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GIs and ‘Segnorine’: an Entangled History of Post-war Sex Work (1943-1954)

Projektbeschreibung

Illegale Prostitution im Italien der Nachkriegszeit

Italien war zwischen 1943 und 1954 von den Alliierten besetzt und Beziehungen zwischen den amerikanischen Soldaten (GIs) und den italienischen Prostituierten (genannt „Segnorine“) waren verboten. Das Verbot ermöglichte die Verbreitung eines illegalen Sexmarktes. Italienische Prostituierte wurden aufgrund ihrer Beziehungen mit den alliierten Soldaten ins Visier genommen und wurden zu Opfern rassistischer Angriffe, da sie auch afroamerikanische Kunden annahmen. Im Rahmen des EU-finanzierten Projekts Sex War-k werden diese Fälle und die Interaktion zwischen Geschlecht und Rasse im Italien nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg untersucht. Darüber hinaus wird auch die transkontinentale Rolle sexistischer und diskriminierender Stereotypen untersucht. Schlussendlich werden die Identitätsbarrieren ermittelt, die festlegen, wie jede Seite (amerikanische Soldaten, Italiener) die jeweils andere Seite sah.

Ziel

This project is the first attempt to carry out a systematic investigation of illegal sex work in a European country during the Allied occupation, from a perspective of cultural and transnational history. Focusing on the relations between American soldiers (GIs) and Italian prostitutes (the so-called ‘segnorine’) in 1943-1954, up to the settlement of the Trieste question, the research intends to analyze these women’s experience as the image of the cultural encounters and interconnections between US and Italian societies during the post-WWII transition.
In Italy, the Allies forbade any relationship between ‘foreign’ GIs and local prostitutes. The growth of an illegal sex market was one of the consequences of this decision. What emerges is that the ‘segnorine’ were treated as a great danger and were often victims of violence especially because of their sexual relations with African Americans. I argue that they played a key-role in the process of national re-building, a role that has not been thoroughly investigated by scholars.
The project addresses three core issues:
(1) The intertwining of genderization and racialization in the years of post-fascist democracy;
(2) The transcontinental circulation of ideas and models, with particular attention to the inter-crossing of sexist and racist discrimination (e.g. postcolonial and segregationist stereotypes);
(3) Imaginary frontiers and collective identities. How did Americans look at Italians, and Italian women? How did Italians look at their ‘conquerors’?
I will carry out an extensive review of archival and press sources, also pertaining to pop culture. I will conduct personal interviews too. UNIPI and Fordham University are a perfect match for my project, that will result in three journal articles, a book, and a number of training and dissemination activities. The GF would represent an important step in my career, helping me grow into one of the leading European experts in gender, racial, and warfare studies.

Koordinator

UNIVERSITA DI PISA
Netto-EU-Beitrag
€ 269 002,56
Adresse
LUNGARNO PACINOTTI 43/44
56126 Pisa
Italien

Auf der Karte ansehen

Region
Centro (IT) Toscana Pisa
Aktivitätstyp
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Gesamtkosten
€ 269 002,56

Partner (1)