Luca Fiorito is a PhD candidate at the Department for Antiquities, Philosophy and History at the University of Genoa. In his doctoral project he aims at providing an overview of the international response to the publication of the “Race Manifesto” in July 1938 and to the following adoption of racial laws in fascist Italy, concentrating on German, British and Eastern-European reactions. In doing so he will deliver further insights on the role of racism and especially anti-Semitism in the relations between various European right wing parties and movements, as well as answers about the calculated use of various forms of racism in Italy’s foreign policy.

At the Institute for Contemporary History, Fiorito will extensively work with the Institute’s collection of German daily press, as well as scientific and political publications of the years 1938 to 1940. The objective of the research is to understand the way in which German journalists and scientific researchers refer to the introduction of racial politics in fascist Italy and get an understanding of the influence the Italian choices had on the German discourse on race. Of particular interest is the identification of different currents of thought on the German side, and their aspirations and criticisms towards the Italian concept of racism. During his stay at the HdWK at Berlin, Fiorito will also take into account the files of Alfred Rosenberg’s personal office and those of the German Foreign Ministry studying the reactions of the political sphere on the Italian decisions.

Prior to commencing his doctoral research, Fiorito received a Bachelor’s (cum laude) and Master’s Degree (cum laude) in History from the University of Genoa. He worked at the Ligurian Institute for Contemporary History and for the History of the Resistenza (ILSREC), participating in various research projects over the past six years.