Elisabetta Vinci | Università di Catania (original) (raw)

Talks by Elisabetta Vinci

Marica Bodrožić is one of the many authors of the so called migrant or transcultural literature. ... more Marica Bodrožić is one of the many authors of the so called migrant or transcultural literature. My paper aims to examine the thematic of hybridization in the works of this author. In particular I will analyse the novel «Sterne erben, Sterne färben. Meine Ankunft in Wörtern» and draw the attention to the German language, that Bodrožić uses in a very singular and original way. This novel has been defined as “language biography”, in order to underline that language plays a fundamental role in the building both of identiy and literary work. Bodrožić left her native town – Svib in Croatia – to go to Frankfurt when she was a child and this was a significant event in her life. As a result the theme of movement can be found in her writing, that represents a bridge between past and present, childhood and maturity, Dalmatia and Germany and, certainly, Serbo-Croat and German. Bodrožić language mirrors therefore an identity divided between two cultures, the Dalmatian one and the German one. German becomes for Bodrožić a “second mother tongue”, but the linguistic innovation that she uses expresses a great creativity, that only a plurilingual author can show. She lives in the Dazwischen, inbetween two cultures. Even if she mostly tells episodes of her life in Dalmatia, she is able to write them only in German. Bodrožić language is dynamic and original; it shows us that the mix of cultures produces very interesting results in the artistic field and can influence both contents and writing style.

Due to the 2008 global financial crisis, public funding for cultural enterprises decreased drama... more Due to the 2008 global financial crisis, public funding for cultural enterprises decreased dramatically. Many cultural producers showed stagnation, others tryed to react in different ways. My paper will focus on the experience of the "Teatro Machiavelli" in Catania (Italy), which – in contrast to the general trend – reopened in 2010. It represents a different hypothesis of public-private partnership, since the theatre is managed by the non-profit association Ingresso Libero while the historical building is owned by the University of Catania. First I will explain to what extent the University contributes to the partnership as a public subject. Then I will show how the association organizes concerts, performances, master classes and values cultural heritage through visual and performing arts without receiving public funding. Sources of financing are mainly private donations and membership fees. Thanks to these contributions Ingresso Libero can on the one hand offer different cultural products; on the other hand, it favours education by offering free services for students and people who cannot afford a charge. In order to reach this goal the association aims to reduce production costs, which are often unsustainable and paralyzing other Italian theatres. This case study represents a contribution to cultural economics as it shows that different forms of collaboration are possible in order to build up networks, in which public intervention does not have to be founded on monetary subsidies and can be integrated by private patronage also in areas where private subjects do not usually invest in the cultural sector.

Papers by Elisabetta Vinci

Gestalt theory, Jul 1, 2019

Humanidades: revista de la Universidad de Montevideo, 2019

El autor es responsable intelectual de la totalidad (100 %) de la investigación que fundamenta es... more El autor es responsable intelectual de la totalidad (100 %) de la investigación que fundamenta este artículo.

Odradek. Studies in Philosophy of Literature, Aesthetics, and New Media Theories, 2018

My dissertation starts from the discoveries made by the scholars of the University of Parma at th... more My dissertation starts from the discoveries made by the scholars of the University of Parma at the beginning of the Nineties. Thanks to experiments carried out on macaques, neuroscientists discovered the existence of what they called mirror neurons because of their peculiar features. Actually, they activate not only when someone act but also when we observe the same action performed by another person. My thesis focuses on performing arts, in particular on the epic theatre theorised by Bertolt Brecht. The aim of the German author was the creation of a new idea of theatre fit to represent the continuous change of the world. Brecht rejected empathy (Einfühlung). According to him, it was an element that encouraged the identification of the spectators and as a consequence weakened their critical activity. To avoid the emotional involvement of the public and provoke its alienation, the author adopted a series of strategies, the socalled alienation effects. The three penny opera was a success with the public, much to Brecht's disappointment. In the final section of my thesis, the elements of the The three penny opera are analysed in light of the recent neurobiological discoveries and experiments. The conclusions confirm that the absence of emotional involvement is impossible when the public is in front of acting bodies, exspecially if they are

Studi Germanici, Apr 26, 2021

Discourses on Nations and Identities, 2021

This contribution aims to analyse the characteristic use of the German language in the works of M... more This contribution aims to analyse the characteristic use of the German language in the works of Marica Bodrožić, one of the many authors of transcultural literature. Through a distinctive use of language, this author is able to depict the in-between condition and hybrid identity of migrants who, because of their personal experience, deal with different cultures and languages. Starting from her personal situation and describing her experience with the German language, Bodrožić comes to the conclusion that hybridity is actually shared by all people since it is intrinsic in language and identity. Boundaries between countries, cultures, and human beings are merely inventions that produce fear of what is perceived as diverse. What is distinctive about Bodrožić is her ability to use German in a dynamic and original way, thus creating a surprising effect. Her works reveal that cultural mixing produces interesting results both in themes and style.

This contribution aims to investigate the meaning of Carnival in the work Fräulein Else by Arthur... more This contribution aims to investigate the meaning of Carnival in the work Fräulein Else by Arthur Schnitzler. Published in 1924, it was strongly influenced by the cultural context of the fin de siècle in which distrust of verbal language spread, thus causing an increasing interest in new forms of expression and in the creation of innovative models of Gesamtkunstwerk. One of the results of this crisis was the revival of the Commedia dell'arte, in which masks are the most important elements. In Fräulein Else, Schnitzler quotes two passages from Schumann's Carnival, in which masks play a relevant role and reveal the true nature of the relation between Else and Dorsday. In a paradoxical game, Carnival is not an overturn of social conventions but rather its mirror, in which masks, instrument of disguise, become a revealing one.

Humanidades: revista de la Universidad de Montevideo, 2019

This contribution is aimed at analyzing how empathy is instantiated when we read works of fiction... more This contribution is aimed at analyzing how empathy is instantiated when we read works of fiction and at studying which elements can improve the consonance between characters and readers. Starting from a brief summary about empathy with regard to literary texts, the paper examines the question concerning human reception of fictional characters in order to investigate how we empathize with them through the description of some elements which foster empathy: internal focalization, interior monologue and movement description. Fräulein Else by Arthur Schnitzler will serve as case study of empathic reading.

Writing about theatre and neuroscience is not easy because humanities and science follow differen... more Writing about theatre and neuroscience is not easy because humanities and science follow different paths and use opposite methods. Moreover, a widespread scepticism permeated both scientists and artists as far as an interdisciplinary analysis of theatre is concerned. Recently, the ancient dichotomy between arts and sciences, specifically neurosciences and cognitive sciences, has been overcome thanks to open-minded scholars who struggled to give a different perspective on both disciplines and showed on the one hand how cognitive sciences can be useful to better understand the creative process and the perception of arts; on the other hand, how arts can be important for scientists to shed light on some of the most complex brain processes. The interdisciplinary approach to the study of art can reveal new scenarios, especially with regard to the relationship between artists and audience. The discovery of mirror neurons by the team of the University of Parma, composed of Giacomo Rizzolatt...

LEA Lingue e Letterature d'Oriente e d'Occidente, 2020

This contribution aims to investigate the meaning of Carnival in the work "Fräulein Else" by Arth... more This contribution aims to investigate the meaning of Carnival in the work "Fräulein Else" by Arthur Schnitzler. Published in 1924, it was strongly influenced by the cultural context of the fin de siècle in which distrust of verbal language spread, thus causing an increasing interest in new forms of expression and in the creation of innovative models of "Gesamtkunstwerk". One of the results of this crisis was the revival of the "Commedia dell’arte", in which masks are the most important elements. In "Fräulein Else", Schnitzler quotes two passages from Schumann’s "Carnival", in which masks play a relevant role and reveal the true nature of the relation between Else and Dorsday. In a paradoxical game, Carnival is not an overturn of social conventions but rather its mirror, in which masks, instrument of disguise, become a revealing one.

Crisi e trasformazioni. Territorio, reti e geografia, arti performative., 2020

Il teatro di figura di Richard Teschner (Karlsbad 1879 -Vienna 1948, eclettico artista boemo, si ... more Il teatro di figura di Richard Teschner (Karlsbad 1879 -Vienna 1948, eclettico artista boemo, si inserisce in quel particolare contesto sociale, politico e culturale che fu l'impero austro-ungarico nel passaggio tra Otto e Novecento. Obiettivo del presente contributo è collocare l'opera di Teschner nella cornice culturale dell'epoca: alcuni elementi, quali la predilezione di mute figure animate e la commistione di linguaggi artistici, pur caratterizzando la sua peculiare attività ed estetica, traevano origine dalla ricca e multiforme ricerca messa in atto da diversi movimenti d'avanguardia volti all'affermazione di un'arte autonoma e in grado di fornire un antidoto alle deviazioni della modernità.

Gestalt Theory Journal, 41, 2, 2019

The aim of this paper is to compare Brechtian theory concerning empathy in theatre and recent stu... more The aim of this paper is to compare Brechtian theory concerning empathy in theatre and recent studies showing the biological basis of empathy. First of all, a brief summary about the concept of empathy is provided, with particular attention to empathy in Brechtian theatre. Then, a paragraph is dedicated to explain how empathy and emotional involvement are linked to neurobiological mechanisms and body state. In the end, an analysis of the Verfremdungseffekte in the Threepenny Opera is traced to understand how recent studies contradict Brechtian theory as far as empathy is concerned.

R. Gambino (a cura di) Piccole Storie Dada, Villaggio Maori, Catania, 2018

Siculorum Gymnasium, 2017

This is the translation of the article written in German by Wolfgang Sachs, concerning the sustai... more This is the translation of the article written in German by Wolfgang Sachs, concerning the sustainable development goals of UE and Pope Francis Encyclical Laudato Si'.

Odradek. Studies in Philosophy of Literature, Aesthetics and New Media Theories, 2018

This contribution aims to highlight the motif of melancholy in Fräulein Else by Arthur Schnitzler... more This contribution aims to highlight the motif
of melancholy in Fräulein Else by Arthur Schnitzler.
In particular this paper focuses on the concept of
melancholy from two perspectives: on the one
hand, it refers to the definition of the pathology
investigated by Sigmund Freud in his work Mourning
and Melancholia; on the other hand, it is related
to a general sense of decline and crisis due to the
social, historical and cultural transformations. In
Schnitzler’s text, which is characterized by the strong
relationship between art and science, typical of the
Wiener Moderne, different features and behaviours
of the main character Else can be better understood
if related to the melancholic syndrome. Moreover,
the peculiar narrative technique of the interior
monologue is a way not only to represent the inner
life of the main character, but also to express to the
“historical melancholy” of the Vienna fin de siécle.

Dear Colleagues, We are very pleased to announce that our fifth Neurohumanities Dialogue What i... more Dear Colleagues,

We are very pleased to announce that our fifth Neurohumanities Dialogue What is What? Focus on transdisciplinary concepts and terminology in Neuroaesthetics, Cognition and Poetics will take place in Catania, on 31st May and 1st June.
The aim of this year Dialogue is to focus on the terminological difficulties encountered during transdisciplinary research studies. Thanks to and due to the continuous discussion of the last years on the terms to be used in the scientific research, the project of a common ground for literary texts and arts analysis is feasible.

"What is What? Focus on transdisciplinary concepts and terminology in neuroaesthetics, cognition ... more "What is What? Focus on transdisciplinary concepts and terminology in neuroaesthetics, cognition and poetics" May 31st – June 1st 2018 University of Catania. ~What is the meeting point between Science and Humanities? ~How can common conceptual and lexical frameworks improve transdisciplinary research?

Gestalt theory, Jul 1, 2019

Humanidades: revista de la Universidad de Montevideo, 2019

Odradek. Studies in Philosophy of Literature, Aesthetics, and New Media Theories, 2018

Studi Germanici, Apr 26, 2021

Discourses on Nations and Identities, 2021

Humanidades: revista de la Universidad de Montevideo, 2019

LEA Lingue e Letterature d'Oriente e d'Occidente, 2020

Crisi e trasformazioni. Territorio, reti e geografia, arti performative., 2020

Gestalt Theory Journal, 41, 2, 2019

R. Gambino (a cura di) Piccole Storie Dada, Villaggio Maori, Catania, 2018

Siculorum Gymnasium, 2017

Odradek. Studies in Philosophy of Literature, Aesthetics and New Media Theories, 2018

Dear Colleagues, We are very pleased to announce that our fifth Neurohumanities Dialogue What i... more Dear Colleagues,

Il contributo si propone di indagare le tematiche principali presenti negli scritti di Marica Bod... more Il contributo si propone di indagare le tematiche principali presenti negli scritti di Marica Bodrožić, mostrando il loro forte legame con la biografia dell'autrice. In particolare l'analisi verterà sull'opera Sterne erben, Sterne färben. Meine Ankunft in Wörtern e sul ruolo della lingua tedesca, che, definita da Bodrožić come seconda madrelingua, funge da ponte tra passato e presente, infanzia e maturità, serbocroato e tedesco. La lingua di Marica Bodrožić è dinamica e originale, ricca di neologismi e capace di sorprendere il lettore. I suoi scritti rivelano come l'innesto tra la cultura d'origine e quella tedesca sia produttivo, non soltanto dal punto di vista tematico, ma anche dal punto di vista formale e stilistico.

ÖDaF Tagung, Wien 22. - 23. März 2019, 2019

This poster aims to show how reading fiction can help language learning thanks to the neural mech... more This poster aims to show how reading fiction can help language learning thanks to the neural mechanism concerning empathy and mental imagery, which allows us to learn foreign words in their own context of use.

PhD Dissertation, 2018

This research analyses two particular traditions of puppetry, one related to the cultural area of... more This research analyses two particular traditions of puppetry, one related to the cultural area of Central Europe, that is the theatre of Richard Teschner, and the other one that is purely Mediterranean, the Sicilian opera dei pupi. These two expressions, referring to deeply different models and sources and resulting in diverse staging, nevertheless show points of contact that can be traced back to the common roots of this artistic form and to the importance of the marionette as a metaphor for the human being, declined in different ways in various cultures and societies.
The dissertation has a double purpose, on the one hand, it aims to find in the marionette a privileged tool to represent and overcome a social or cultural crisis, as happened in the cases analysed, even if they are very distant from one another both geographically and culturally; on the other hand, it aims to revalue an art form that was popular until the beginning of the last century, in particular up to the First World War, but then declined becoming exclusively an entertainment for children and tourists, and to formulate appropriate hypotheses to ensure that puppetry will be again appreciated for its artistic and social relevance.
After a first chapter dedicated to the definition of the multiple types of puppets and marionettes and to a brief history of the Central European and Italian puppetry, the study will focus on the two cases chosen as main topics. Subsequently, the enhancement techniques used in the case of Teschner's theatre, whose Stabfiguren are preserved and exhibited at the Theatermuseum in Vienna, will be explained; moreover, hypotheses concernig the case of the opera dei pupi will be proposed. As far as the Sicilian part of this research is concerned, a symbolic place of the puppet theatre in Catania has been identified: the Teatro Machiavelli in Palazzo San Giuliano – once the residence of the Paternò Castello family and the theatre of Angelo Grasso, now owned by the University of Catania – which could become a space dedicated to the enhancement of Sicilian puppet theatre through the use of different technologies and tools, some of which have already been made and used. At the end of the work, an appendix with archive images of the works of Richard Teschner and pictures taken in the workshop of the Fratelli Napoli in Catania allows us to better understand the genesis and the long work necessary to achieve the magic effect of marionettes.

Lo studio parte dalle scoperte fatte agli inizi degli anni Novanta dai neuroscienziati dell'Unive... more Lo studio parte dalle scoperte fatte agli inizi degli anni Novanta dai neuroscienziati dell'Università di Parma coordinati dal Professor Giacomo Rizzolatti. Grazie a esperimenti effettuati sui macachi, i neuroscienziati hanno scoperto l'esistenza di particolari tipi di neuroni, chiamati “neuroni specchio” perché, a differenza di altri, si attivano non solo quando si esegue un'azione ma anche quando si osserva qualcun altro che la compie. Anche nell'uomo è stata riscontrata la presenza di un sistema di neuroni specchio, ciò significa che nostro cervello può simulare delle azioni osservate e può di conseguenza capire le intenzioni ad esse collegate e gli stati emotivi provati dagli esecutori, si presuppone quindi che i neuroni specchio rappresentino la base biologica per la spiegazione dell'empatia. Queste scoperte hanno delle implicazioni in campo artistico, perché l'empatia è alla base del rapporto tra artista e fruitore. Molti studi sono stati fatti nel campo della cultura visuale, ma altre discipline come musica, scultura, danza e teatro possono essere analizzate da questa nuova prospettiva.
Ciò di cui mi sono occupata riguarda l'arte performativa, nella fattispecie il teatro epico teorizzato da Brecht. L'obiettivo dell'autore tedesco era quello di creare un teatro nuovo, capace di rappresentare la trasformabilità del mondo, un teatro epico, straniante e non aristotelico. Lo scopo da raggiungere avrebbe dovuto essere quello di accendere la coscienza critica dello spettatore, in modo da farlo riflettere sulla situazione del mondo, e comprenderla per poterla modificare. Brecht rigettava l'"Einfühlung" (empatia) in quanto elemento che favorisce l'immedesimazione dello spettatore e di conseguenza ne spegne la sua attività critica, per questo aveva messo in atto una serie di tecniche per evitare l'abbandono del pubblico e provocarne lo straniamento. L'opera da tre soldi, messa in scena nel 1928, fu un successo di pubblico, ma Brecht ne fu deluso, perché gli spettatori berlinesi avevano apprezzato la storia d'amore e le musiche. Ovviamente Brecht non poteva essere a conoscenza dell'esistenza dei neuroni specchio e quello che ho tentato di fare è un'analisi degli elementi dell'Opera da tre soldi, per spiegare i possibili motivi del coinvolgimento del pubblico e quindi del successo del dramma, nonostante il suo impianto epico. Dal momento che non sono mai stati effettuati esperimenti di neuroimaging su spettatori di questa pièce – e che non rientra nelle mie competenze metterli in atto – mi sono limitata ad accostare gli elementi presenti nell'opera a esperimenti e scoperte neurobiologiche. Le conclusioni che ho tratto alla fine del mio studio confermerebbero la tesi secondo cui l'assenza di coinvolgimento emotivo è impossibile nel momento in cui lo spettatore si trova di fronte a dei corpi che compiono delle azioni, a maggior ragione se si trovano in un contesto teatrale, per cui accompagnati dalla musica e dalla danza, elementi che favoriscono la fusione del pubblico con la scena. Questa è un'ipotesi che potrebbe dare spiegazione al parziale fallimento del modello epico ideato da Brecht, che di certo non ha rappresentato una via alternativa per il teatro moderno perseguita dopo l’opera del suo ideatore se non in sporadici casi.

Il mio lavoro parte dall'interesse per le scienze, in particolare la medicina e la biologia, e pe... more Il mio lavoro parte dall'interesse per le scienze, in particolare la medicina e la biologia, e per lo studio del cervello nella Vienna di fine secolo. Le ricerche e le scoperte in questo ambito hanno avuto grandi effetti anche sull'arte del tempo, poiché nei café viennesi artisti e scienziati stavano a stretto contatto favorendo uno scambio di saperi, che permise alla scienza di uscire dai laboratori e divenire parte della vita quotidiana. In questo ambiente nacquero e si diffusero le teorie di Sigmund Freud volte a indagare l'interiorità umana andando al di là della superficie e dell'apparenza. Nella prima parte del lavoro prenderò in esame due opere, La signorina Else di Arthur Schnitzler e Ventiquattro ore nella vita di una donna di Stefan Zweig, che sono state fortemente condizionate dall'ambiente in cui i loro autori hanno vissuto e scritto. Per questo è possibile riscontrare in esse molti riferimenti, più o meno diretti, alla corporeità e all'indagine della psiche. Inoltre la prospettiva da cui entrambe le vicende sono narrate è quella che viene definita focalizzazione interna, sebbene le tecniche e le strutture narrative utilizzate dagli autori siano diverse. Ciò che mi prefiggo di fare, invece, nella seconda parte è spiegare che queste due opere contengono degli elementi che favoriscono l'empatia e l'immedesimazione dei lettori. Per fare questo mi servirò delle recenti scoperte in ambito neurologico che ben si prestano anche all'analisi della letteratura. I neuroni specchio, che ci permettono di comprendere e simulare le azioni e le intenzioni altrui, permettendoci così di empatizzare con chi ci sta di fronte, possono attivarsi anche durante la lettura di un testo, favorendo la vicinanza del lettore al personaggio. Inoltre, i numerosi riferimenti al corpo e alle azioni compiute dai personaggi, che ritroviamo in entrambe le opere, aumentano senza dubbio la sensazione di immersione nell'opera perché favoriscono l'attivazione dei meccanismi di simulazione incarnata. A ciò si aggiunge l'utilizzo del punto di vista di un personaggio preciso – focalizzazione interna – che permette ai lettori di vedere la storia filtrata da una singola prospettiva e di avere accesso diretto al mondo finzionale, quasi come se si trovassero al suo interno. Concludo tracciando l’ipotesi che le particolari caratteristiche di queste due opere, ovvero l’invenzione di strutture narrative rivolte a fare emergere l’interiorità e a rappresentarla, siano dovute alla tensione che caratterizza l’intera temperie culturale in cui Schnitzler e Zweig hanno operato: la tensione verso ciò che si colloca oltre la superficie che, in letteratura, si esprime in un avvicinamento del personaggio al lettore, tramite processi narrativi che accrescono l'effetto di immedesimazione.

Audioguida gratuita disponibile su www.izi.travel.it, inserita nel progetto Sicilia Beni Cultura... more Audioguida gratuita disponibile su www.izi.travel.it, inserita nel progetto Sicilia Beni Culturali per izi.TRAVEL coordinato da Elisa Bonacini, Università di Catania.

Siculorum Gymnasium, 2016

Humanidades: revista de la Universidad de Montevideo, 2019

El objetivo de esta contribución es analizar cómo la empatía se instancializa cuando leemos obras... more El objetivo de esta contribución es analizar cómo la empatía se instancializa cuando leemos obras de ficción y estudiar qué elementos pueden mejorar la consonancia de los personajes con los lectores. Partiendo de un breve resumen sobre la empatía con respecto a los textos literarios, el trabajo examina la cuestión de la recepción humana de los personajes ficticios para investigar cómo nos identificamos con ellos a través de la descripción de algunos elementos que fomentan la empatía: la focalización interna, el monólogo interior y la descripción del movimiento. Fräulein Else de Arthur Schnitzler servirá como caso de estudio de la lectura empática.

This contribution is aimed at analyzing how empathy is instantiated when we read works of fiction and at studying which elements can improve the consonance between characters and readers. Starting from a brief summary about empathy with regard to literary texts, the paper examines the question concerning human reception of fictional characters in order to investigate how we empathize with them through the description of some elements which foster empathy: internal focalization, interior monologue and movement description. Fräulein Else by Arthur Schnitzler will serve as case study of empathic reading.

Il teatro di figura di Richard Teschner,‭ ‬artista boemo‭ ‬che ha operato nella prima metà del No... more Il teatro di figura di Richard Teschner,‭ ‬artista boemo‭ ‬che ha operato nella prima metà del Novecento tra Praga e Vienna, è una forma espressiva molto diversa da ogni altro esempio di teatro di figura del tempo. Grazie a una commistione di tecniche e tematiche, che traggono linfa da Oriente e Occidente, e a una compresenza di tradizione e innovazione, Teschner riesce a creare un Gesamtkunstwerk altamente colto e raffinato. In un‭ ‬milieu,‭ quello della Vienna di fine secolo capitale dell'Austria felix, ‬che vive una radicale innovazione dei paradigmi conoscitivi e una fioritura del dialogo tra arte e scienza,‭ ‬Teschner realizza i suoi teatri e le sue figure ottenendo un duplice risultato:‭ ‬da un lato contribuisce alla elevazione del teatro di figura che,‭ ‬in antitesi al teatro popolare di burattini e marionette,‭ ‬diviene una forma d’arte colta‭; ‬dall’altro risponde alla crisi del soggetto,‭ ‬disorientato dalla deflagrazione della modernità,‭ ‬costruendo una nuova utopica totalità mediante la confluenza dei linguaggi artistici‭ ‬e della tecnologia.