Letter from the editor
Welcome! We are delighted to present to you the December 2023 edition of La Civetta. We have been working hard to create this publication, which we feel expresses our collective love of Italy. Having just returned from our respective semesters abroad in Bologna, Turin and Firenze, my fellow leaders and I were excited to dive back into the vibrancy of Italian culture and share it with you all. This year’s team consists of Italian Language students, Translation students, as well as exchange students, who have all been valuable in helping us delve into the edition’s theme, migration.
This issue has become more prevalent across Italy in recent months as the country faces an apparent migration crisis. Whilst sharing some insight into Italian culture, we wanted to shed a more positive light on migration, which can often feel like a daunting subject. With articles focusing on music, politics, film, and sport we have been able to explore the effects migration has had on the Italian social landscape.
One of the highlights of this edition was our interview with Amir Issaa, a famous Italian rapper known for his songs which comment on Italian society’s feelings towards immigrants. He gave us insight into how it felt for him growing up feeling like an outsider in his community. However, his success in the music industry has propelled him into a newfound position teaching rap writing workshops, not only in Italy but abroad too. We are excited to announce that Amir will be in Bristol in January 2024 to hold a rap writing workshop for students!
In addition, we wanted to highlight the sense of community that goes hand in hand with the topic of migration. This year marks the birth of the newest society at Bristol University, the Exchange Society. We hope to collaborate more closely with this society in the future, but for now we’re highlighting the amazing work they’ve done so far in bringing Bristol students and exchange students together. I believe it’s crucial in whatever environment to feel a sense of belonging, and this society has successfully inspired this in our own university community. They share our passion to help others see Bristol through an Italian lens.
I would like to thank Barbara Ricci for her continued support, guidance, and advice throughout the making of this edition. Finally, I want to thank all our collaborators whose hard work does not go unnoticed and has allowed this edition to come to fruition.
Thank you,
Rebecca Homan