The Disappearance of Political Cultures in Italy

Abstract

Following the collapse of the Italian party system in 1994, post-war Italian political cultures have all but exhausted themselves, if not disappeared completely. First, the Ulivo (Olive Tree) in 1996–1998, then, the Partito Democratico in 2007–2008, attempted without much conviction to formulate a new political culture combining several traditions and heritages. This article will explore how and why the PD failed in its attempts. It will also look at the status of other political cultures, especially the federalist and the liberal, supposedly relaunched by Berlusconi in 1994. It will conclude with some reflections on the appearance of personalist parties and leaders’ narratives and provide an assessment of the present situation with specific reference to the attempt by the PD leader, Matteo Renzi, to give birth to a so-called ‘Partito della Nazione’. Is there any future for new political cultures in the Italian political system? Will the Italian party system ever be revived?     

An Assessment of How Facial Mimicry Can Change Facial Morphology: Implications for Identification

The assessment of facial mimicry is important in forensic anthropology; in addition, the application of modern 3D image acquisition systems may help for the analysis of facial surfaces. This study aimed at exposing a novel method for comparing 3D profiles in different facial expressions. Ten male adults, aged between 30 and 40 years, underwent acquisitions by stereophotogrammetry (VECTRA‐3D ^® ) with different expressions (neutral, happy, sad, angry, surprised). The acquisition of each individual was then superimposed on the neutral one according to nine landmarks, and the root mean square (RMS) value between the two expressions was calculated. The highest difference in comparison with the neutral standard was shown by the happy expression (RMS 4.11 mm), followed by the surprised (RMS 2.74 mm), sad (RMS 1.3 mm), and angry ones (RMS 1.21 mm). This pilot study shows that the 3D–3D superimposition may provide reliable results concerning facial alteration due to mimicry.     

The Survival of Gunshot Residues in Cremated Bone: An Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry Study

Gunshot residue (GSR) has been sought and demonstrated on many types of material and with many techniques. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES) could be a useful method on difficult substrates, but a systematic study on burnt material has never been performed. Hence, this study aims at evaluating the usefulness and reliability of this method on burnt samples. Sixteen adult bovine ribs (eight with soft tissues, eight totally skeletonized) were shot using two kinds of projectile (both 9 mm full metal‐jacketed or unjacketed). Then, every sample was led to complete calcination in an electric oven. The area of the gunshot entrance wound was swabbed and analyzed by ICP‐OES; the results were also correlated with a previously published parallel study by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an SEM–energy dispersive X‐ray analyzer. ICP‐OES proved to be very sensitive and reliable even on degraded material and can be an appropriate nondestructive method for detecting residues on difficult and delicate substrates such as burnt bone.     

Book reviews

Par le Peuple, Pour le Peuple: le populisme et les démocraties. By Yves Mény and Yves Surel. Paris: Editions Fayard 2000. Pp.312 + biblio. FF140 (paper) ISBN 2–213–60077–5.

I Confini dell'Odio: il nacionalismo etnico e la nuova destra europea. By Bruno Luvera’. Roma: Editori Riuniti, 1999. Pp.xiii + 151, index, biblio. 10 euros (paper) ISBN 88–359–4760‐X.

Il Dottor H.: Haider e la nuova destra europea. By Bruno Luvera’. Roma: Einaudi 2000. Pp.194 + biblio. 10 euros (paper), ISBN 88–06–15597–0.

A Virtuous Circle. Political Communications in Postindustrial Societies. By Pippa Norris. New York: Cambridge University Press 2000. Pp.xvii + 398, 54 tables, 38 figures, biblio, index. £40 (cloth) ISBN 0–521–79015–8; £14.95 (paper) ISBN 0–521–79364–5.

Democracy and the Media: A Comparative Perspective. Edited by R. Gunther and A. Mughan. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2000. Pp.496. £55 (cloth) ISBN 0–521–77180–3; £19.95 (paper) ISBN 0–521–77743–7.

Coalition Governments in Western Europe. Edited by Wolfgang C. Müller and Kaare Str?m. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2000. Pp.xvi + 602, biblio, index. £55 (cloth) ISBN 0–19–829760–2.

The Political Mobilization of the European Left, 1860–1980: The Class Cleavage. By Stefano Bartolini. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2000. Pp.xxiv + 637, 100 tables, 41 figures, biblio, index. £45 (cloth) ISBN 0–521–65021–6.

Social Democracy and the Challenge of European Union. By Robert Ladrech. London: Lynne Rienner 2000. Pp.xiv + 165, biblio, index. £37.50 (cloth) ISBN 1–55587–902–0.

Europe in Change ‐ Committee Governance in the European Union. Edited by Thomas Christiansen and Emil Kirchner. Manchester: Manchester University Press 2000. Pp.199. £40 (cloth) ISBN 0–7190–5552–0.

Rethinking European Order: West European Responses, 1989–97. Edited by Robin Niblett and William Wallace. Basingstoke: Palgrave 2001. Pp.xiv + 298, 2 maps, index. £50 (cloth) ISBN 0–333–91571–2.

Franco‐German Relations. By Alistair Cole. Edinburgh: Pearson 2001. Pp.178, biblio, index. £14.99 (paper) ISBN 0–582–31997–8.

Environmental Transitions: Transformation and Ecological Defence in Central and Eastern Europe. Edited by P. Pavlínek and J. Pickles. London: Routledge 2000. Pp.xxii + 362, 22 plates, 39 figures, 19 maps, 56 tables, biblio, index. £70.26 (cloth) ISBN 0–415–16268–8; £22.99 (paper) ISBN 0–415–16269–6.

Ethnicity and Globalization. By Stephen Castles. London: Sage 2000. Pp.xii + 228, biblio, index. £47.50 (cloth) ISBN 0–7619–5611–5; £16.99 (paper) ISBN 0–7619–5612–3.

A Not‐So‐Dismal Science: A Broader View of Economies and Societies. Edited by M. Olson and S. Kakhonen. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2000. Pp.x + 274, biblio, index. £14.99 (paper) ISBN 0–19–829490–5.     

Political leadership in Southern Europe: Research problems

The role played by political leaders in the transition and consolidation of Southern European democracies has not been adequately explored. This article argues that the contributions of political leaders to both processes have been particularly important. They ought, therefore, to be specifically analysed and not submerged into structural and configurative studies. More precisely, it is suggested that the leaders’ contributions can be more accurately evaluated within their political contexts, in the light of the resources available to them, with reference to the problems to be faced. However, this is not meant to encourage a country‐by‐country nor a leader‐by‐leader approach. It requires instead a proper comparative analysis. Only by so doing will the processes of transition and democratic consolidation be fully illuminated and provide useful lessons.