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The paper presents some reflections on the impact of reconstruction work on the economic and social history of Italy. This problem dates far back in time and is largely under-appreciated: from the 11th century to the year 2000 over 4,800 sites (villages and towns) suffered serious destruction followed by massive and extensive reconstruction work. Few cases have attracted the attention of historians, with the exception of rebuilding work after the 1693, 1783, 1908 and 1915 earthquakes. Yet the interest of such studies lies less in the history of local town planning, and more in that of the surrounding territories and how these were managed administratively, politically and by government in general. What happens at the various stages of reconstruction work provides an accelerated glimpse of power and decision-making dynamics at work, conditioned by in-fighting, class conflict, or the slowness and instability of solutions dogged by bureaucratic squabbling within government. Such features of the governance process often escape historical analysis. The quality of reconstruction work significantly affects the impact of subsequent earthquakes. For this reason, and given the frequency of seismic events in Italy, we find „chains“ of destruction and reconstruction (L’Aquila, for example, is preparing for its sixth rebuilding, between the 14th century and today). Destruction and reconstruction map out a history spanning natural features and the features of the built environment. We must rise above set disciplinary patterns and topics if this history is to be explored, understood and more widely disseminated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the problem of the relationship between the career dynamics implemented within the Roman Curia, and the perception of the value of offices and their evolution in the early modern period. Specifically, it offers an analysis of the specific and unscrupulous economic strategy adopted by the Borghese family in the late sixteenth century, within the financial and judicial context of the Roman Curia. This article not only focuses on the economic manoeuvres of the Borghese brothers, already studied by Wolfgang Reinhard, but also offers some reflections, emerging from this correspondence, on the need to obtain ownership of certain offices, such as that of the Auditor Camerae. Since the second half of the fifteenth century the office was in the possession of a tribunal independent of the Apostolic Chamber and, while retaining precise functions linked to the tax authorities, had been granted some specific jurisdiction in civilibus and in criminalibus in papal bulls. After the end of the Council of Trent and in the last decades of the sixteenth century, the office, with its tribunal, acquired increasing importance in the balance between traditional curial functions and the new congregations of Sixtus V. The reconstruction of family relationships and patronage networks – using the Borghese as an example – is therefore placed in an historical context aimed at highlighting the role played by this tribunal in the context of Roman Justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the comital elites of the early 11th century mentioned in the documentation for the Rome area, the counts of Galeria occupied a prominent place. Though we can reconstruct their history until the second half of the 13th century, not all the individuals who held this title were of the same lineage. Count Gerardo [I], son of Ranieri, is the most important figure of all the Counts of Galeria, and therefore the main focus of this paper. He is documented between 1040–1060 and played an important role in Rome’s political history during these years. He collaborated with Popes Benedict IX and Benedict X; he played a leading role in the Roman Tuscia where he also owned several castles, and was a close ally of the abbots of Farfa. Count Sassone of Civita Castellana was his brother. Both men had descendants. It is very likely that after Count Gerardo’s death, in the early 1060s Galeria Castle returned under papal control. According to a document in the archives of San Paolo fuori le mura, Gregory VII granted it to the monastery in Via Ostiense. By contrast, the descendants of Count Sassone, his son Rainieri [II] and his grandson Sassone [II], managed to retain control of Civita Castellana until almost the end of the century. Our information on this family ceases in the last 20 years of the 11th century. At the end of the first millennium, other Roman families began to appear in the Roman contado and the southern Tuscia, and in the space of a century their ambitions obliterated the old families that had hitherto dominated. Other counts of Galeria appear sporadically in the documents of the 12th and 13th centuries, but none of these individuals were as important as the two brothers Gerardo [I] and Sassone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article elaborates and develops two speeches I made at the Forum of the General States of the Historical Re-enactment held in Florence on 9-10 April 2016 and will be included in the White Paper as a result of the Forum. The first part is also a preview of the long field work at a number of archaeological open museums, better known as archeoparks, during the last four years, I conducted as a participant observer, who has not remained a 'marginal native', but in some cases took a leading role. Thanks to this period of intense fieldwork, I was able to see the strengths and weaknesses of a number of Italian archeoparks. The second part, however, is more theoretical and concerns the problem of the "authentic reconstruction" of the past and the tension between traditional roles and modern requirements in the historical re-enactment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific and technological progress as well as the deep social changes experienced between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century were an ideal environment for the growth and development of the visionary ideas of Paul Otlet, the pioneer of modern documentation. His eclectic personality was influenced by a few decisive events occurred during his life: the shift from the strict Jesuit education to Positivism, and from law to bibliography studies, up to his commitment for the promotion of peace and culture - commitment that materialized in projects such as the League of Nations and the Mundaneum. All these events are essential to recall his work as well as to understand his thought. His main ambition was the foundation of a new science aimed at investigating the book - or document - that Otlet highly estimated because of its being the result of scientific research as well as a vehicle of dissemination, a knowledge and information medium in any field and discipline. In Otlet's opinion, the ultimate aim of documentation science was the Universal Bibliographic Repertory. This objective was put into effect by the creation of the Universal Decimal Classification, and by the publication-in 1934-of what is considered his philosophical testament: Le Traité de Documentation. Le livre sur le livre. Théorie et pratique. This paper outlines the figure of the Belgian biographer by pointing out the essential traits of his thought, and focusing on the unprecedented impact he had in the creation of a universal “free access to information and knowledge". So far, his work hasn't lost its value, and can still be of some help to contemporary documentation, librarianship and information science, who are now facing new and ever complex challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]