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Book Review: Understanding Cultures: Perspectives in Anthropology and Social Theory

There have been a large number of books published in recent years on the Italian immigration experience. Almost all of these trace the emigrants' path to the New World and proceed to detail the hardships, problems and successes the emigrants face in their new society. This work by Professor William A. Douglass is an unique exception to the general pattern. Rather than focusing on the emigrant's area of destination, the book presents a very thorough analysis of the area of origin. Specifically, the book examines the causes for an impact of emigration on the Town of Agnone in the Molise region of Southern Italy. The town was selected as the focus of the study because, as the author notes, "the town was... in the forefront of the (emigration) movement both chronologically and in magnitude". In the first four chapters Professor Douglass presents an excellent analysis of the social and political characteristics of Agnone. There is a particularly fine discussion of the importance of social class as it influences the social and cultural life of Agnone. The author makes good use of historical materials to trace the sociopolitical development of the town. He intertwines this material with relevant changes in the economic sphere. The social, political and economic analysis the author develops gives greater clarity to the forces behind the emigration movement. Chapter five includes a fine discussion ofthe emigrants. The author describes both the general factors that influenced emigration from Southern Italy and also factors specific to Agnone. He cities both economic and political reasons for the emigration. In his chapter, Professor Douglass discusses the emigrant's impact on Agnone. Interestingly, the emigrants kept in close contact with Agnone, and the town capitalized on the emigrants success abroad. For example, a number of public projects in the town received financial support from the emigrants. The author does an excellent job of discussing the rather unique link between the emigrants and the town. This type of analysis is rarely found in the literature. In chapter seven, Professor Douglass examines the general social and political environment while emigrating was occurring. This again is a rather unique approach insofar as his analysis examines migration and its impact on the town over time. This approach allows the reader to see that migration is a dynamic process. The latter chapters of the book examine the decline of emigration during the Fascistperiod, and the new emigration which occurred in the post World War II period. Professor Douglass' works is an excellent study of the causes and consequences of emigration. More than most books in the field it highlights the dialectical relationships between the areas of origin and the area of destination. The writing is crisp and straightforward. The book includes useful maps of the area, and a series of tables which are clearly presented and serve as a valuable adjunct to the text. This is an excellent and worthwhile addition to the literature on migration. It is highly recommended to anyone interested in the study of migration.