The Italian Cultural Institute in Pretoria presents a special series of lectures by Alessandro Barbero, one of Italy’s most renowned historians and public intellectuals, taking place across South Africa in April, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Pretoria, the Consulate General of Italy in Johannesburg and the Italian Consulate in Cape Town.
Alessandro Barbero is one of Italy’s most respected historians and a widely read public intellectual. Born in Turin on 30 April 1959, he pursued his higher education in Humanities and Medieval History at the University of Turin, where he graduated in 1981 with a thesis on Medieval Culture. After attending postgraduate studies at the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Barbero began his academic career in 1984 as a researcher in Medieval History at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata,” later joining the University of Eastern Piedmont in Vercelli as full professor of medieval history. Today he is retired from teaching, but he is Professor Emeritus of Medieval History at the University of Eastern Piedmont in Vercelli.
Barbero has also written numerous books on medieval and military history as well as historical novels, and in 1996 he won Italy’s prestigious Premio Strega for his first novel Bella vita e guerre altrui di Mr. Pyle, gentiluomo.
Nevertheless, his contribution extends beyond academia into media and public sphere: he writes for major Italian newspapers, participates in television and radio programs, and has become a prominent figure in public history communication, bringing scholarly rigor to a broad audience.
Through three compelling talks, Barbero will bring his historical storytelling engaging and accessible in South Africa, exploring key moments in History and their lasting cultural and political impact.
Details:
Johannesburg
Title: Saint Francis’ Revolution
A lecture on Saint Francis. The year 2026 marks 800 years since the death of St Francis, one of the most beloved saints in the Catholic Church. We all think we know him well, yet his life and legacy are often far more complex than we imagine. Who better to explore a medieval figure of such profound impact than a medieval historian? Alessandro Barbero takes us through the many versions of the saint’s life that have come down to us, brining to light the complex, layered and, at times, contradictory story of Francis, the saint we all think we know.
- Day: Tuesday 7 April 2026
- Time: 17:30 for 18:00
- Venue: Italian Club, Johannesburg
- FREE Entrance – booking essential at iicpretoria@esteri.it
Title: Building National Identities
A lecture on the theme of Identity. In this talk, curated by Professor Luigi Robuschi (Wits, Italian Studies Department), historian Alessandro Barbero explores how national identity has formed and evolved across history — showing that concepts of “us” and “them” are not fixed, but emerge from long historical processes and often fuel social tensions.
- Day: Wednesday 8 April 2026
- Time: 10:00 for 10:30
- Venue: Wits University, Johannesburg
- FREE Entrance – booking essential at robuschi@wits.ac.za
Cape Town
Title: Building National Identities
A lecture on the theme of Identity. In this talk, historian Alessandro Barbero explores how national identity has formed and evolved across history — showing that concepts of “us” and “them” are not fixed, but emerge from long historical processes and often fuel social tensions.
- Day: Thursday 9 April 2026
- Time: 17:00 for 17:30
- Venue: Cape Town Club, Cape Town
- FREE Entrance – booking essential at the following link (TBC)
Each event will offer an opportunity to engage with History through Barbero’s distinctive narrative style, combining scholarly depth with accessibility and storytelling.