Historian Renato Risaliti in Search of «a Country of Happiness»
( Pp. 53-61)

More about authors
Valery I. Mikhaylenko Dr. Sci. (Hist.), Professor;Professor in International Relations
Ural Federal University the first President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin
Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation
Abstract:
Renato Risaliti (1935-2020) is one of the outstanding modern Italian researchers of Soviet and Russian history, literature, public and political life, and culture. His approach to the history of Russia is distinguished by the uniqueness of the concept, which was formed on the basis of a comparative analysis of Russian and Italian history, a thorough study of archival sources, and personal experience of staying in Russia. His research on Russian-Italian relations is particularly valuable. For example, it is reflected in the monograph «Russians in Florence and Tuscany», translated into Russian. In his younger years, Risaliti was an active functionary of the Italian Communist Party, headed the chapter of the society Italy-USSR, was elected mayor of the city of Agliana (Tuscany). In the interview offered to the reader, Risaliti shares his personal experience of becoming interested in the study of Russian history and very warmly and thoroughly describes his communication with Russian scientists, primarily with those who professionally studied Russian-Italian relations and the history of Italy. He sets out the basics of his unique concept of the history of Russia and the USSR, the reasons for the collapse of the USSR. The interview illustrates the political process within Italy, which led to the departure of 40-year-old communist activists, to whom he himself belonged, to marginal positions. The recruitment of young people to leadership positions by E. Berlinguer, the head of the PCI, led to the renewal of the party's political course (the concept of Eurocommunism). Perhaps the break in tradition was one of the reasons for the democratic transformation of the PCI and the subsequent dissolution. The title of the article «In search of a country of happiness» is the title of his book about the USSR. What he was not disappointed in was his sincere sympathy and respect for the Russian people and his colleagues in the professional community.
How to Cite:
Valery I.M., (2021), HISTORIAN RENATO RISALITI IN SEARCH OF «A COUNTRY OF HAPPINESS». History and Modern Perspectives, 3 => 53-61.
Reference list:
Storia problematica della Russia. Questioni geopolitiche e geostrategiche vecchie e nuove. Vol. X. Firenze: Toscana Nuova, 2012.
Komolova N.P. Vvedeniya v knige: R. Rizaliti. Russkaya Toskana. SPb.: Aleteyya, 2012.
Sayt istorika Mikhaila Talalaya Russkaya Italiya // http://www.italy-russia.com/2014 05/rizaliti-renato/
Risaliti R. Togliatti fra Gramsci e Necaev. Omnia Minima, 1995; Risaliti R. Gli slavi e l Italia. Viaggi e rapporti dal Quattrocento al. Novecento. Ed. CIRVI, 1996;
Risaliti R. La Russia: dalle guerre coloniali alla disgregazione dell URSS. Ed. Mondadori Bruno, 2007; M.A. Bulgakov. Lito-offset Felici, 1972;
Storia del teatro russo. Toscana Nuova, 1998-99, in 2 vol.
Risaliti R. Antifascismo e resistenza nel pistoiese. Libreria editrice Tellini, 1976
Risaliti R. Storia della Russia. Dalle origini all Ottocento. Ed. Mondadori Bruno, 2005;
Risaliti R. Letteratura e rapporti italo-russi dalle salmodie al. gulag. Ed. CIRVI, 2010;
Risaliti R. Russi in Italia tra Settecento e Novecento. Ed. CIRVI, 2010;
Risaliti R. Alla ricerca del paese felice. 2 vol. Ed. CIRVI, 1999, 2011;
Risaliti R. Agonia e morte dell Urss e del Socialismo reale Ed. Omnia Minima, 1993.
L Archivio della principessa Demidova. Lettere e documenti, a cura di S. Merendoni. Firenze. Olschki, 2000.
Risaliti R. L attivit politico-economica dei Demidoff in Toscana// I Demidoff a Firenze e in Toscana/ a cura di L. Tonini. Casa editrice Leo S. Olschki, 1996.
Risaliti R. Alla ricerca del paese felice. Torino: CIRVI, 1999, p. 184-185
Rybakov B.A. Remeslo Drevney Rusi. M.: Izd-vo AN SSSR, 1948. 792 s.
Gutnova E.V. Perezhitoe. M.: ROSSPEN, 2001
Rizaliti R. Russkaya Toskana. M.: Aleteyya, 2013
Risaliti R. Storia della Russia. Dalle origini all Ottocento. Ed. Mondadori, 2005.
Schlafly D.L. Jr. The Great White Bear and the Cradle of Culture Italian Images of Russia and Russian Images of Italy//Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History, Volume 9, Number 2, Spring 2008 (New Series), pp. 389-406
Risaliti R. La Russia: dalle guerre coloniali alla disgregazione dell URSS. Ed. Mondadori Bruno, 2007.
Gogol N.V. Mertvye dushi. Glava 11.
Keywords:
Renato Risaliti, interviews, Slavic studies, Italian studies, Tuscany, Russian history, Italian Communist Party.


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