Italians...Who are we?

It is quite common that once abroad one thinks more about one's own country developing a new vision, maybe different, of it.
Since i started travelling i've been thinking a lot about Italy and Italians, so that my awkward feeling of belonging/ un-belonging has been strengthened.
Identities are complex and multiple.
Most of the time, I am not proud to be Italian, but when it comes to cooking; at that point, i still feel that spark inside saying: "We are still the best".
Sometimes I also feel the desire to defend my country from insults, but, actually, i rarely have arguments to contrast my interlocutor's thesis. The worst and painful sensation comes when I directly see a typical negative national stereotype coming true right in front of me, and I feel completely helplessy.
I like to think at national identites as good to have a laugh while stereotyping people or to support a football team, but we all saw how they caused wars all over the world.
From the 1648, from the peace of Westphalia, we assumed and absorbed this Nation-State system as it was the only possible forma mentis that enables governments to rule a group of people. Do we really need this system? Will a new system be possible someday?
A fantastic analysis of the relation between identity issue and nationalism is proposed in Imagining the Balkans by Maria Todorova. Definitely a wonderful historical and sociological description of the denigrated south/east-Europe.

Here instead, an interesting conversation about "Being Italian" between one of the best Italian journalists Corradio Augias and another Italian journalist Vittorio Zucconi (for years correspondent of Repubblica in the US) who got now the American citizenship. Zucconi presents his book Il caratteraccio that was borned from his teaching experience in the US, where unfortunately, he had to break american students' fairily picture of Italy by telling the truth. The point of view of an Italian from outside the borders, rather, an americanized Italian.

Le storie

Part 1

Part 2

When they used to tell us stories...

First literary/radiophonic post.
Today i'd like to highlight a fantastic radio program i've discovered a couple of weeks ago. It is called La storia in giallo, (literary The story in yellow, but the right translation would rather be A thriller story, as in Italy the genre thriller is also known as giallo, because the first thriller books used to have a yellow cover) and it is broadcasted by Radio 3, on air on Saturdays at 2 pm.
Every week a story is told. It can deal with historical or literary characters, such as Freud and Dorian Gray, or protagonists of famous mysteries and weird stories, like Nostradamus or Charles Manson.
During the first part of the program an extract of the story is told, then, usually, Antonella Ferrera opens a debate with a guest, who might be a professor or a researcher currently interested in the topic treated.
All the episodes i've listened to til now were really interesting as topics are treated in details. Then, listening to stories reminds me when my parents used to do the same before tucking me into bed.
Last Saturday a new series of La storia in giallo has started; the name has changed but the essence is going to be the same. Quoting Conrad, the new broadcast title is Cuore di Tenebra -dentro la storia- (Heart of darkness -inside the story-)
A fantastic alternative to TV able to trigger our fantasy, a fantastic example of national service to culture...for once.
Strongly recommended!

For Italian speakers/listeners

La storia in giallo