Abstract
This essay analyzes the exhibition “Scienza Universale,” which was to be a central part of the 1942 world’s fair in Rome. Although in the end World War II kept the fair from happening, the plans for the exhibit were finished, and they allow for an in-depth analysis of the propagandistic uses of science in fascist Italy. The essay investigates what the regime sought to accomplish with a public display of science, why it chose to stress science’s universal character, and how various stakeholders’ motives played out in the exhibit design. Although fascism is not generally known for either its embrace of science or its internationalism, in this instance both played a major role in the way the state presented itself. “Universal Science,” as depicted in the exhibit, carried messages that were meant to promote a fascist conception of civilization and world order and to stake out Italy’s position vis-à-vis Nazi Germany in particular.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 769-791 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| Journal | Isis |
| Volume | 108 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2017 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
Geert Somsen teaches history of science at Maastricht University and writes about scientific universalism and international politics during the first half of the twentieth century. Between 2014 and 2016 he was Marie Curie Fellow at Columbia University and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science. History Department, FASoS, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200MD Maastricht, Netherlands; [email protected]. Versions of this essay have been presented at the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome, the New York City History of Science workshop at New York University, the European History and Politics seminar at Columbia University, the history colloquium at Brock University, the STS speakers series at York University, the history colloquium at Maastricht University, the ESHS conference in Prague, and the Centre Alexandre Koyré in Paris. I thank all participants for their helpful comments. Special thanks also to Giovanni Battimelli, Elena Canadelli, Deborah Coen, Ivana Gambaro, Donatella Germanese, Evan Hepler-Smith, Liliane Hilaire-Pérez, Benjamin Martin, Margaret Meredith, Steven Shapin, Noelle Turtur, Arthur Weststeijn, Waqar Zaidi, and two anonymous referees for Isis. Research for this essay was funded by the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under REA grant agreement PIOF-GA-2013-629950 and supported by a residence at the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome | |
| Seventh Framework Programme | |
| FP7 People: Marie-Curie Actions | |
| Research Executive Agency | PIOF-GA-2013-629950 |