The Senses of the Island. Semiotics of the Italian Fascist Lands of Confino

This essay aims to investigate the various semiotic roles played by islands in the memory of the Italian Fascist confino (forced confinement) of opponents of Mussolini’s regime. In particular, starting from the assumption that the little islands in the south of Italy were used by the regime as a space of exclusion for its enemies, I consider the possible encyclopaedical network related to the fascist construction and anti-fascist memory of islandness. The essay compares different forms of cultural perception of the island of confino: as a space for anti-fascist enemies and minorities, as a stereotypical space of “villeggiatura”, relaxation and holiday, and as space of nostalgia.