Anti-clericalism and clericalism between perception and political polemic. Some considerations on the Julian case between the 19th and 20th centuries

The seventh event in the series of conferences organised by the cultural association “Manlio Cecovini Study Society” is scheduled for Tuesday, 18 June 2024, at 6:00 PM at the Antico Caffè San Marco in Trieste.

The event, led by Ivan Portelli, will delve into the dualism between anticlericalism and clericalism.

In the political and cultural dialectic that developed between the 19th and 20th centuries, the polarisation between “clericals” and “anticlericals” often translated, for those using these terms, into mutual accusations or strong identity assertions.

However, upon closer inspection, this is not simply a political opposition between conservatives and progressives; this dichotomy seems to express two visions that, in the political arena and beyond, aim to highlight two alternative cultural horizons.

In the Julian region, these positions are further coloured by additional elements, such as themes of Italian identity and Habsburg loyalty. The local press of the time, fully aligned, served as a platform that gave wide resonance to the political polemic; by re-reading the Triestine and Gorizian newspapers of that period, we can grasp the meaning and nuances with which these terms were used.

THE SPEAKER - Ivan Portelli teaches philosophy and history in secondary schools and has published contributions dedicated to various aspects of institutional, cultural, and religious history between the 19th and 20th centuries, with particular attention to the reality of the Gorizia area. He is also the president of the Institute of Social and Religious History of Gorizia and regularly collaborates with various regional and national cultural institutions.

For more information, write to manliocecovini@studysociety.it.