2007 new york 2007 Contents Board of Guarantors 9 Senior Fellows 11 Staff 12 Director’s Report 13 Fellows’ Reports 23 Winners of the Premio New York 81 Description of Programs 91 fellowship program premio new york Activities of the Academy 95 fellows’ seminar s film series concert s e r i e s “italy at columbia” lecture series exhibitions the mission of the italian academy ounded in 1991 on the basis of an and society; presents distinguished exam- agreement between the Republic of ples of Italian culture and art; and pro- FItaly and Columbia University, the motes academic, cultural and scientific Academy sponsors advanced research in exchange at the highest level. all areas relating to Italian history, science about the academy t the core of the Italian Academy’s prestige and its location in New York, the work lies its Fellowship Program. Academy has also become a critical site AFellowships are open to senior for meetings between distinguished mem- scholars at the post-doctoral level and bers of the Italian and American business above who wish to devote a semester or a and political communities. Its theater, full academic year to genuinely innovative library, and other public spaces offer work in any field relating to culture, cul- important locations for a variety of con- tural memory, and the relations between certs, exhibitions and films reflecting the culture, the sciences, and the social sci- finest aspects of cultural relations ences. The most advanced part of the Fel- between the Republic of Italy and the lowship Program is the Academy’s ongo- artistic and academic communities of ing Project in Art and the Neurosciences, New York and the United States. in which scholars in both the humanities McKim, Mead and White’s 1927 Casa and the sciences work together in assess- Italiana, beautifully reconstructed in ing the significance of the latest develop- 1993, is the home of the Academy. It pro- ments in genetics and the neurosciences vides exceptional offices for the Acade- for the humanities—and vice-versa. my’s Fellows, as well as housing a library The Academy also serves as the chief and a magnificent theater in Neo-Renais- reference point in the United States for all sance style, in which major academic, links between the worlds of higher educa- theatrical and musical events regularly tion in Italy and the U.S. Thanks to its take place. report on the academic year 2006–2007 5 Annual Report 2006–2007 Board of Guarantors 2006–2007 appointed by appointed by the ministry columbia university of foreign affairs of Barbara Aronstein Black the republic of italy George Welwood Murray Professor of Law, Claudio Angelini Columbia University Direttore, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, New York Daniele Bodini Livio Caputo Chairman, American Continental Properties, New Presidente della Casa Editrice Greentime S.p.A. York Roberto de Mattei Jonathan R. Cole Vice Presidente del Consiglio Nazionale delle John Mitchell Mason Professor of the University, Ricerche Provost and Dean of the Faculties Emeritus, Columbia University Stefano Parisi Zvi Galil Amministratore Delegato, Fastweb S.p.A. Dean of the School of Engineering; Schapiro Giovanni Puglisi Professor, School of Engineering; Julian Clarence Rettore, Libera Università di Lingue e Levi Professor, Computer Science, Columbia Comunicazione IULM Milano, Presidente della University Commissione Italiana Nazionale UNESCO Jeffrey T. Schnapp Salvatore Rebecchini Rosina Pierotti Chair in Italian and Professor of Presidente F2i Fondi italiani per le infrastrutture French at Stanford University; Director, Stanford S.g.r. Humanities Lab, Stanford University Fritz Stern honorary president of the University Professor Emeritus, Columbia University a c a d e m y Giorgio Napolitano chairman Presidente della Repubblica Italiana Alan Brinkley Provost, Columbia University president of the academy Lee C. Bollinger President, Columbia University report on the academic year 2006–2007 9 10 italian academy for advanced studies in america Senior Fellows 2006–2007 Qais al-Awqati Francesco Perfetti Robert F. Loeb Professor of Medicine and Ordinario di Storia Contemporanea Professor of Physiology and Cellular all’Università “Luiss Guido Carli” di Roma Biophysics at Columbia University Angelo Maria Petroni Victoria de Grazia Ordinario di Logica e Filosofia della Scienza Professor of History at Columbia University all’Università di Bologna Bruno dalla Piccola Gustavo Piga Ordinario di Genetica presso l’Università “La Ordinario di Economia Politica e Sapienza” di Roma e Direttore Scientifico Macroeconomia, Università “Tor Vergata” di dell’Istituto C.S.S. Mendel di Roma Roma Giorgio Einaudi Rodolfo Zich Addetto Scientifico presso l’Ambasciata già Rettore del Politecnico di Torino ed Italiana a Washington attuale Presidente dell’Istituto Superiore “Mario Boella” Anthony Grafton Dodge Professor of History at Princeton University Denis Hollier Professor of French at New York University Eric Kandel Nobel Laureate and University Professor at Columbia University Francesco Pellizzi Editor of “Res” and Research Associate in Middle American Ethnology at the Peabody Museum at Harvard University report on the academic year 2006–2007 11 Staff David Freedberg, Director work study staff Abigail Asher, Special Projects 2006–7 Ellen Baird, Administrative Coordinator Massimo Alpian Robert Brooks, Business Manager Alessandra Bravi Will Buford, Logistics Coordinator Austin Carr Charles Desselle, Technical Projects Gerrard Carter Barbara Faedda, Assistant Director Katie Hathaway Allison Jeffrey, Assistant Director Fan Kong Jenny McPhee, Film Series Curator Yasmine Koukaz Rick Whitaker, Theater Manager Francesca Procaccini Justin Reardon Adrienne Reitano Stephan Stewart Amy Tang Jenny Tillman 12 italian academy for advanced studies in america Director’s Report nce more our Fellowship Pro- remarkable group of top-level scholars, gram, the central component of scientists, and artists engage in common Oall our activities, was graced by and constructive discourse is to become an exceptional group of Fellows. As I have optimistic about the possibilities of gen- noted in past reports, the strongly inter- uinely constructive—and sometimes very disciplinary aspect of our Fellowship pro- practical—engagement across the disci- gram is unique amongst institutes for plinary boundaries. advanced study in the world. No other In 2006–7 we had an extraordinary program has a comparable mix of scien- mix of different kinds of historians, tists, humanists, and artists. While it has philosophers, and scientists and a higher now become customary in academic cir- percentage of scientists than ever before. cles to approve of interdisciplinarity, few The exchanges among our nanotechnolo- institutions actually range so widely or gist, our three neuroscientists, and our make it work as successfully as I believe philosophers and historians made clear we do. Scientists often grow impatient the fruitfulness of serious cross-discipli- with what is perceived as the imprecision nary dialogue. Not only did our Fellows of scholars in the humanities, while the demonstrate the possibilities of forging dominant social constructionist and rela- fresh languages of discourse, they brought tivist approaches of the humanities to light new ways in which philosophy and remain deeply sceptical about what is history can inform experiments, and sci- regarded as the overly positivist and ence might illuminate the understanding reductionist approaches of the sciences. of historical and creative intelligence. Both I like to think that any visit to our weekly Columbia and Italy can be proud of hav- luncheon seminars, attended by all Fel- ing enabled the creation of an institution lows in residence, would confound such that so exemplifies true interdisciplinarity, scepticisms and impatience. To hear our while never forgetting the importance of report on the academic year 2006–2007 13 closely focused research and scholarship. year—we need to expand our financial We have shown that intellectual rigor need resources at a much faster rate than we not be shortchanged in the pursuit of dis- ever anticipated. I thus begin my report— course across the two cultures, as C.P. to move straight to a crucial point—with Snow put it just fifty years ago. an appeal for contributions to the Acade- Not surprisingly, every year our Pro- my from all who wish us well, or who gram grows more prestigious, and the believe in our ideals of scholarship and of competition for places fiercer. Given the enhancing the cultural, educational, and overall quality of the pool of candidates, scientific exchange between our two coun- we can now be relatively sure of the level tries. In order to facilitate contributions, a of excellence of the Fellows we choose, detachable form will be found in the but increasingly we find that we cannot pages of this report. All donations, accept more than a fraction of the large whether large or small, will help us bring number of exceptionally able and quali- the Academy to new levels of excellence, fied candidates. We are inevitably con- and enable us to enhance our Fellowship strained by the limited funds available Program and our ever more distinguished from our endowment, as well as by the program of cultural events. usual Columbia problem of lack of space. Let me turn to the latter. This year we To some extent, we are lucky in being received very many compliments on our able to provide some of the most generous events program. I select some high points: office facilities at Columbia, but even so As always our film series, directed by we are pressed for space; particularly this Jenny McPhee, flourished. The first year, when we had a record number of semester was devoted to films from and twenty Fellows in residence.