ITALIAN

The Italian section aims at examining the period of literary production in Vulgar which, beginning with the first texts continues until the end of the Fifteenth century. Indeed, we consider as the start of the modern age the decisive change produced by the passage from the handwritten tradition to the press.

This choice conflicts with the periodization generally used in the studies of literature. Conventionally, literary histories indicate the end of the Middle Ages with the death of Boccaccio (1375), because they adopt a chronological subdivision defined by the succession of the great artistic and philosophical movements which isolates Humanism and Renaissance as new experiences.

Choosing the invention of the press as an ad quem reference point, we broaden the traditional chronological limits but are more faithful, in our opinion, to the historicity of the text, privileging production and material tradition.

To facilitate consultation by the readers, the space has been divided into different sections, according to the customary periodization for each century, and subsections, identified by themes. In this momentary organization the Sicilian Poetic School and Dante Philology, each coordinated by a specific director, are given particular importance. We do not want in this way to establish hierarchies of importance, on the contrary we hope to activate other subsections as soon as possible, the existence of which depends on the scholars' response to the project, who we invite to get in touch personally or via the Internet for possible collaborations.

The nature of the contributions will be in line with the site's general directives. We will present above all book and article reviews, conference reports, announcements of ongoing research and abstracts of dissertations, articles which have already been published in books or journals, and original contributions. Particular attention will be devoted to updated bibliography.

As indicated by the title of the general section on Philology and Literature, the approach will be philological-literary, with an opening to the entire romance area as a reference point.

We invite all the readers to participate and welcome contributions and suggestions.

Fabio M. Bertolo, Annalisa Comes, Teresa Nocita, Raffaella Pelosini, Carlo Pulsoni

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