La ricezione degli studi postcoloniali in Francia e Italia: riflessioni comparate

Over the last few years the postcolonial theory has taken root in French and Italian academic worlds and publishing markets. However, postcolonial studies have been delayed for a long time in these two countries. This essay sheds light on reasons for this late reception, namely the repression of the colonial past and the suspicion towards Anglo-American theories, and retraces the socio-political context that prompted postcolonial debate and reflections on the legacy of colonialism. Thereafter, by considering French and Italian translations of works by the authors known as the postcolonial “Holy Trinity” (Said, Bhabha, Spivak), the essay provides an analysis of the reception of postcolonial studies through this textual category. It shows when and by which publishers and translators the postcolonial theory disseminated in France and Italy, and reveals that the circulation of translations takes place more or less during the same period in both countries and the conditions are nearly identical.