Call for Papers: Special Issue

Representations of Motherhood and Mothering in Contemporary Italy

Edited by
Dr Veronica Frigeni
Visiting Scholar in Residence in Gender Studies, Central European University, Vienna, Austria & Virtual visiting scholar, Centre for Feminist Research, York University.

Building on Adrienne Rich’s pioneering distinction between motherhood as an institution and mothering as lived experience, this special issue invites contributions that explore and question representations of motherhood and mothering in response to the growing politicisation of the maternal role in contemporary Italy.

This special issue seeks to investigate how mothering and motherhood are depicted and enacted across diverse media—cinema, literature, graphic novels, visual arts, television, and social platforms—particularly considering the increasing public debates on reproductive rights, family policies, and gender roles. It encourages interdisciplinary approaches, drawing, for example, from feminist and queer theories, sociology, cultural studies, and political analysis. Contributors are invited to consider how traditional ideals of motherhood and mothering coexist or clash with more subversive or intersectional narratives.

Key questions include:

• How do these representations reflect or resist the institutionalisation of motherhood within Italy’s political and cultural discourse?
• In what ways do they engage with issues of class, race, and gender?
• How do new digital platforms contribute to amplifying or contesting these debates?
• How do contemporary works by women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized voices challenge dominant narratives of motherhood?
• What role do historical and transnational perspectives play in shaping contemporary Italian imaginaries of mothering?
• How does motherhood intersect with issues of labor, migration, and precarity in Italy?
• In what ways do alternative family structures and non-normative maternal identities emerge in contemporary cultural production?

We encourage submissions that address these topics through case studies, comparative analyses, theoretical explorations, and methodological innovations. Contributions that engage with recent cultural productions or historical continuities and ruptures are particularly welcome.

This issue addresses these questions and aims to illuminate the dynamic and contested roles of motherhood and mothering within Italy’s contemporary cultural and political landscape. It offers fresh insights into how maternal identities are constructed, negotiated, and challenged in an era of shifting societal norms and policies.

Proposals are welcomed from scholars at all career stages, across disciplines and methodological approaches.

Submission Guidelines

• Please submit an abstract (300-500 words) and a short bio (150 words) to contact@cgsjournal.com with a CC to veronica.frigeni@gmail.com.
• Deadline for the submission of abstracts: May 30, 2025.
• Deadline for the submission of full paper: July 30, 2025. 
• The issue will be published in Continuous Mode.
• The word limit for full articles is 5000-7000 words, including the Reference section.
• For formatting and referencing, please follow :https://cgsjournal.com/guidelines>>