L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 7 topic is discussed in Iovino's new book, "Ecocriticism and Italy: Ecology, Resistance, and Liberation," which will be pub- lished in September of this year. Iovino's visit to San Diego is part of a conference circuit; she will be lecturing at the conference for the American Association for Italian Studies a week later. The goal of ecocriticism, Iovino says, is not necessarily to save the world, but to appreciate it. But, she points out, knowing and appreciating the world is a way to save it. "Of course, this is a very difficult task but we believe there is a possibility to change our frames of mind," she says. "The kind of mental frames that now Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) is an international icon of Venice, Italy. Dating back to the 9th century, it is the largest and only location in the city of Venice designated as a piazza and is now the location of Venice's governmental buildings. It is flanked by St. Mark's Basilica, commissioned in 1071 by doge Domenico Contarini and the Doge's Palace, which was completed nearly 400 years later. Today, Piazza San Marco and Venice, with its canals, gondolas and gondoliers, has become a must-see for tourists visiting Italy. But what many people do not realize is that the major influx of people year in and year out is disrupting the delicate natural ecosystem that is Venice. On May 15, Professor Serenella Iovino will be hosting a lecture entitled "Death(s) in Venice: Bodies and the Discourse of Pollution from Thomas Mann to Porto Marghera," which explores this very topic. Iovino is a profes- sor of Comparative Literature at the University of Turin in Italy and works in the relatively new field of Environmental Humanities. "It's a trans disciplinary field in which issues of environmental ethics combine with literature or environmental history, sociology, geology, ecology," Iovino explains. "We imagine that using narratives to emphasize the eco- logical crisis is a strategic move because the narratives – literature or artistic forms [such as] movies, theater, poetry and docu- mentaries are much more effec- tive than scientific discourse because they appeal to a part of our evolutionary history which is connected to the elaboration of stories." During the lecture, Iovino will use "literary works, theatrical plays, and "living" cases as [her] focus [to] show how ecocriticism can amplify the (often unheard) voices of Venice's reality." This UCSD to host lecture on Italian eco- crisis are disrupting our planet's bal- ance have to be changed and they can only be changed by changing cultures. They cannot be changed by scientists (…) or by the finan- cial systems. They can only be changed with new cultural para- doxes, therefore we try to build the narratives in which we can cooperate with the planet." The lecture will be held at University of California, San Diego's Atkinson Pavilion at the Faculty Club and will begin at 6 p.m. Admission is free and it is open to the public. More informa- tion on Iovino and the lecture can be found under UCSD's calendar of events under Lectures/ Seminars. MIchELE PLuSS Professor Serenella Iovino of the University of Turin will be a special guest lecturer at University of California, San Diego May 17, Sat. - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily at Convivio Center (2157 India St., San Diego, CA 92101) at 7 p.m.. To celebrate its first anniversary, Convivio will be hosting the U.S. premiere of "Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily," a documentary by Salvo Cuccia, chronicling the life of legendary rock star Frank Zappa. Refreshments will be available as well as a cash bar with beer and wine. A dona- tion of $5 is suggested. Event information can be found at https://convivio.yapsody.com/event/index/2514/sum- mer_82_when_zappa_came_to_sicily May 18, Sun. - 21st Annual Sicilian Festival Little Italy, San Diego Take the train, the bus or drive but don't miss this fun family festival!!!! 10am - 6pm FREE ADMISSION...Sicilian Cultural Pavilion...Sicilian Cuisine....Ethnic Entertainment on three Stages...Children's Rides & Entertainment...Peroni Beer & Wine Tent...Art, History, & Heritage of the Sicilian- American Families of Little Italy...Car Show...Grape Stomp. For more info go to http://sicilianfesta.com/. June 9, Sun. - Le Migrazioni Fantastiche: A Recital, A Movie, A Celebration: Join the Italian American Academy in celebrating another successful year for the children! The end of the year extravaganza will include a recital on "Fantastic Migrations", a graduation ceremony, the viewing of the movie "migrACTION" by director Marco Lora, raffles, and much, much more! Don't miss the fun! The event begins at 2 p.m. and will be held at Point Loma/Hervey Library (3701 Voltaire St., San Diego CA 92107). To RSVP, please e-mail info@iaasd.org. More information about the event can be found at http://www.iaasd.org/events0.aspx. June 18, Wed. - Taste of Little Italy from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Foodies are invited to experience Taste of Little Italy. Each year, our neighborhood's one-of-a-kind eateries open their doors for food lovers to enjoy a sample of each restaurant's most popular dishes, including appetizers, entrees, desserts and beverages. Tickets range from $29 to $45. More informa- tion is available at http://www.littleitalysd.com/ events/taste- of-little-italy/.

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