Table of Contents

Research Proposal 2

Poem: Before, after midday in Garbatella 7 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 8 Literature Review................................................................................................ 11 Fascism and Rome.. 11

Garbatella................................................................................................... 12 Community Attitude.. 16 Question. 16 Purpose.. 17 Methods 18 Methodology.................... 18 Participants... 20 Procedure.. 20 Data Analysis 21 Results.. 23 JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 1|Blake

Creative Synthesis: Excerpt from Why Rome 29 Discussion.. 31 References.. 32 Appendix A: Images of Garbatella 34 Appendix B: Images of Primavalle 40

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Research Proposal: Finding Space, Ownership, and Voice within Adversity In contemplating a research topic for the final paper, the possibility of examining the resounding impact of the structural changes made during the years of Fascism upon the psychology of Rome and its peoples was overwhelming. There are many different avenues that one might take in order to address such a topic. One might look through the lens of architecture or art (e.g. graffiti), or through such social vehicles as socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender, etc. One may even consider doing a composite of some or all of the aforementioned. All in all, engaging in such a task would require more time and effort than is duly allowable within the span of the remaining semester. Thus, in reviewing some preliminary literature and narrowing the scope of the initial idea, the emergence of the following question came light: in what ways have structural changes to Rome made during the time of Fascism helped or hindered community attitude? To answer this question, the research proposes that instead of looking out towards how the changes to structural environment of Rome has impacted its citizens, an answer can be found by looking within the environmental integration of an immigrant, namely the researcher, as she learns how to relate to the environment within which she lives given its structure, history, and community attitude. In his book, Evicted from Eternity: The Restructuring of Modern Rome, Michael Herzfeld used the district of Monti to explore the topic of gentrification, starting clearly with a discussion of Fascism (5). In particular, he explores the stories of the lives of specific individuals, thus giving faces to the facts he presents therein. In appreciation of his approach, the method of seeking an answer to the question presented above will be conducted in following manner: journal and creative writing, informal interviewing, photography, and literature review. In essence, this research will be completed in the manner of a heuristic inquiry as developed by Clark Moustakas and JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 3|Blake

described in his 1990 book Heuristic Research. Moustakas states that heuristic inquiry is a process that begins with a question or problem which the researcher seeks to illuminate or answer. The question is one that has been a personal challenge (15). Consequently, the choice of utilizing a heuristic approach will not only mean delving within the thoughts and feelings of the researcher, but also the immersion of the researcher into the topic, i.e. into the environment within which she lives, in order to understand as completely as possible the many facets of both question and experience (Braud, Hiles). As a result of this, the answer to the inquiry will be one that is utterly subjective but ideally balanced by the objectivity of the literature review. The literature review will cover books, articles, and websites devoted to the topics of either Garbatella, Fascism and/or community development, specifically as it relates to attitudes, as well as heuristic research. Given the nature of the course for which this research will be conducted some comparisons to sites visited throughout the semester may be made. Specifically, a comparison between the personal impressions made upon the researcher by Primavalle and Garbatella as they were both developed during the time of Fascism, although they fall under different housing categories (Painter Jr.). Beginning in 1926 with the work on Largo Argentina, the many changes made by the fascist regime had a lasting and profound and resounding effect upon the people of Rome, beginning from that time and thereafter (Painter Jr. 7). However, the effect was not the same for all. The most significantly impacted by the changes were those who were relocated to districts outside of the city center, such as Primavalle and Garbatella. Primavalle was the largest of the borgate and was the least inexpensive housing projects created by the Fascists for displaced families (Painter Jr. 93). Its distance from the city center created tremendous difficulties for the families who held jobs within the center and thus would need to find a method of daily transportation to and from the center. Garbatella, on the other hand, fell JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 4|Blake

under the housing category of case popolari, which were housing projects that commenced prior to the period of Fascism (Painter Jr. 95-96). Although closer to the city center, Garbatella was constructed outside of the Aurelian Wall and was aimed at promoting maritime industry in Rome and the extension of the citynorth, towards the Aniene River, and southeast, along the Tiber all the way to the Tyrrhenian Sea (De Michelis). Garbatellas architectural plan followed the English garden city style, which incorporated nature into low-density, village-style communities in peri-urban settings (De Michelis). Still, however, there are similarities to be found between the plans of Primavalle and Garbatella that will be explored by the research. In conclusion, the title of the paper Finding Space, Ownership, and Voice within Adversity hopes to illuminate the journey of the researcher in integration, the development of Garbatella as a community, and the possibility of choice that is given to each person in regards to how he or she perceives the impact of history upon the space in which he or she lives. The research will not provide all the answers, will be subjective, will be reflective, but most importantly, will be an honest attempt at understanding what it means to live in modern Rome.

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Referemces De Michelis, Antonella. Civis romanus sum: the self-conscious Romanita of the Garbatella. Annali dItalianistica. The Free Library, 1 Jan. 2010. Web. 6 Apr. 2012. Braud, William. Can Research Be Transpersonal? Transpersonal Psychology Review. 2.3 (1998), 9-17. Print. Herzfeld, Michael. Evicted from Eternity: The Restructuring of Modern Rome. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2009. Print. Hiles, Dave. Heuristic Inquiry and Transpersonal Research. De Montfort University, Leicaster. Oct 2011. Web. 15 Apr 2012. Moustakas, Clark. Heuristic Research: Design, Methodology, and Applications. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. 1990. Print. Painter Jr., Borden W. Mussolinis Rome. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005. Print.

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Before, after midday in Garbatella Rain falls unheard, caw of bird, cold, beyond window Garbatella wakes Mussolinis war, still echoing in winters traffic, damaged walls. How different now, Rome, with the change of season, fallen leaves, people, Locked stores in midday teaching patience, hunger, hope Garbatella sleeps. While a cat stretches below my window, a cars owner may not know The joys of growing cold, Roman winter, rain, warm, grass, peeking cobblestones. - Diedr Blake

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Finding Space, Ownership, and Voice within Adversity Introduction This research is a heuristic inquiry into the integration process of one student immigrant, i.e. the researcher, into the neighborhood of Garbatella in Rome, Italy and my reflections upon and acquired understanding of the impact of environmental structure and community attitudes as integral parts of the process. The decision to engage in this process was based upon two factors: 1) my growing regard for Garbatella and current consideration of this neighborhood as home, and 2) my experience of visiting Primavalle during a social science and Italian studies course with a professor from John Cabot University, where I am currently a student. It is reasonable to state that prior to taking this course, I lacked true awareness of the general history of housing and development of communities in Rome. This was not because I had been shielded by living within student housing and thus was apart from would could be construed as an authentic residential experience in Rome. No, the fact is that I had already found the place I now call home prior to becoming a student at John Cabot University. It was one, in reality, the only neighborhood outside of the historic city center that I had chanced to visit during my first visit to Rome in October 2010. Subsequently, I returned in April 2011 to become one of its residents and have been there since. This neighborhood is Garbatella. My personal history of housing and community has been rather eclectic and I have never really had a sense of home until moving to Garbatella. To expound upon my meaning of eclectic, I shall give an overview of my prior living circumstances. I was born in Jamaica in 1978 and lived there for fourteen years. During that time, I spent my first six years living at home with my family. Thereafter, things became quite complex. For the proceeding three years, I lived in and out of boarding houses. Finally, at age nine, I was sent JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 8|Blake

to live in a boarding school for some months and then a convent for the next five years until I left the island at age fourteen. I lived with my mother in a house in Florida, considered the family home, for approximately three years and then moved in 1995 to California to attend university. There I lived in student housing for a little more than three and a half years until I went to study abroad in Germany at my universitys Berlin campus. While there, I lived with a host, whose apartment was part art gallery and part living quarters. My room was the library/study. After completing the Berlin program and graduating from university in 2000, I decided to return to Berlin and lived there for some time sharing an apartment with three other young women for some months. I returned to the United States and lived in my family home two years until I moved into my own apartment. I moved to Boston to attend graduate school at the end of December 2003 and remained there until moving to Rome in 2011. Although I spent approximately seven and a half years in Boston, my living circumstances were far from consistent and over the course of those years, I managed to live four different apartments and then finally a house. Even though I am a mental health counselor/art therapist by profession, I had never given thought to the impact of these frequent moves throughout my life upon my ability to understand the meaning belonging to community. I understood well that I suffered from poor attachment and being of a more introverted nature, I have tended to shy away from building friendships. In examining the issue of frequent moving during childhood, research shows that psychological and social well-being in adulthood is vastly diminished and that [moving] a lot makes it difficult for people to maintain long-term close relationships Less outgoing people have a harder time making new friends (ScienceDaily). There are other negative factors that are associated with frequent moves, such as behavioral and academic problems (ScienceDaily). On the other hand, there is also a positive link between frequent moving and the notion of resiliency (McLeod 81). Moreover, children who have moved frequently have a JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 9|Blake

broader concept of culture and are more open to diversity and exchange (Lund 69). I was and have been fortunate in avoiding any profound behavioral or academic problems, and would consider myself to be highly resilient and culturally open. As mentioned above, however, I struggled with forming relationships due to my temperament and my constant relocation. Thus, it has been and still is curious to me that Garbatella has become rooted in my mind as home and even more importantly that I have a sense of belonging to the community. Why was this possible in Garbatella and not, for example, in the historic center where I lived for one month near Campo dei Fiori? What is it about Garbatella that has allowed for me to feel comforted by and comfortable within its environment and its residence? This research is the culmination of an overview of my personal journey of becoming a resident of Garbatella and finding home. I am hopeful that the resulting information from this research will help in illuminating the factors that either contribute to or detract from engaging in community and establishing a sense of belonging.

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Literature Review Fascism and Rome The rise to power of Fascism in 1922 brought with it hypernationalism as Italians were promised a better life from the one prior that had been filled with political divisiveness and poverty. Fascism presented itself as a movement for the young and named its anthem as Youth or Giovinezza as it attempted to [convey] the message that fascism brought youth, energy, and new ideas to Italy (Painter Jr. 2). This new government, however, did not lead to a sense of inclusiveness and democracy, but rather constricted the voices of diverse opinions and became a dictatorship (Painter Jr. 2, Herzfeld 59). It led to upheaval and disenfranchisement of dissenting voices, whole communities, racial and ethnic minorities. It also led to vast changes in the physical structure of what was Rome. It was Mussolinis goal to revitalize the city, returning it to grandeur and greatness as during the time of the Roman Empire. This meant finding modern methods of reutilizing and retooling the citys rich history, monuments, and sites (Painter Jr. 2). For Mussolini, it was important to regain what he deemed romanit or Romanness, which meant casting back to the time of the first emperor, Augustus. This also meant that anything and anyone that stood in the way of manifesting his vision would have to be eliminated or, in the case of people/communities, relocated. Under the justification of public health, Italian self-image, better economical gains, and less crowding, the Fascists destroyed housing after housing, but promised new state sponsored housing and social services (De Michelis, Painter Jr.). The first change to the city began with the construction of what is now known as Largo Argentina in 1926 under the leadership of Antonio Muoz, who eventually went on to be in charge of the future demolition or Romes historic center (Painter Jr. 8-9). Although it meant the discovery of JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 11 | B l a k e

four ancient temples, it also resulted in the displacement of families who had lived in the area for countless generations. Alongside the destruction and renovation (or perhaps better, recreation) of the historic center, Mussolinis plans called for new towns to be built such as Pomezia, which was one of the five towns of the Pontine Project, and borghi (villages), and new neighborhoods (Painter Jr. 85-92). Of interest to this research are the new neighborhoods, which each displayed different levels of housing and were utilized for displaced families. The borgate were the least expensive housing types and were the first to be constructed by the Fascists. They were constructed in the outer areas away from the historic center with the intention to transform working class urban dwellers into farmers (Painter Jr. 94). The largest of these was Primavalle and became a working class neighborhood for those displaced from the areas around the Tomb of Augustus. Painter Jr. in his book Mussolinis Rome notes that new residents of Primavalle were left-leaning in their politics and after World War II, the area became one that was left-wing and antifascist (95). The case popolari referred to housing projects that had already been developed prior to the takeover of the Fascists and were later implemented by them. Some of these neighborhoods were still within the Aurelian Wall, but some were not, such as Garbatella or La Borgata Giardino Concordia (De Michelis, Gori and Rivolta, Itopia). Garbatella Garbatella is located in Ostiense, an industrial district, and is unique in its design and followed the structure of the English garden city design (De Michelis). Its construction began in 1920 and was aimed at emphasizing self-sufficient and better quality of living. Furthermore, it was the presumed site of the twin city of Rome, Remuri, which was founded by Remus (De Michelis). It was touted as the sunlit district for the craftsmen of the capitals economic rebirth and included a variety architectural styles (especially that of the JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 12 | B l a k e

Barochetta, which are predominantly featured in Lotti 1-5, Figures 1 a. and b. See appendix for more images) and of housing plans, including single family homes (Figure 2), multifamily apartments (Figure 3), and suburban hotels known as alberghi suburbani , of which the most notable is the Albergo Rosso that is located between Piazza Carabonara and Piazza Eugenio Biffi (De Michelis).

Figures 1a. and b.: Lotto

Figures 2 & 3: Single Family Home and Multifamily Complex (Images from Lotti 31-37)

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Figure 4: Il Albergo Rosso by Innocenzo Sabbatini (Image taken from http://web.tiscali.it)

The name Garbatella was not initially chosen for the new neighborhood, rather Concordia was decided upon according to De Michelis who states that the choice of Concordia was potentially made as a tribute to Ebenezer Howard, the father of the garden city movement. The origin of the name Garbatella has been disputed over the years. There are two beliefs: 1) the name is derived from the Garbato (polite or amiable) and 2) the name is in reference to an innkeeper who provided refreshments to pilgrims and workers alike (Gori and Rivolta). Of course, there is also the claim that the district was to be renamed Remuria as previously mentioned, but the residents, who were left-leaning, boycotted the proposed change. The hotels were designed and built specifically to host displaced peoples who were awaiting permanent housing. Author Adelio Canali, whose family had antifascist and JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 14 | B l a k e

republican leanings, in his book La Terrazza sulla Garbatella writes about his familys experience being relocated from Trastevere to one of these hotels, specifically Il 4 albergo in lotto 44, in Garbatella, in which he and his family engaged in communal living, including shared eating spaces (16-17). Images of life in Garbatella from the 1920s into the 1930s show a sparsely populated area with open spaces and commanding buildings (Gori and Rivolta, Canali). In many ways this open style has not been changed over the course of time (Figures 4 &5), and has only served to enhance the accessibility, natural elements, spaciousness and ease of living in the neighborhood.

Figure 5: Teatro Palladium in the 1920s (Image from: http://www.editare2000.it/)

Figure 6: Teatro Palladium 2009 (Image from http:// www.06blog.it)

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Figure 7: Teatro Palladium 2012

Community Attitude Simply stated, community attitude refers to emotional and behavioral responses to groups of people living within a shared environment. Scale surveys are often utilized to gauge the reactions that communities to have towards various issues, such as healthcare, violence, environmental issues, etc. (Mitrofanova). For the purpose of this research, however, understanding community attitudes towards the actual living environment will be captured via images and through personal account via interviews. Question Returning to inquiry stated in the Introduction, the question answered by this research, in its most concise form, is: Can community attitude impact the habituation of new residents? More specifically, does it make a difference to process of integration how people within a community think about and treat their environment? If so, then why? Equally important, does the layout of the physical environment within a community matter in how people relate to it, to each other, and to outsiders? Within the nuances of the previous questions, there are further questions that have been addressed, including ones dealing with JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 16 | B l a k e

emotional and physical security, self-expression, etc. Regardless of the various inquiries, the consistent theme throughout the research is that of understanding the concept of home. Purpose There are two main goals of this research. The first is to share a personal journey towards finding home and a sense of communal belongingness. The second is to share an exploration of the neighborhood of Garbatella, providing visual and verbal evidence of what makes it such a unique place.

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Methods Methodology This research is culmination of a self-exploratory process of the course of the last month, and an examination of the experience of living in Garbatella for the past year. Finding a method to approach the topic of this research was far from simple. How can one capture ones experience and those of others with whom a common language is not shared? Fortunately, upon reflection it occurred to me that utilizing the process of heuristic inquiry would be the ideal method. I had also had an idea of utilizing mindfulness inquiry, which would have involved incorporating my Buddhist beliefs into the study (Nagata 26). I, however, decided upon the heuristic research for simple reason of diminishing complexity. Heuristic research was developed by Clark Moustakas, who expounded upon the idea in his 1990 book Heuristic Research. There are seven phases to this approach: initial engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, creative synthesis, and validation of heuristic inquiry (Hines). Taking the first, initial engagement, it is the phase in which the researcher identifies an area of profound and passionate interest. And from this interest, the research question is derived. Immersion is the phase in which the question is

invoked into everyday life of the researcher. Incubation is the moment of retreat, during which ideas are formed and focused, and the development of understanding begins to emerge. Illumination is A-HA moment! It is the time in which answers move from the background into the foreground and thus awareness is realized and sets about restructuring past understanding. Explication is the involved exploration of the new awareness, during which the researcher is called to organize thoughts and develop themes. Creative synthesis refers to the time during which the researcher meditates upon the data and finds an outlet through which to express the core themes. The outlet can be in any modality: art, music, writing, etc. Validation of heuristic inquiry refers to process of checking and re-checking the outcomes of JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 18 | B l a k e

the research, which thereafter should be open to others in order for the researcher to receive feedback. Initial engagement: I came to my topic slowly. There was something that had bothered me about the class excursion to Primavalle in February of this year. The feeling never shifted and I had an awareness of it, but could not articulate it well. I made an attempt during my first research proposal by suggesting a broad examination of how current transitional/permanent non-Italian residents relate to changes made to the Largo Argentina and Coliseum areas. It was a close idea, but truly it did not hit the mark. The disturbing feeling only grew more and more as each day passed, simultaneously my feeling of positive regard for my neighborhood grew more and more each day. I consider myself to be creative and the ability to self-express in multiple modalities brings me utter joy. I write, sing, paint/draw, dance, etc. This aspect of my person has been integral in the formation and execution of this research paper. The act of writing is as natural to me as breathing air. Given the opportunity, I prefer to write my thoughts rather than speak them. I have kept journals throughout my life, and moving to Rome did not change that. Thus, over the course of my time living in Garbatella, I have been consistently journaling about my experiences, thoughts, feelings, reactions, etc. Moreover, I have been photographing my experiences in Rome, and more recently in Garbatella. These two methods of self-expression, writing and photography, have served as the data collection tools for this research. Perhaps there may have been other methods by which to examine the topic. For myself, however, they are the ones that I chose and I believe have served well in their capacities in enabling me to fully engage in the heuristic research process.

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Participants I am the sole participant that is truly analyzed in this study. On the other hand, there have been people who have contributed to the development of this research experience by allowing me to informally discuss the topic with them and to share with me their own insights into the topic. I chose not to conduct formal interviews, create and distribute surveys or questionnaires, or have anyone sign a waiver. Thus, if I make reference to anyone in this study or paraphrase something that has been stated to me or in my presence, the name utilized is a pseudonym. These references have been made solely to expose my own experiences and to reflect upon those with whom I have spoken. In conforming to American Psychology Association ethical practices and code of conduct, I certify that I am the only human participant that has been used in this research. Procedure The initial plan for my heuristic inquiry involved immersion through art and writing. The form of art took the shape of photography, which I did over the course of one month (mid-March to mid-April). I photographed various sites throughout Garbatella with the idea of attempting to capture the variation in architectural design and to show how space has been treated and utilized. Each photographic session would be followed by written reflection upon what I had seen and/or experienced. This process was executed with reasonable consistency. I have never kept only one journal in which to write my thoughts. It has always been my nature to have several blank notebooks and sheets of paper accessible for the process of capturing my thoughts. Thus, it was so in my process of journaling about my various excursions. The parameters I set for the types of thoughts and/or experiences I believed pertinent to record were simple: 1) my experience as foreigner roaming the streets of Garbatella, and 2) identifying visual factors that either appealed to me (belonging) or repelled me (detaching). JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 20 | B l a k e

Following the heuristic tradition, I allowed for themes to emerge over the course the process. The themes that emerged were 1) expression, 2) creativity, 3) simultaneous space and togetherness, 4) family. I have been fortunate enough to have made a friend in the neighborhood whose family has been living in Garbatella since its foundation. Marco is a writer in his sixties who grew up in Garbatella and remained in the neighborhood into his adulthood, left for a few years, and then returned with the intention of never leaving again. Through our many discussions about the neighborhood and its changes as well as his love for the neighborhood, I was able to reflect upon my own regard for the neighborhood and growing attachment to it. I have come to understand through the heuristic process that research is both an active and inactive experience. It is going out into the world and confronting both it and yourself. It is also returning home and shutting out the world and your most active self. Data Analysis As mentioned previously, the process of data collection took the form of journal writing, photographing and casual discussion. In order to engage in data analysis, I went into a period of incubation for five days, in which I allowed for my thoughts to settle on the topic by taking time away from discussing, photographing and writing. This did not mean actually leaving Garbatella, but I allowed my mind to rest on other aspects of my life, such as school and work. I returned to the collected data, shared some of the images with friends, reread my journal entries, considered my creative writing pieces that had been influenced my life in Garbatella, especially one that is titled Why Rome and the poem Before, after midday in Garbatella, which began this research paper. I listened to and reflected upon the advice given by my professor on the writing the paper. I reviewed my initial research proposal, and created a new Microsoft Word document and highlighted the relevant points from that JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 21 | B l a k e

proposal that I wanted to retain in my redraft. I created another Word document to try to capture my understandings of what I had been experiencing up until that point. The previous points, however, were completely personal and lacked objectivity. Thus, I went to library and researched books to help me further understand. I consulted journal articles online that I printed and read through thoroughly in order to understand their applicability to my inquiry. I visited relevant websites about Garbatella and also to find complementary images. The conclusion of having done both the subjective and objective analysis is that I was able to come to a point of illumination.

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Results Explicationthere are many layers to the findings of the research paper. Each layer, however, has uncovered the meaning behind a theme that has emerged through my having engaged in this process. It is important to go back to two points. The first point is the visit to Primavalle. The second point is the feeling that emerged from my experience of Primavalle. Up until this point, I have chosen not to delve into Primavalle, and this research is not directed at uncovering, examining, or suggesting anything concrete about Primavalle. It is solely related to my experiences in Garbatella. What, however, was it about Primavalle that was disturbing to me? Well, this research led me to a simple conclusion. That is, that there exist structural similarities between Primavalle and Garbatella (Figures 8-11). The expressed attitudes of people who live in either place, however, appear to be quite contrary.

Figure 8: Garbatella Apr. 2012

Figure 9: Primavalle Feb. 2012

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Figure 10: Old Playground, Primavalle Feb. 2012

Figure 11: Old Playground, Garbatella Apr. 2012

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What do I mean by contrary attitudes? Well, in the presentation given by my professor, whose family (like my friend Marco) had been relocated due to the Fascists plan to renovate the historic center, there appeared to be resounding resentment towards the relocation and towards Primavalle. Of course, this is only my impression. My professor shared a similar experience to Marco, i.e. he grew up in the new neighborhood (Primavalle), went away for some years, and then returned to the area. Yet still, the attitudes of these men are contrary. Perhaps my comparison of Primavalle to Garbatella may not seem appropriate initially. Both of these neighborhoods, however, have a shared history, shared reputation (as historically being ghettos and undesirable places to live), shared architectural design (in some regards), and shared population. What makes Garbatella so very different in my eyes? It is cultivation of creativity through utilization of both public spaces and spaces designed for creativity. Garbatella is a neighborhood of artists, singers, dancers, actors. Simply put, it is a neighborhood the flourishes with the act of creation. Again, my knowledge of Primavalle is limited, but I was struck by the current state a neighborhood amphitheater and creative arts space, which have now been converted into shacks for the homeless.

Figures 12 and 13: Amphitheater, Primavalle, Feb. 2012

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Figures 13-18: Street art, Garbatella, Mar-Apr. 2012

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The images above of the street art in Garbatella are evidence of a community that seeks open expression, diversity, growth and creativity. This is not to say that Garbatella is without its issues as even in Garbatella, there are signs of hate and exclusivity.

Figures 19 and 20: "No Nazi" and Swastika Apr. 2012

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Even so, the neighborhood rallies forth and everyday that I walk along its streets, I see more people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, different abilities, different sexualities, different religions, etc. What is even more, there has been a steady growth in the number of tourists seen, who are either passing through the area or have chosen to stay in Garbatella during their time in Rome. I would like to address and answer the initial question of my proposal, i.e. In what ways have structural changes to Rome made during the time of Fascism helped or hindered community attitude? I can answer that, from my perspective, community attitudes are dependent upon the perspectives that one holds in regards to the changes experienced in ones life, whether or not those changes are adverse. Moreover, it is dependent upon how one chooses to utilize the new space in which one must live. After all, if there is predominance of destructive behavior in any given environment, regardless of its roots, then the community attitude of that environment has a greater potential towards the negative, even though the behavior displayed is being engaged in by the members of the community. Garbatella is an example of a community that has seemingly accepted its history, learned to manage its obstacles, and has created space for its future generations to grow and offer welcome change despite any reputation that it has held over the years. Every person with whom I have come in contact has greeted me in friendship and has been more positively curious about me and my background rather rejecting me due to any real or perceived differences. The answer to why I feel a sense of belonging and home in Garbatella relates back to the earlier points of the prevalence of creativity, presence of diversity, expression of positivity within adversity. My friend Marco is always saying to me that he does not want people to understand that Garbatella is a great place to live, and that he hopes that people continue to think of the neighborhood as a ghetto. He believes that that way the neighborhood will continue to positively and gradually develop, rather than experience JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 28 | B l a k e

sudden and harsh change which can be brought on by massive influx of new people. Initially, I had wondered why. Why not share Garbatella with the world. Now, after going through this process, I understand better his sentiment. Garbatella is a peaceful, residential area and that is its attraction. It is a place where one can begin a family, raise children, and develop friendships with others who become more like family with each passing day. There are few merchandise stores here, and to find a large supermarket takes effort. There are various types of places for entertainment, whether it is going to the bar Al Solito Posto to listen to live music on Friday nights or going to one of the dance clubs (which I have still yet to find, but apparently exist). I suppose the point is simply that Garbatella offers comfort to many who step unto its streets. Creative Synthesis Excerpt from Why Rome Loneliness isnt Everything I live in Garbatella, a neighborhood that was built in the 1920s (yes, think Mussolini) and I swear is Romes lesbian Mecca. I mention this, because I am very queer. (By the way, Im in the midst of shuffling sexual identity labels, going from lesbian to I dont know, woman-who-sleeps-with ) I moved here earlier this spring, and my apartment and its little dead-end street have become my sanctuary. The studio-type space that I live in is pink. The walls are pink, the curtains are pink, the bedding is pink, even the knick-knacks are pink. Now, you might think, Dang! Whats up with all the pink?? To me, it is comforting and takes me back to my childhood room, in which everything was pink, my favorite color (then not now). Also, there is a convent at the end of the road, not that Ive ever seen the nuns. Even so, just seeing the convent reminds me of the five really strange years that I lived in a

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convent, from ages nine to fourteenStrangely enough, this is comforting too. All these memories have been keeping me company as I try to build my new life here in Rome

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Discussion Validation of heuristic inquiryThe aim of this research paper was to bring to forefront an explanation for my attachment to Garbatella while simultaneously explore how environmental structure either helps or hinders positive community attitudes. The nature of the research was heuristic, which meant that the perspectives and results were steeped into the personal revelations of the researcher. I understand and accept that this research is utterly subjective. Given more time, however, to pursue the issue and to make small expansions on the method of research, it may have gained a more balanced view. Life, however, is about operating within limitations, seeing the positive of the limitations, and making the best of it. If nothing else, I have learned that from this process. I discovered my reason for feeling unsettled about Primavalle. I learned more about the neighborhood in which I live and gained clarity as to why I feel connected to it. I have wrapped my mind around the notion that even architectural similarity does not necessarily hold weight when it comes to how people choose to utilize space. I have confronted my own desires for home and recognition that I do now have a place that I can call home. I wish that I had more time to engage in the heuristic research process as there are still aspects that I would like to explore. However, it is my hope that this paper illuminates some history of housing development during Fascism, some examples of Garbatellas unique architectural style, and opened up a discussion on what makes or breaks the positive progress of a community. Interestingly enough, both Primavalle and Garbatella have been participants in the URBACT Project of moving towards improving social cohesion and creating efficient and sustainable environments (Partecipando 25). My hope is that they will.

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References American Psychological Association. Moving repeatedly in childhood linked with poorer quality-of-life years later, study finds. ScienceDaily, 3. Jun. 2010. Web. 6 Apr. 2012 Apanizzi (Blog Poster). The Garbatella: The Garden City and Its Community. Itopia. Cornell University. 13 May 2009. Web. 7 Apr 2012. Braud, William. Can Research Be Transpersonal? Transpersonal Psychology Review. 2.3 (1998), 9-17. Print. Canali, Adelio. La Terrezza sulla Garbatella ricordi. Rome: Edup S.r.l., 2008. Print. De Michelis, Antonella. Civis romanus sum: the self-conscious Romanita of the Garbatella. Annali dItalianistica. The Free Library, 1 Jan. 2010. Web. 6 Apr. 2012. Gori, Enzo, and Rivolta, Gianni. Garbatella mia. Rome: La Campanella, 2003. Print. Herzfeld, Michael. Evicted from Eternity: The Restructuring of Modern Rome. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2009. Print. Lund, Priscilla. Children Understanding Diversity in Their Community: Are We Home Yet? Visual Art Research. 20.2(40) (1994): 69-77. Print. Moustakas, Clark. Heuristic Research: Design, Methodology, and Applications. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. 1990. Print. McLeod, Christy. Changing Places: Resilience in Children Who Move. Unpublished Thesis. University of Sydney. 2006. Print. Mitrofanova, Yelena. Community Attitude Survey Approach. University of Nebraska: Lincoln, Extension in Lancaster. Jul. 2005. Web. 12 Apr 2012. Nagata, Adair Linn. Mindful Inquiry: A Leaner-Centered Approach to Qualitative Research. Journal of Intercultural Communication 6. (2003). 23-36. Print. Painter Jr., Borden W. Mussolinis Rome. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005. Print. Participando. European Handbook for Participation of inhabitants in integrated urban JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2 32 | B l a k e

regeneration programmes as a key to improve social cohesion. Thematic Network of the URBACT Programme/European Union. Web. n.d. 20 Apr 2012

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Appendix A Images from Garbatella

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Qui abitava libero de Angelis Caduto a 22 Anni Sotto il Piombo Tedesco A La Storta 11/4 Guigno 1944 JCU: SOCSC/ITS 226-2

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Compagni Socialisti della Garbatella Posero Questo Ricordo Per La Nuova Generazione

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Appendix B Images from Primavalle

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