A review of the state of the art in the field of Italian migration studies. The 27 papers are organized under five headings: Italian identity and ethnicity in North America; Italian immigrants in Latin America; the Italian diaspora--similarities and differences; Italians and Italian-Americans--past legacy and future prospects; and documenting Italian immigration. Most of the papers grew out of presentations made at the Columbus People Symposium, held at NYU in May 1992. Nine are original essays prepared especially for this volume. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

THE GIOVANNI SCHIAVO SERIES is, to echo its namesake, "an attempt to rescue from oblivion," the work of the founders of Italian American and Italian Diaspora studies as an academic discipline. The field has expanded greatly, especially during the last twenty-five years of the twentieth century; as a result, a plethora of contemporary works fill the shelves of scholars, readers, and university libraries. However, many of the classics remain out of print. Hence, in the spirit of Giovanni Schiavo, who sought to highlight the experience of Italian Americans' forgotten past, we seek to do the same but with scholarly works on Italian American subjects. Our mission is to re-shed light on works that are no longer easily accessible or widely read. Plans include the creation of "readers" for some of the fi eld's founders and, hopefully, a collection from contemporary scholars analyzing the founders of the fi eld. We hope you enjoy the current reprint and continue to support our endeavor.

The Routledge History of Italian Americans weaves a narrative of the trials and triumphs of one of the nation’s largest ethnic groups. This history, comprising original essays by leading scholars and critics, addresses themes that include the Columbian legacy, immigration, the labor movement, discrimination, anarchism, Fascism, World War II patriotism, assimilation, gender identity and popular culture. This landmark volume offers a clear and accessible overview of work in the growing academic field of Italian American Studies. Rich illustrations bring the story to life, drawing out the aspects of Italian American history and culture that make this ethnic group essential to the American experience.