Just a few days ago, Professor Giuseppe Caridipresident of the Deputation of National History of Calabria, received the literary prize “Città di Amantea” beating the competition (about 200 volumes received) with the volume «Ferrante re di Napoli. Quando il potere era al Sud» (Rubbettino).
Once again, the thirst for research sinks virtuously into historical analysis thanks to minds always ready to get involved and question the society of yesterday and today. “I am excited, perhaps even a little surprised; you never get used to awards”, admits Professor Caridi, who he highlighted, in his historical essay, the fundamental role of Southern Italy in the fifteenth centurya century in which Naples was the only Kingdom in a peninsula dotted with Republics and Lordships.
«With the ascension to the throne of Naples of Ferrante of Aragon, who would reign for 36 years, from 1458 to 1494, Southern Italy – he begins – placed itself at the centre of Italian politics, exercising constant leadership over the other states of the Peninsula. Power was therefore in the South which, thanks to the foresight of the Aragonese sovereign, developed in the economic field with the strong growth of silk production and culture, making Naples one of the major driving forces of the Renaissance.. In connection with the previous biographies: Charles III, Francis of Paola, Alfonso the Magnanimous, my aim was to re-evaluate, through the figure and the work of the protagonist, the role of the South by studying its history in depth, which unfortunately is confined to a small space in school textbooks in favour of other Italian potentates, from the Lordship of Florence to the Duchy of Milan, to the Republic of Venice, on which instead in that period the Aragonese Crown exercised a strong influence».
And here, in the deep gaze on the South, the thin thread between past, present and future is mended. «Knowledge of a glorious past, subsequent to the mythical one of Magna Graecia, can help southerners overcome a sort of inferiority complex towards the rest of the country. and overcome the cliché of a South that is always backward. Aware of the importance it had in certain historical phases – Caridi underlines – , we can tackle with greater impetus from a psychological point of view the endemic problems that afflict the South, whose current subordination is therefore not to be considered inevitable, as the events of the past testify».
What then is the role of culture, research and curiosity?
“Culture undoubtedly plays a fundamental role in the formation of consciences, fostering awareness of overcoming sterile complaints and passive claims to give the necessary push to resolve the issues at stake. Everyone should contribute in this sense and in the historiographical sector, in turn, with research and studies translated into volumes, presented in many centers in the South, I strive to sensitize public opinion with this specific objective.”
With what spaces for intelligences and intellectuals?
“The South needs to spread culture, which is the main means to promote growth based on critical capacity that is also acquired through a correct knowledge of our past. Intellectuals therefore have a very important role in directing and guiding in the current reality. As far as I am concerned, further stimulated by this award, I will continue to deal with characters and events that have historically marked the South, but with a European character. This is the case of my next book that will be published in September: “Cardinal Ruffo and the extraordinary adventure of 1799″”.