Papers by Davide Boerio
This article offers an in-depth exploration of The Salvetti Project, a groundbreaking initiative ... more This article offers an in-depth exploration of The Salvetti Project, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to the digitisation and analysis of handwritten newsletters from the Medici Residents in London between 1640 and 1660. It chronicles the project's development, emphasising its conceptual foundation and the collaborative efforts that brought it to fruition. The Salvetti Project merges academic scholarship with practical application, combining traditional research methods, digital approaches, and public history to create a comprehensive and accessible historical resource.
News from Naples (1647-48): Communicative effects, public spaces and media landscape, in Tales of Two Cities: News, Stories and Media Events in Early Modern Florence and Naples, edited by V. Caputo, L. Gianfrancesco, P. Palmieri, Rome, Viella, 2023, pp. 63-88
Parliamentary History, 2022
This paper analyses the European impact and circulation of news concerning the Great Fire of Lond... more This paper analyses the European impact and circulation of news concerning the Great Fire of London in 1666. The study dwells on the diplomatic correspondence and manuscript newsletters of Italian diplomats residing in England, on the testimonies of contemporary observers, and on the production of printed news publications. In particular, it analyses the role played by the Tuscan resident in London, Giovanni Salvetti Antelminelli, while investigating the functioning of the information-gathering process as well as the material and cultural resources put in place in the effort to report news about a disaster. In this regard, the event has been contextualised within a much larger period comprising the pandemic crisis of 1665 and the military campaign carried out by the English Crown during the Second Anglo–Dutch War. The analysis of the European media landscape during this period illuminates the mechanisms related to circulation and transmission of news and the relationship between internal political propaganda, as well as the response and the positioning of external observers in regard to an unexpected occurrence. Finally, comparison of sources allows us to stress the essentially dialectical nature between manuscript newsletters and printed news publications during the early modern period.
RIVISTA DI LETTERATURA STORIOGRAFICA ITALIANA, 2020
This essay analyses the transmission of news during the early modern period from three points of... more This essay analyses the transmission of news during the early modern period from three points of view. The first frames the different historiographical strands that have dealt with the phenomenon, through a critical revision of the theoretical models that have informed the general framework of numerous studies. The second deals with the relationship between manuscript information and the diversity of languages involved, drawing attention to the phenomenon of linguistic contamination that characterizes the early modern information landscape. The last part focuses on contemporary information exchanges between the Italian peninsula and England, highlighting the communicative interdependence and the high degree of informational integration achieved by Europe during the first half of the XVII century.
In the course of the early modern period several developments in the fi eld of information proces... more In the course of the early modern period several developments in the fi eld of information processes and communication practices took place throughout Europe. Drawing upon a well-established scientific literature, the first part of this paper interprets these developments in information gathering as a fundamental task carried out by early modern political, economic, and religious networks in order to establish their predominance over the rest of society. Further, it problematizes some longlasting historiographical assumptions, which overemphasize the role of the printing press in the process of modernization. Drawing primarily on archival sources, the second part of the paper analyses the functioning of information processes and communication practices during particular moments of crisis, namely the eruption of Vesuvius in 1631 and the Neapolitan Revolution of 1647/48. Ultimately, the paper suggests the examination of both long-term processes and short-term conjunctures in order to comprehend complex historical phenomena
Book Reviews by Davide Boerio
Jahrbuch für Kommunikationsgeschichte, 2021
Conference Presentations by Davide Boerio
The relationship between information and the archive is symbiotic, with each element mutually sha... more The relationship between information and the archive is symbiotic, with each element mutually shaping and influencing the other. This symbiosis unfolded particularly during the early modern period, marked by a significant proliferation of information in diverse forms and genres. Faced with the challenge posed by this influx of information, various political, cultural, and economic entities responded by developing innovative strategies for collecting, analyzing, managing, and utilizing data. This paper focuses on the Medici collection housed at the State Archives of Florence, with a specific emphasis on the “Avvisi” series. Within this extensive collection, a wealth of handwritten news sheets coexists with a substantial number of printed specimens. The analysis delves into the intricate dynamics between handwritten and printed forms, exploring how these different mediums coexist within the archival space. Commencing with a meticulous examination of historical records and the present configuration of the collection, the paper proposes hypotheses behind the organization of the informational material. The paper then delves into the analysis of specific documentary groups, shedding light on the role played by information networks and scrutinizing the fluid movement of texts across different mediums. Expanding the scope, the paper also considers additional archival collections held in the Vatican City, Modena, and Naples, aiming to uncover the nuanced relationship between the archive and the library. This provides insights into how these repositories interact and complement each other in the preservation and dissemination of information. The symbiotic nature of this relationship underscores the significance of archives as dynamic spaces that actively contribute to shaping our understanding of the history of news.
Looking at the period of the English Civil War in context of the rebellions in Catalonia, Ireland... more Looking at the period of the English Civil War in context of the rebellions in Catalonia, Ireland, Portugal, Naples and France - An Online Roundtable sponsored by EURONEWS Project -23 June 2023
This paper explores the crucial role of sound and aural communications during the Revolution of N... more This paper explores the crucial role of sound and aural communications during the Revolution of Naples of 1647-48, one of the most significant political upheavals in early modern Europe. The revolution persisted for over nine months, spreading throughout the Kingdom and resulting in the establishment of a short-lived Republic that challenged Spanish Habsburg rule, fueling an unprecedented wave of political radicalism. By analyzing a diverse range of primary sources, including chronicles, newsletters, pamphlets, songs, correspondence, paintings, and drawings, this paper delves into the soundscape of the revolution. It investigates how sound served as a vital form of communication for the insurgents, reflecting the intensifying political and social tensions of the era. The paper examines the sounds of conflicts and the collective voices of the crowds. These auditory elements played a pivotal role in rallying support for the popular movement and shaping its political discourse. Furthermore, they constituted an integral part of the revolution’s media ecosystem, with street cries and slogans employed to convey political messages to the predominantly illiterate population. The paper also explores the significant involvement of musical performances in the revolution, shedding light on their impact. Lastly, the research briefly touches upon the evolution of theatrical adaptations of the event throughout the centuries, emphasizing contemporary interpretations. By examining the role of sound and aural communications in the Neapolitan uprising, this study offers valuable insights into its historical significance and enduring global impact.
Manuscript news sheets represent an extraordinary source for the study of communication practices... more Manuscript news sheets represent an extraordinary source for the study of communication practices in the early modern period. In the second half of the sixteenth century, they became a commodity addressed not only for the chancelleries of princes, embassies, noble household, or merchants' warehouse but began to circulate in the streets, compiled by anonymous writers, read in the piazzas and lodges, carried in the saddlebags of couriers, thus spreading throughout Europe for more than two centuries. In contrast to studies that have emphasized the elitist nature of this phenomenon, this paper analyzes the content of these news sheets with the aim of analyzing the impact of news to broader audiences. The aim, thus, is to broaden the understanding of a very elusive phenomenon, namely reception, while emphasizing the interdependence between different communicative regimes such as orality, writing and printing.
In recent years, literature on the history of news and the media system of the ancient regime has... more In recent years, literature on the history of news and the media system of the ancient regime has increased our understanding of these topics. However, a general picture representing the nuances of this complex phenomenon is still lacking, while research on news content, i.e. the message itself, remains in its infancy. Using a large corpus of manuscript newsletters, ranging from the late sixteenth century to the eighteenth century, and whose geographical range covers most of the Old Continent, this paper tries to fill this gap by deploying a hybrid methodology that brings together both digital tools and traditional techniques. This analysis sheds light on communicative structures, the political, social and economic arena, the spatial production of information, as well as treating the material dimension, and those aspects of everyday life which contributed to the formation of an early pan-European public sphere.
Medici Archive Project, Florence, 21.1.2022
The relationship between power and knowledge is firmly rooted in every human experience, and in a... more The relationship between power and knowledge is firmly rooted in every human experience, and in all epochs. With regard to taking power, Cosimo I launched an articulated program of reform based upon the control of information, which not only enabled him to reinforce his own power, but also to lay the foundation upon which the Medici state was built and maintained by his successors. The first part of this paper deals with this information-gathering system which enabled the survival of a medium-sized state in the midst of more powerful European ones. Moreover, the relationship between news and society underwent profound changes during the early modern period. The lust for news began to affect large strata of the urban population. The second part of this paper analyses a large set of avvisi from Florence which testify to the enlargement the public sphere in early modern Florence.
Uploads
Papers by Davide Boerio
Book Reviews by Davide Boerio
Conference Presentations by Davide Boerio
It analyses information which passed through diplomatic channels, for instance, manuscript and printed gazettes between Florence and the British Isles sent by the Tuscany envoy in London, Amerigo Salvetti; or the news flow between the Roman Curia and the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, Giovanni Battista Rinuccini. These examples will prove not only how the diplomatic entourage reported on similar events, but also how it reacted to exceptional conjunctures.
Moreover, my paper will try to figure out the movement of news not only through the geographical space but also within a variegated media landscape. Through the analysis of the contents and materiality of information, on the one hand, we will see how news went from a manuscript from to a printed one; on the other, their renegotiation in other cultural contexts following their translation in different languages and the appearance in different early modern political arena.
This approach could help us link again not only important events which were artificially separated by the narrative of national historiographies, but also to balance the dichotomy of some historical categories, such as printing/writing and public/private.
Almost every single European archive and library houses a collection of Avvisi. In the past, historians made full use of them in their works, although they have failed to recognize the intrinsic value of these sources. The reasons were partly due to their sheer quantity and their often erratic organization in archives, which have frustrated comprehensive analyses of this historical phenomenon. Through the research program “The Birth of News”, set up by the Medici Archive Project and directed by Professor Brendan Dooley, this challenge is beginning to be tackled. The aim of the program is to examine one of most complete collections of Avvisi in Europe, which are incorporated in the epistolary collection of the Medici Grand Dukes (Mediceo del Principato), preserved in the Archivio di Stato of Florence. This corpus of newsletters consists over 100 volumes from 1543 to 1743, comprising more than 200,000 folios. Utilizing the data-organization tools furnished by one of the most innovative digital humanities platforms now in public use: the Medici Archive Project's BIA, “The Birth of News” program will systematically address the cultural world of Avvisi, map out their trajectories, analyze their content, and configure, with historical grounding, the shape of public information in early modern Europe.
Before modern times, news circulated in the form of weekly or biweekly semi-public manuscript newsletters (also called avvisi), a Renaissance invention consisting of usually anonymous sheets, reproduced in multiple copies, which eventually became the basis of the first printed journalism. Until now the structures of distribution have been better known than the matter distributed, an imbalance created by the sheer volume of material as well as by the technical obstacles to massive analysis. So far, conjectures about what there was in this material that could have shaped peoples’ lives, mental horizons and views of the world have been based on little or no evidence or else on printed sources, which at first circulated only sporadically, and then drew directly upon the manuscript networks. The Medici papers at the state archive in Florence contain the largest and most varied repository of this source, including sheets originating from all over Europe, bearing news from everywhere including Ireland, Scandinavia, the eastern Mediterranean, Asia and the New World. EURONEWS proposes to study this repository with a view to re-creating the news environment that shaped early modern times.
EURONEWS is funded by the Irish Research Council, through IRCLA/2019/41.
Questo video è stato girato nel luglio del 2010 nei pressi di Piazza Mercato a Napoli. Il progetto iniziale prevedeva la realizzazione di un documentario sulla “cosiddetta rivoluzione di Masaniello” del 1647-48 con interviste a rinomati studiosi. Purtroppo, la mancanza di risorse economiche ha impedito la finalizzazione del progetto. Il video, tuttavia, rappresenta una traccia mediatica della memoria popolare di Masaniello, viva più che mai tra gli abitanti di Napoli.
Regia: Giovanni Rosa | Ricerche: Davide Boerio
Buona Visione!
Per accedere al video clicca il link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3osAiTw6zk&t=30s
Masaniello: A Journey into Popular Memory
This video was shot in July 2010 in the surroundings of Piazza Mercato in Naples. The initial project envisioned a documentary on the "so-called revolution of Masaniello" of 1647-48 with interviews to renowned scholars. Unfortunately, the lack of economic resources prevented the finalization of the project. The video, however, represents a media trace of the popular memory of Masaniello, alive more than ever among the inhabitants of Naples.
Direction: Giovanni Rosa |Research: Davide Boerio
Enjoy watching!
To watch the video, click on the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3osAiTw6zk&t=30s
(English subtitles avalaible soon}
Visit us: https://www.euronewsproject.org/initiatives/the-journalists-craft/
https://www.rivisteweb.it/issn/0392-0011
The EURONEWS Project is funded by the Irish Research Council.
We therefore consulted with colleagues involved in a publishing initiative just out this year (2021). Information: A Historical Companion (Princeton University Press, 2021), a massive tome of 904 pages edited by Ann Blair, Paul Duguid, Anja-Silvia Goeing, and Anthony Grafton, provides a thorough and up-to-date account (as much as possible in a single volume) of a topic of perennial interest: namely, the creation, management and sharing of information of all kinds, in all media, among all audiences.