Tommaso Tricamo

Becoming Italian American through Tri-State Politics

Started Mar. 18, 2023

Abstract or project description

I am writing about the development of an Italian American ethnic and political identity during the interwar years. I will document how various political movements, such as leftist labor unions in New York, the emergence of fascist governance in Italy, and the incorporation of Italian immigrants into tri-state regional electoral campaigns informed notions of what constituted an Italian American identity. One theme that runs throughout the project is the experiences of Italian migrants and their descendants during the first half of the 20th century. I will use a combination of methods that include archival research, close readings, and quantitative statistical analysis. Ultimately, this interdisciplinary project will contribute to the fields of U.S. history, political science, and cultural studies.