The IWW in Turin: ‘Militant history’, workers’ struggle and the crisis of Fordism in 1970s Italy

Article


Pizzolato, N. 2017. The IWW in Turin: ‘Militant history’, workers’ struggle and the crisis of Fordism in 1970s Italy. International Labor and Working Class History. 91, pp. 109-126. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0147547916000314
TypeArticle
TitleThe IWW in Turin: ‘Militant history’, workers’ struggle and the crisis of Fordism in 1970s Italy
AuthorsPizzolato, N.
Abstract

In 1970s Italy, the historical trajectory, tactics and goals of the International Workers of the World (IWW)—the American radical labour union active between 1905 and 1924—rose to renown, and references to the Wobblies appeared frequently in essays, journal articles, books and in contemporary debates of Italy’s own radical movement. The 1970s were, according to labour activist and historian Peppino Ortoleva, ‘probably the most famous episode of the American labour movement in Italy’.
Why was the history of the IWW so appealing to the Italian radical movement of the 1970s? In what political and social context were the Italians interrogating that history? What were its lessons for Italian working class activism? And what were the transnational connections that made it possible for the Italians to ‘love’ the Wobblies? This articles tries to answer these questions with specific reference to the historical context of the workers’ struggle at FIAT in Turin, both because of its importance in the history of the Italian labour and radical movement and because most of the actors behind the Italian reading of the IWW had cut their teeth in the workers’ strikes of Turin of the late 1960s and followed closely the company restructurings of the 1970s.

Research GroupWork and Learning Research Centre
PublisherCambridge University Press
JournalInternational Labor and Working Class History
ISSN0147-5479
Publication dates
Print18 Apr 2017
Publication process dates
Deposited15 Feb 2017
Accepted15 Dec 2016
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
Copyright Statement

This is the accepted manuscript version. This article has been published in a revised form in International Labor and Working Class History. This version is free to view and download for private research and study only. Not for re-distribution, re-sale or use in derivative works. © International Labor and Working-Class History, Inc. 2017

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1017/S0147547916000314
LanguageEnglish
Permalink -

https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/86x0v

  • 61
    total views
  • 21
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 1
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

EDI and postgraduate research: report on the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion review of postgraduate research at Middlesex University
Pizzolato, N., Saini, R., Stumbitz, B. and Sotiropoulou, P. 2024. EDI and postgraduate research: report on the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion review of postgraduate research at Middlesex University. Middlesex University. https://doi.org/10.60528/1qw7q5
Introduction: Gender and work in twentieth-century Italy: new approaches
Bracke, M.A., Favretto, I. and Pizzolato, N. 2024. Introduction: Gender and work in twentieth-century Italy: new approaches. Modern Italy. https://doi.org/10.1017/mit.2024.7
Constructing debt: discursive and material strategies of labour coercion in the U.S. South, 1903-1964
Pizzolato, N. 2024. Constructing debt: discursive and material strategies of labour coercion in the U.S. South, 1903-1964. in: Coercion and Wage Labor: Exploring Work Relations through History and Art UCL Press.
Reconceptualising the factory as plant-ation: Black radicalism and the politics of history in a Detroit automobile plant
Pizzolato, N. 2022. Reconceptualising the factory as plant-ation: Black radicalism and the politics of history in a Detroit automobile plant. Historical Materialism: Research in Critical Marxist Theory.
Il lavoro attraverso lo sguardo femminile: la fotografia delle donne in Italia tra ricerca artistica e critica sociale
Di Trapani, M., Favretto, I., Pizzolato, N. and Betti, E. 2022. Il lavoro attraverso lo sguardo femminile: la fotografia delle donne in Italia tra ricerca artistica e critica sociale. Sociologia del lavoro. https://doi.org/10.3280/SL2022-163014
Through the female gaze: women and work in Italy since the 1950s
Di Trapani, M., Favretto, I. and Pizzolato, N. 2021. Through the female gaze: women and work in Italy since the 1950s.
Amanda Ciafone. Counter-Cola: A Multinational History of the Global Corporation. [Book review]
Pizzolato, N. 2020. Amanda Ciafone. Counter-Cola: A Multinational History of the Global Corporation. [Book review]. American Historical Review. 125 (2), pp. 626-627. https://doi.org/10.1093/ahr/rhz1197
"Once we owned slaves". Labour and coercion in 20th century American plantations
Pizzolato, N. 2020. "Once we owned slaves". Labour and coercion in 20th century American plantations. Contemporanea. Rivista di storia dell’800 e del ‘900. XXIII (1), pp. 25-51. https://doi.org/10.1409/96379
Back to the factory: the continuing salience of industrial workplace history
Akgöz, G., Croucher, R. and Pizzolato, N. 2020. Back to the factory: the continuing salience of industrial workplace history. Labor History. 61 (1), pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/0023656X.2019.1681632
The antinomies of Fordism
Pizzolato, N. 2017. The antinomies of Fordism. Storica. 23 (69), pp. 159-173. https://doi.org/10.23744/1794
Scioperi al ritmo dei tamburi: Black Power nel “1968” americano
Pizzolato, N. 2018. Scioperi al ritmo dei tamburi: Black Power nel “1968” americano. Scienza e Politica. 30 (59), pp. 61-78. https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.1825-9618/8902
The Influence of professional doctorates on practice and the workplace
Boud, D., Fillery-Travis, A., Pizzolato, N. and Sutton, B. 2018. The Influence of professional doctorates on practice and the workplace. Studies in Higher Education. 43 (5), pp. 914-926. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1438121
Tactics of refusal: idioms of protest and political subjectivities in Italy's "1968 years"
Pizzolato, N. 2018. Tactics of refusal: idioms of protest and political subjectivities in Italy's "1968 years". American Historical Review. 123 (3), pp. 758-763. https://doi.org/10.1093/ahr/123.3.758
Harvests of shame: enduring unfree labour in twentieth century United States, 1933-1964
Pizzolato, N. 2018. Harvests of shame: enduring unfree labour in twentieth century United States, 1933-1964. Labor History. 59 (4), pp. 472-490. https://doi.org/10.1080/0023656X.2018.1467259
Transdisciplinary qualities in practice doctorates
Costley, C. and Pizzolato, N. 2018. Transdisciplinary qualities in practice doctorates. Studies in Continuing Education. 40 (1), pp. 30-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2017.1394287
A new revolutionary practice: operaisti and the 'refusal of work' in 1970's Italy
Pizzolato, N. 2017. A new revolutionary practice: operaisti and the 'refusal of work' in 1970's Italy. Estudos Historicos (Rio de Janeiro). 30 (61), pp. 449-464. https://doi.org/10.1590/s2178-14942017000200008
Antonio Gramsci: a pedagogy to change the world
Pizzolato, N. and Holst, J. 2017. Antonio Gramsci: a pedagogy to change the world. London Springer, Cham.
Gramsci, politics and pedagogy: an interpretative framework
Pizzolato, N. and Holst, J. 2017. Gramsci, politics and pedagogy: an interpretative framework. in: Pizzolato, N. and Holst, J. (ed.) Antonio Gramsci: A Pedagogy To Change the World Springer. pp. 1-32
Il compito rivoluzionario dell’auto-organizzazione: una nota su Grace Lee Boggs
Pizzolato, N. 2016. Il compito rivoluzionario dell’auto-organizzazione: una nota su Grace Lee Boggs. Commonware.
The revolutionary task of self-activity: a note on Grace Lee Boggs
Pizzolato, N. 2016. The revolutionary task of self-activity: a note on Grace Lee Boggs. Viewpoint.
The IWW in Turin: militant history and the crisis of high capitalism in 1970s Italy
Pizzolato, N. 2015. The IWW in Turin: militant history and the crisis of high capitalism in 1970s Italy. Global Labour and the Crises of High Capitalism: Rethinking the 1970s. Re:Work Institute, Humboldt Universitat, Berlin 28 - 29 Jun 2015
American peonage: connections, categories, scales, 1935-1952
Pizzolato, N. 2015. American peonage: connections, categories, scales, 1935-1952. Translocal and Microhistories of Labour. Centre for Global History and Culture -- University of Warwick 23 - 24 Jan 2015
‘As much in bondage as they were before’: unfree labour during the New Deal (1935-1952)
Pizzolato, N. 2016. ‘As much in bondage as they were before’: unfree labour during the New Deal (1935-1952). in: van der Linden, M. and Rodríguez García, M. (ed.) On Coerced Labour Leiden Brill.
The American labor movement (1948-1981)
Pizzolato, N. 2004. The American labor movement (1948-1981). in: Ness, I. (ed.) Encyclopedia of American social movements New York Routledge.
Gli immigrati del fordismo. Torino e Detroit: due distretti operai a confronto
Pizzolato, N. 2004. Gli immigrati del fordismo. Torino e Detroit: due distretti operai a confronto. Zapruder.
Fatiche globali. Un’agenda per la storia del lavoro
Pizzolato, N. 2006. Fatiche globali. Un’agenda per la storia del lavoro. Zapruder.
Strikes in the United States since World War II
Pizzolato, N. 2009. Strikes in the United States since World War II. in: Brenner, A., Day, B. and Ness, I. (ed.) The encyclopedia of strikes in American history New York, NY, USA Routledge. pp. 226-238
Italian national identity and nationalism (1870-1980)
Pizzolato, N. 2008. Italian national identity and nationalism (1870-1980). in: Herb, G. and Kaplan, D. (ed.) Nations and nationalism: a global historical overview ABC-Clio.
The American worker and the Forze Nuove: Turin and Detroit at the twilight of Fordism
Pizzolato, N. 2013. The American worker and the Forze Nuove: Turin and Detroit at the twilight of Fordism. Viewpoint Magazine.
“Una situazione sado-masochistica ad incastro”. Il dibattito scientifico sull’immigrazione meridionale (1950-1970)
Pizzolato, N. 2005. “Una situazione sado-masochistica ad incastro”. Il dibattito scientifico sull’immigrazione meridionale (1950-1970). Quaderni Storici. https://doi.org/10.1408/19594
"Lo diavolo mi ingannao". La sodomia nelle campagne siciliane (1572-1664)
Pizzolato, N. 2006. "Lo diavolo mi ingannao". La sodomia nelle campagne siciliane (1572-1664). Quaderni Storici. 2, pp. 449-480. https://doi.org/10.1408/22531
Workers and revolutionaries at the twilight of Fordism: the breakdown of industrial relations in the automobile plants of Detroit and Turin, 1967-1973
Pizzolato, N. 2004. Workers and revolutionaries at the twilight of Fordism: the breakdown of industrial relations in the automobile plants of Detroit and Turin, 1967-1973. Labor History. 45 (4), pp. 419-443. https://doi.org/10.1080/0023656042000292234
An ordinary transgression. Adultery and concubinage: from the neighbourhood to the Court (Diocese of Monreale, 1590-1680)
Pizzolato, N. 2007. An ordinary transgression. Adultery and concubinage: from the neighbourhood to the Court (Diocese of Monreale, 1590-1680). Quaderni Storici. https://doi.org/10.1408/24449
Gli operai, gli immigrati, la rivoluzione. Detroit e Torino: un'ipotesi comparative (1967-73)
Pizzolato, N. 2006. Gli operai, gli immigrati, la rivoluzione. Detroit e Torino: un'ipotesi comparative (1967-73). Meridiana.
Revolution in a comic strip: Gasparazzo and the identity of southern migrants in Turin, 1969-1975
Pizzolato, N. 2007. Revolution in a comic strip: Gasparazzo and the identity of southern migrants in Turin, 1969-1975. International Review of Social History. 52 (S15), pp. 59-75. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020859007003124
From local to global: American peonage during the New Deal, 1935-1952
Pizzolato, N. 2014. From local to global: American peonage during the New Deal, 1935-1952. III Seminário Internacional Mundos do Trabalho. Salvador de Bahia, Brazil 26 - 29 Nov 2014
I Terroni in Città: revisiting southern migrants militancy in Turin's hot autumn
Pizzolato, N. 2012. I Terroni in Città: revisiting southern migrants militancy in Turin's hot autumn. Contemporary European History. 21 (4), pp. 619-634. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960777312000409
Transnational radicals: labour dissent and political activism in Detroit and Turin (1950-1970)
Pizzolato, N. 2011. Transnational radicals: labour dissent and political activism in Detroit and Turin (1950-1970). International Review of Social History. 56 (1), pp. 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020859010000696
Challenging global capitalism: labor migration, radical struggle, and urban change in Detroit and Turin
Pizzolato, N. 2013. Challenging global capitalism: labor migration, radical struggle, and urban change in Detroit and Turin. New York Palgrave Macmillan.