Le origini delle scuole italiane a Buenos Aires in prospettiva transnazionale: un’iniziativa educativa tra bisogno sociale, strumentalizzazione politica e idealità risorgimentale (1867)

The origins of Italian schools in Buenos Aires in transnational perspective: An educational initiative between social need, political instrumentalization and Risorgimento ideality (1867)

Abstract

Through a transnational approach, the research analyzes the origins of the first Italian schools in Buenos Aires, inaugurated in 1867 by the Italian Mutual Aid Association (IMAA) Unione e Benevolenza and Nazionale Italiana. The article focuses on the following questions: Why were the schools founded? Who supported this project and why? What were the political-educational models of reference? The first part reflects on the migratory and institutional context of the foundations; the second describes «nationalistic» and «instrumental» theories on the origins of the schools, and the third section analyses the issue through hitherto unexplored sources from various Italian and Argentine archives. The foundations are situated at the intersection of the Risorgimento ideality of the IMAA founders, their efforts to build a homogeneous «Italian colony» led by them, and the lack of public schools in the city.