Carol Rifelj Faculty Lecture Series - Stefano Mula: "International Migration: The Case of Riace"

Stefano Mula, Professor of Italian
“International Migration: The Case of Riace, ‘paese dell’accoglienza’”

Riace is a very small village in Southern Italy, mostly known for two ancient bronze statues found on its coast. More recently, it attracted world-wide attention when its mayor, Mimmo Lucano, instituted an innovative system to welcome migrants, giving hope to both new and old citizens of the village. Lucano’s approach has been then criticized, and Lucano himself sentenced to more than 10 years in jail (the appeal is set for November, 2022). Professor Mula visited Riace this past summer, and after providing a background on the current situation, will share his reflections on how to talk, teach, write about migration and racism; how to try to disentangle fact from fiction; and what role should ethics play in both discussions and policy decisions.