Speaking for one's self

• Department of History

Lecture by Vittorio Longhi in the framework of EUI Black History Month.

In European public sphere, individuals of African descent are underrepresented while in media and academic research, they are seldom featured as narrators of their own experience and complex identity. This invisibility or voicelessness is arguably rooted in the lack of public debate about Europe's colonial history and its enduring impact on the biased and discriminatory portrayal and perception of individuals with African heritage. This deficiency in conversation, particularly within the media, but also within academia, shows a crucial need for increased awareness and discussion.

The question of representation and the ability to reclaim one’s narrative emerge as a critical point as Europe grapples with its colonial memory and the quest for social justice. These questions are at the heart of journalist Vittorio Longhi's work and activism. In this workshop, Longhi will address the systemic invisibility of African descendants in European media landscapes and the way the lack of representation of racialised minorities perpetuates stereotypes, discrimination, and hinders integration and social participation. The discussion will draw on concrete examples of media marginalisation highlighting the need for more inclusive and diverse narratives. The event is intended to provoke reflection on the role of the media in combatting racism and reflect on discourses of cultural diversity in contemporary Europe.

Vittorio Longhi is an Italian journalist of Eritrean origin. His writing has been published across a range of media, including The Guardian, the International New York Times and La Repubblica. Since 2007 he has trained journalists and media professionals on behalf of various United Nations' agencies. In 2012, he founded the online news site Equal Times in Brussels. He is a co-founder of the event Afropean Bridges, at Ca' Foscari University inVenice. He is the author of The Immigrant War: A Global Movement Against Discrimination and Exploitation (Policy Press, 2012) and, more recently, of the memoir Il Colore del Nome (Solferino, 2021).