Italy in a Tin Can: Views from the Strait of Otranto

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | Like many Albanians that have never stepped foot in Italy, Elio Jahaj '18 learned Italian through TV as a young child. After leaving Albania at 17 years of age to study in the United States, he has spent time reflecting and investigating the historical, political, cultural, and economic forces that led to him learning Italian. A few culprits among many include tectonic plates, Albanian communism, tin cans, and a yearning for cosmopolitan enjoyment. This talk will interweave biographical accounts set against the backdrop of the geo-historical connections of Italy and Albania. The speaker seeks to investigate how technologies of communication and technologies of migration have generated a particular affective relation to Italy among Albanians.

Elio Jahaj is from Ballsh, Albania. He moved to the United States at the age of 17 to complete his undergraduate degree at Bennington College in 2018.

Location: Members of the Bennington College community (students, faculty, and staff) are invited to attend this talk in person. Anyone else who wishes to attend is invited to do so virtually via Zoom.