Valentina Pagliai

Through Veils of Words Valentina Pagliai

This book presents the Tuscan Italian folk verbal duel called Contrasto, traditionally sung in public performance by the Poeti Bernescanti. The author, linguistic anthropologist Valentina Pagliai, reveals the connections between performance, politics and the creation of social identities. In Contrasto duels anything can be argued, reproduced or contested: political parties and elected representatives, senses of belonging, images of womanhood and positionalities in respect to (gendered) power hierarchies. The ideological side of identity becomes open to scrutiny. Beyond this, by highlighting the linguistic and political ideologies involved in verbal art performances, the book shows the relevance of the study of performance as a key to understanding social action. The Tuscan Poeti construct a poetic art which is alternative to the one proposed by the Italian intellectuals and institutionalized by the Italian nation-state. The book delves into their views of the origin and nature of art, their ethos, and their political stances.