Papers by Matteo D'Avanzo
Contemporanea (ISSN 1127-3070), 2024
During the years 1936-1937, Carlo Alberto Viterbo embarked on an expedition within Ethiopia, serv... more During the years 1936-1937, Carlo Alberto Viterbo embarked on an expedition within Ethiopia, serving as a representative of the Italian Jewish community and securing the endorsement of Fascist authorities for the purpose of evaluating the circumstances of Jews within the colonies and conducting a comprehensive study on the indigenous Ethiopian Jews, then known as «Falashas». Viterbo spent part of his expedition to a specialized examination of the Ethiopian Jewish populace, employing an approach characterized by a fluctuation between benevolence and imperialism. Through the utilization of archival source materials, this research aspires to shed light on overlooked facets concerning the interplay between colonialism and Jewish participation during the period of the Fascist conquest of Ethiopia.
The measures taken in Israel against the spread of the pandemic seem difficult to implement and t... more The measures taken in Israel against the spread of the pandemic seem difficult to implement and the long-standing religious and social problems affecting Israeli society appear to have worsen in the last months. Although some social control actions appear to be effective, the Jewish fear extremist religious groups withdraw political support from the Government did not allow a strict application of the rules, while the Arab minority, that is about to celebrate the ritual fast, will have to deal with a real curfew. However, it seems that the crisis generated by the virus is leading political forces, that have been polarized for about a year, to form a government of national unity.
Conferences by Matteo D'Avanzo
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2022
Session's Chair
ANU - Museum of the Jewish People, 2023
Paper on "From Italian Fascist Rule to Jewish Internationalism through the Experience of Ethiopia... more Paper on "From Italian Fascist Rule to Jewish Internationalism through the Experience of Ethiopian Jews".
The third conference of the Ethiopian Jewry Heritage Center, in collaboration with the Goldstein-Goren Diaspora Research Center at Tel Aviv University; the Africa Unit, S. Daniel Abraham Center for International and Regional Studies, Tel Aviv University; the Azrieli Center for Israel Studies (MALI), Ben-Gurion Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, Ben Gurion University of the Negev; ANU - Museum of the Jewish People; the Baron De Hirsch Fund; the Zvi Yavetz School of Hestorical Studies, Tel Aviv University, are pleased to host the international conference:
Storie in corso XVII – Seminario Nazionale dottorandi SiSSCO, 2023
Il seminario intende offrire una panoramica delle ricerche dottorali in corso e favorire la conos... more Il seminario intende offrire una panoramica delle ricerche dottorali in corso e favorire la conoscenza e la circolazione dei risultati scientifici e il dialogo tra generazioni diverse di studiose e studiosi. Sono invitati a presentare domanda di partecipazione tutti i dottorandi/e in Storia contemporanea o coloro che stanno conducendo una ricerca su un tema storico relativo a Ottocento e Novecento.
X Convegno annuale della Società Italiana di Storia Internazionale (SiSi), 2023
Panel Organizer and Speaker on "In bilico tra Israele e Palestina: l’Organizzazione dell’unità af... more Panel Organizer and Speaker on "In bilico tra Israele e Palestina: l’Organizzazione dell’unità africana di fronte alla guerra del 1973"
Cantieri di Storia SISSCO, 2023
Panel Organizer and Speaker on "Da oppositori a maggioranza: i mizrahim dopo la guerra del 1973"
FIFTH INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENT CONFERENCE ON HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE STUDIES - STRASSLER CENTER, 2023
Conference Organizer, 2024
This conference brings together fresh research on Jews and colonialism, focusing on the African c... more This conference brings together fresh research on Jews and colonialism, focusing on the African continent in the 19th and 20th centuries. The event draws attention to a significantly under-studied field and aims to facilitate new research and inter-disciplinary research networks. The two-day meeting of established scholars, early career researchers and PhD students will turn to Jews and Jewish communities in several colonial settings across Africa, asking how Jews acted within imperial networks and interacted with colonial governments. The conference will also examine the impact of Fascist and Nazi rule, adding new perspectives on the history of the Holocaust in Africa and on convergences and divergences between racism and antisemitism. Finally, scholars will address the role of African Jewish communities in postcolonial struggles and processes of decolonization. Particular attention will be given to questions of religion in colonial contexts. It will be asked how religious and racializing differentiations were employed together by colonial regimes, and it will be discussed how religious and political commitments intersected in Jewish engagements with colonialism and decolonization
Talks by Matteo D'Avanzo
Wiener Holocaust Library, 2023
Within the context of the fascist conquest of Ethiopia, the history of the Ethiopian Jews, the Be... more Within the context of the fascist conquest of Ethiopia, the history of the Ethiopian Jews, the Beta Israel, is significant. After the arrival of Italian troops in the 1930s, the Jewish group, which has always been divided by the Christian majority, gained special treatment.
However, the regime’s attitude towards them changed due to the 1938 racial laws. Ethiopian Jews seemed to disappear from the focus of the fascist government, the Italian Jewish press was forced to close down and the break-up of South African troops on the scene of World War II reshaped Ethiopia and its rule. Many years afterwards, research on the Beta Israel resumed and some community members have called for their fates and experiences to be considered part of the Holocaust.
Is it possible to talk about them as victims of genocide? Can we talk about Ethiopian Jews as Holocaust victims? These questions pave the way to new research fields that historiography has neglected and combine topics often neglected in Holocaust studies: racism, antisemitism and colonialism
AJA Fellowship Seminar, 2024
In the extensive and captivating history of the Beta Israel, the narrative surrounding their
enco... more In the extensive and captivating history of the Beta Israel, the narrative surrounding their
encounter with the Italian fascist occupation of Ethiopia (1936-1941) is frequently marginalized.
During this period, Ethiopian Jews avowed loyalty to the regime while concurrently emerging as
prominent figures in the anti-Italian resistance. As a result, not only did they attract the scrutiny
of the fascist regime, they also suffered the brunt of racial discrimination. The support and aid
extended by Italian Jews, albeit well-intentioned, carried the underlying objective of "civilizing"
them. The Ethiopian Jews experienced colonization under Italian rule and were constrained
by racial laws. Examining the history of this community provides a compelling case study for
understanding contemporary forms of racism.
Teaching Documents by Matteo D'Avanzo
Università degli Studi di Milano, 2024
Course organized with Sara Zanotta and Mauro Primavera.
Lesson's Title " Tra socialismo e sioni... more Course organized with Sara Zanotta and Mauro Primavera.
Lesson's Title " Tra socialismo e sionismo dal Mandato Britannico allo Stato di Israele"
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Papers by Matteo D'Avanzo
Conferences by Matteo D'Avanzo
The third conference of the Ethiopian Jewry Heritage Center, in collaboration with the Goldstein-Goren Diaspora Research Center at Tel Aviv University; the Africa Unit, S. Daniel Abraham Center for International and Regional Studies, Tel Aviv University; the Azrieli Center for Israel Studies (MALI), Ben-Gurion Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, Ben Gurion University of the Negev; ANU - Museum of the Jewish People; the Baron De Hirsch Fund; the Zvi Yavetz School of Hestorical Studies, Tel Aviv University, are pleased to host the international conference:
Talks by Matteo D'Avanzo
However, the regime’s attitude towards them changed due to the 1938 racial laws. Ethiopian Jews seemed to disappear from the focus of the fascist government, the Italian Jewish press was forced to close down and the break-up of South African troops on the scene of World War II reshaped Ethiopia and its rule. Many years afterwards, research on the Beta Israel resumed and some community members have called for their fates and experiences to be considered part of the Holocaust.
Is it possible to talk about them as victims of genocide? Can we talk about Ethiopian Jews as Holocaust victims? These questions pave the way to new research fields that historiography has neglected and combine topics often neglected in Holocaust studies: racism, antisemitism and colonialism
encounter with the Italian fascist occupation of Ethiopia (1936-1941) is frequently marginalized.
During this period, Ethiopian Jews avowed loyalty to the regime while concurrently emerging as
prominent figures in the anti-Italian resistance. As a result, not only did they attract the scrutiny
of the fascist regime, they also suffered the brunt of racial discrimination. The support and aid
extended by Italian Jews, albeit well-intentioned, carried the underlying objective of "civilizing"
them. The Ethiopian Jews experienced colonization under Italian rule and were constrained
by racial laws. Examining the history of this community provides a compelling case study for
understanding contemporary forms of racism.
Teaching Documents by Matteo D'Avanzo
Lesson's Title " Tra socialismo e sionismo dal Mandato Britannico allo Stato di Israele"
The third conference of the Ethiopian Jewry Heritage Center, in collaboration with the Goldstein-Goren Diaspora Research Center at Tel Aviv University; the Africa Unit, S. Daniel Abraham Center for International and Regional Studies, Tel Aviv University; the Azrieli Center for Israel Studies (MALI), Ben-Gurion Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, Ben Gurion University of the Negev; ANU - Museum of the Jewish People; the Baron De Hirsch Fund; the Zvi Yavetz School of Hestorical Studies, Tel Aviv University, are pleased to host the international conference:
However, the regime’s attitude towards them changed due to the 1938 racial laws. Ethiopian Jews seemed to disappear from the focus of the fascist government, the Italian Jewish press was forced to close down and the break-up of South African troops on the scene of World War II reshaped Ethiopia and its rule. Many years afterwards, research on the Beta Israel resumed and some community members have called for their fates and experiences to be considered part of the Holocaust.
Is it possible to talk about them as victims of genocide? Can we talk about Ethiopian Jews as Holocaust victims? These questions pave the way to new research fields that historiography has neglected and combine topics often neglected in Holocaust studies: racism, antisemitism and colonialism
encounter with the Italian fascist occupation of Ethiopia (1936-1941) is frequently marginalized.
During this period, Ethiopian Jews avowed loyalty to the regime while concurrently emerging as
prominent figures in the anti-Italian resistance. As a result, not only did they attract the scrutiny
of the fascist regime, they also suffered the brunt of racial discrimination. The support and aid
extended by Italian Jews, albeit well-intentioned, carried the underlying objective of "civilizing"
them. The Ethiopian Jews experienced colonization under Italian rule and were constrained
by racial laws. Examining the history of this community provides a compelling case study for
understanding contemporary forms of racism.
Lesson's Title " Tra socialismo e sionismo dal Mandato Britannico allo Stato di Israele"