%h is con:. tnbub'o n al' ms to provide a brief overview of some of the most s~gmficant manifestations of the phenomenon of living
ethnological exhibitions in the Italy of the Liberal and Fascist eras.' To
this end, two introductory remarks of a methodological nature seem to
be appropriate. The first is that the phenomena linown as 'human zoos'
belong to a wider category ofhistorical forms of 'use', i.e. 'public use', of
live 'specimens' of alien races -those perceived as different, admirable
or terrible (in their nature, appearance, ability or pathology) - in the
context of representations and rituals of political power (triumphs,
regal ceremonies, parades and pageants), social power (festivals,
celebrations, theatrical entertainment, processions, displays for fairs
and markets), or cultural power (collections, exhibitions of curiosities
and wonders, places of scientific observation). The second remark is
that, in our opinion, investigation on this kind of event, with reference
to the specific contexts, modes and aims of the late: nineteenth and
early twentieth centuries, should only use general categories - such as
racism, propaganda, colonialism, commodification, reification, exploitation,
or even newly coined categories such as animalization - with
great caution. Such elements were certainly present in the sodo-cultural
events inspired by the ideas of racial hierarchy and the exaltation of
Western supremacy, but historical research should not be limited to
compiling lists of episodes. It should instead bring to light not only
general and common traits but also specific historical characteristics
in the context of history and environment, focusing on the ambiguities
that render general paradigms more problematic.
