RESEARCH
Research project for the creation of the first section of an international database dealing with Italian emigration
(Italian Emigration International Database)
Proposer organisation:
- Centro Internazionale Studi Emigrazione Italiana, CISEI, (Genova, Italia)
Participant organisations:
- Ellis Island Foundation (New York, USA);
- Castle Garden.org (New York, USA);
- Universidad del Litoral (Santa Fe, Argentina)
- Università della Calabria (Rende, CS, Italia)
Steering Committee for the coordination of the project:
- CISEI: ing. Fabio Capocaccia,
- Università di Genova: prof. Adele Maiello
- Ellis Island Foundation: dr. Diane Pardue
- Castle Garden.org: dr. Ira Glazier
- Universidad del Litoral (Santa Fe, AR): prof. Adriana Crolla
- Università della Calabria: prof. Anna Rovella
Researchers CISEI/Università di Genova:
- dott. Francesca Carminati
- dott. Elena Sommariva
Media
Project
CISEI of Genoa, established as a Research Centre on Italian Emigration, aims to constitute a database which is still largely incomplete, starting from existing archive data present in Genoa (first port of departure during the period of Italian emigration) or ports of arrival for Italian emigrants, as well as to organise data from other Italian archive sources.
The research will be carried out in different phases, of which Phase 1 is the collaboration with the group directed by Dr. Ira Glazier in the United States. CISEI aims to develop a functional relation with the database that is currently being completed at the Castle Garden.org, directed by Dr. Ira Glazier, which is based on data provided for the research by Ellis Island, the American National Archives and the Emigrant Savings Bank.
CISEI will work in collaboration with the American group with its own research unit and will also contribute the findings developed by another CISEI research unit based on the documentation preserved in archives, public or private, in Genoa and Liguria, to the final creation of the database.
Given the importance of Argentina as a destination for Italian emigration, in Phase 2 CISEI aims to also establish a structural collaboration, which has already been set up by Prof. Maiello, with the Portal Gringo www.fhuc.unl.edu.ar/portalgringo created by Prof. Adriana Crolla of the University of El Litoral de Santa Fe (Argentina) to expand the mentioned database as a virtual museum that includes data and memorabilia (cultural products belonging to emigrants and personal stories).
Phase 3 of the project aims to put the database on the net, making it available to - and open to - collaboration with other research centres and bodies, with which we will gradually link up.
In order to be able to follow this itinerary, our collaboration with Prof. Anna Rovella, from the University of Calabria, is crucial, as she is an expert in the use of documentation and the computerization of archives.
Expected results
A database as a result of the archives studied.
A Virtual Museum of Italian emigration in Argentina.
Publication
The results of our work will initially be seen on the CISEI web page and Portal Gringo, later they will have a specific site. A seminar will be held for all collaborating parties half way through the research to inform on project updates. A conference open to the public will be held at the end of the research work to publicize the achieved results.
Work schedule
Phase 1: to develop the common research work instrument with Castle Garden.org, to be concluded within 1 year from October 2007.
Phase 2: to collaborate towards the creation of the portal and the virtual museum with the University of El Litoral, within 18 months from October 2007.
Phase 3: to present the database created within 2 years from October 2007.
N.B. Dates mentioned are approximate, in the sense that in reality research in the United States and Argentina will be carried out simultaneously and, after the first year of research work, access to the first data as well as the first research results in Portal Gringo will be available.
