Severe Cuts to Italian Professor’s Essay on Pasolini in Russia
In a move that has sparked international attention, Roberto Carnero, an esteemed Italian literature professor at the University of Bologna, encountered unexpected censorship from the Russian publisher AST. Carnero’s critical essay on the life and work of Pier Paolo Pasolini, an openly gay Italian film director, was subjected to significant redactions before its publication in Russia.
The alterations were not minor. Upon the book’s release, Carnero discovered that approximately 70 pages out of 400 had been obscured with black ink. Images of the heavily censored book quickly circulated on Russian Telegram channels, highlighting the extent of the cuts. “This is something that happens in dictatorships,” Carnero expressed during a phone interview from Milan, voicing his deep concerns over the censorship.
The Russian publisher’s actions reflect the country’s ongoing crackdown on LGBT rights, which have been increasingly portrayed as antithetical to Russia’s traditional values. The government has gone as far as designating support for the LGBT movement as extremist, leading to severe repercussions for advocates and members of the community.
AST was transparent about the reasons behind the censorship, citing compliance with
In a peculiar twist, AST described the act of blackening text as “a more honest choice” than removing sections entirely, suggesting that the censored book had become a form of interactive art. The publisher posited that readers could seek out the hidden information themselves, thereby making the book an emblematic artefact of the era and a silent protest against censorship.
Despite the controversy, AST reported that Carnero’s book sold out its initial print run and a second batch was promptly ordered. This incident has shed light on the broader issue of censorship in Russia, particularly in light of recent wartime laws that have stifled public dissent.
Experts like Dan Healey, a professor emeritus at Oxford, note that engaging in pro-LGBTQ activism in Russia could result in severe custodial sentences. In this climate, publishing a censored work might ironically be one of the few remaining avenues for safe expression of dissent.
The irony of the situation was not lost on Carnero, who reflected on Pasolini’s legacy as a fearless critic of corruption and advocate for his beliefs. The fact that Pasolini, who was willing to die for his ideas, is now subjected to censorship in Russia underscores the paradoxical nature of this ordeal.
