The Dimensions of Exile: Thinking about the Past and the Present from “Extraterritoriality”. Interview with Enzo Traverso

Abstract

In the following text, some features and implications of the exile will be analyzed, both in relation with the history of the xxth century and in relation with its representation. Exile —as a form of extraterritoriality— is a central category in the works of the Italian historian Enzo Traverso. From his perspective, exile is not just a condition shared by the masses and the thinkers along the xxth century. On the contrary, the semantic potential of this notion could depict two things. From a diachronic point of view, it shows some of the problems we have to deal with when facing our past. From a synchronic point of view, it helps us to deal with the challenges that come from our contemporary world. After all, the normalization of some of its features allows us to understand some features of our globalized societies. The variety of meanings that revolve around exile is the focus of this text.