Throughout the centuries Italian Jews have been both within as well as without of Italian society . But what does it mean to be within and without? In which ways have Jews been part of Italian society culturally, economically, and politically; and when they not been perceived as such ?The case of individual Jews as well as other groups considered as minorities or outcasts inside and outside the Jewish communities (youth, beggars, foreigners, women etc.) - as both in conformity with the tradition and in opposition to the tradition – is a good example of the dynamics and the dialectics of what it means to be inside and outside of the micro and macro society from both perspectives. The aim of this conference is to show how through the centuries the Jews in Italy have been perceived by the non Jewish society, have perceived themselves, and have perceived the larger surrounding society, at times and under certain conditions as insiders and at times as not.

The organizers welcome proposals of individual papers from scholars and experts in the field. The deadline for all proposals, to include a one-page paper abstract and a brief curriculum vitae, is September 15, 2011. They should be sent to Dr. Cristina Bettin, Department of Foreign Literatures & Linguistics, University of Ben Gurion of the Negev e-mail address: bettin@bgu.ac.il , as well to Dr. Yaakov Andrea Lattes , president of ASSEI at

:lattesy@netvision.net.il.

Participants will be notified whether or not their proposals have been accepted by October 15, 2011.