Tina Tomasi, a secular and democratic voice in the history of education

Abstract

This essay reconstructs the profile of Tina Tomasi Ventura (1912-1990), a prominent figure in Italian pedagogical historiography, emphasising her secular, democratic and militant voice. Through an analysis of her autobiography and main works, the core elements of her research emerge: ethical and political commitment, attention to marginalised subjects, and reflection on secularism and educational freedom. Central to this is her contribution to studies on the history of schooling, Freemasonry, fascism, the status of women and the history of universities, as well as her decisive role in building a national and international research community. The result is an agenda of critical and secular pedagogy that is still relevant today, intertwining memory, emancipation and the history of education.