IULM University

Portugal is considered marginal in relation to the European scene. And yet it was in this country, 30 years ago, that European anthropology began to think of and formally constitute itself as such. This chapter presents a historical overview of the evolution of the various traditions of anthropology in Portugal from the end of the nineteenth century, the period of disciplinary consolidation, to the present. The discussion of the main theoretical and methodological perspectives is reflected in the events of a country undergoing transformation. The proposed path—dialoguing with different histories, traditions and schools of thought—entails multiple stages, from the move to study popular culture in order to consolidate national identity to anthropology’s role in constructing the colonial empire, from disciplinary revitalisation in the years of democratic transition to the present, a moment characterised by processes of internationalisation and crisis.

This article explores the intricate relationship between humanism, digital technology, and human rights, emphasizing the importance of ethical, social, and cultural considerations alongside technical expertise in navigating the digital age. Rooted in Renaissance ideals of human dignity and self-determination, it argues that access to digital tools constitutes a fundamental right of citizenship, essential for meaningful participation in a globally connected society. Initiatives like Uruguay’s Ceibal program exemplify efforts to democratize technology, revealing both successes and persistent challenges in ensuring digital inclusion and equitable access. The role of the digital humanist is highlighted as a crucial intermediary, merging technological insight with ethical reflection to safeguard human autonomy and dignity in the face of rapid innovation. The article underscores the importance of advocating for a rethinking of cultural paradigms to prioritize human dignity and self-determination in technological integration rather than relying on technology to safeguard humanity from itself (see the “human in the loop”). This approach calls for a reflective and responsible framework that aligns technological advancement with the principles of equity, inclusion, and human flourishing. The potential of digital storytelling and electronic literature, including examples like We Are Fragmented , Voz Pública , and Priya’s Shakti , is explored as a means to amplify marginalized voices and foster empathy, demonstrating how technology can be harnessed for the advancement of human rights. These narratives illustrate how digital tools can contribute to cultural and ethical enrichment rather than alienation, challenging society to rethink foundational concepts like authorship, responsibility, and authenticity.

This chapter aims to analyse the debate in the Italian press after the massacre of the Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics and Israel’s retaliation in the Palestinian refugee camps on the ensuing days. Discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict elicited some long consolidated views in Italy, and the tragedy also suggested connections between the problem of international and Italian terrorism.

International détente was designed as a project to preserve bipolarism, but in Europe it also expressed instances of changing relations between the blocs, and even the hypothesis of a slow termination of the Cold War (foreshadowing major domestic consequences). This chapter studies the widespread perception in Italy of the new framework of international relations and the subsequent political elaboration by the governing centre-left majority and the political opposition, to both Left and Right. The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE, 1973–1975) was a decisive step in this process.

On 27 February 1973 activists of the American Indian Movement occupied the symbolic site of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge reservation, contesting the actions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The revolt lasted for 71 days, marked by a violent standoff with the federal authorities and punctuated by Marlon Brando’s refusal of the Oscar as a sign of solidarity with the Lakota rebels. Italian public opinion followed these events with great interest, intertwining as they did with a more general reinterpretation of the rights of the Amerindian peoples and the myth of the US frontier, against the backdrop of the Vietnamese conflict and postcolonial wars. This chapter analyses reactions in the media and press. The event had a transversal impact on the Italian collective imagination, drawing on tools with a strong cultural impact (cinema, music, press, comics, etc.) and far surpassing the impact of minority youth movement phenomena such as the ‘Metropolitan Indians’.

Scrooge McDuck, born out of the genius of Carl Barks in 1947, is, together with Bruce Wayne, the most famous comic book billionaire. He originally appeared as a miser anti-hero, pretty much in the same vein as his namesake, and was conceived by Barks as an antagonist for Donald Duck. Later in time, however, Scrooge McDuck, though never abandoning the original traits of wealth, frugality, thrift, and a tendency to seek even more money through treasure hunting, became a positive figure: an adventure-capitalist, who made his money by effort and overcoming difficulties of all kind. This transformation is best epitomized in the comic book series The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck, written and illustrated by Don Rosa, and, perhaps even more so, in the TV cartoon series Duck Tales. My chapter seeks to examine different phases in the development of the character of Scrooge McDuck across the decades from the late 1940s to the early 1990s. More specifically, a selection of Barks’s and Rosa’s stories may uncover different visions of the businessman: from a cartoonish critique of the capitalist, that is, the owner of capital who pursues wealth qua wealth, to a more balanced portrait of the businessman consistent with the traditional American myth of the frontier and of enrichment through effort.

Boards of Directors is one of the most recurring topics in corporate governance literature. In the family firm realm, Boards of Directors have distinctive features compared to non‐family firms; their functions and activities can differ significantly. Indeed, the degree of family involvement in the board and heterogeneity in directors' characteristics produce different effects on behaviors, decision‐making processes, and performance. Applying diverse approaches, the continuous increase of research produces many results, making it hard to reflect on the development of this research area. We conduct an integrative literature review to renovate the knowledge infrastructure, starting from the outcomes of an exploratory bibliometric overview of 130 representative articles between 1988 and 2023 published in top‐tier as well as specialistic academic journals. After describing the evolution of the research and identifying seminal publications as well as the most productive and cited authors and journals, using the co‐citation tool, we unveil the main theoretical pillars and their interconnections, building a map of theoretical groundings and providing an understanding of the field's knowledge base. Revealing the conceptual linkages between the seminal works, we highlight how theories have evolved in Family Firms' Board of Directors' research. A reflexive knowledge work focused on the role of scholars in shaping research on family firms' boards of directors allows us to provide reflections based on theoretical groundings, rather than capturing them descriptively, and to identify future research directions.

In December 1959, several episodes of antisemitism occurred in West Germany. These events spread rapidly to other countries and were dubbed by newspapers the ‘swastika epidemic’. In Italy, the episodes sparked intense debate among the main political forces of the time, framing the interpretation of antisemitic episodes within a context that considered the comparison between the two countries, while also being influenced by the political transition of centrist governments shifting to the left and the transition of religious opinion on Jewish-Christian relations. The general and unanimous condemnation of antisemitism was accompanied by various interpretations of the racism of Fascist Italy and the historical responsibilities of the Catholic world. The result was an extremely fragmented picture, but with significant political and cultural implications in a year that would see the explosion of political violence.

The impacts of the pandemic were multiple: health, social, economic, political, on quality of life and well-being. The aim of this project is to attempt to study the mental health status, the problems of which are constantly increasing, of Italian academic social scientists experiencing difficulties during the pandemic period, as they play a relevant role within society, trying to construct an index identifying their level of malaise using exploratory factor analysis and logistic regression.

This research investigates individuals' reactions and coping strategies during a prolonged health crisis over distinct temporal phases (i.e., early and late stages of the pandemic) and geographical locations (i.e., Australia, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, and the United States). Using the infectious disease threat (IDT) appraisal model as a guide, we conducted two separate studies at different intervals to investigate the coping strategies individuals utilised in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Findings revealed cross‐country differences in cognitive (i.e., COVID‐19 risk perception and vaccine uncertainty), affective (i.e., hope, fear, shame, and anger), and conative (i.e., preventive behavioural intentions, vaccination intentions, and preventive behavioural engagement) outcomes, shaped by cultural and policy influences. Mediation and moderation analyses showed that the coping mechanism of cognitive appraisal indirectly influenced conative coping through affective responses, which could be contingent on pandemic fatigue. This research contributes to crisis and health communication literature by offering a more nuanced understanding of how individuals across different countries cope with and manage a long‐lasting public health crisis and provides key takeaways for advancing pandemic communication theory and practice.

Background The work experience of seafarers differs significantly from other land-based occupations due to several factors, particularly remoteness and the restricted work environment. This study seeks to examine the impact of burnout and health impairment in the maritime industry, using the Job Demand-Resources theory as a framework. Methods To investigate these phenomena, an online questionnaire was sent to 239 Italian seafarers (94.6% men, Mage = 39.44, SD = 12.8). We tested a mediated Structural Equation Model (SEM) aimed at predicting negative health outcomes. Results The results show that burnout plays a mediating role between job demands (such as workload and cognitive strain) and resources (such as social support and transformational leadership), influencing variables related to health impairment (such as sleep quality and physical well-being). Furthermore, the findings highlight the direct influence of occupational resources on seafarers’ health. Conclusions The discussion highlights the urgent need for more research in the field of organisational psychology in the maritime industry and the discrepancies between these findings, which are consistent with the existing maritime literature, and other studies that do not include seafarers in their sample groups.

Research Question/Issue Despite the growing interest in family firms (FFs) and their boards of directors (boards), the empirical research remains fragmented, which makes a comprehensive understanding challenging. This review aims to unify the research landscape and to provide a framework for future studies to better understand boards in FFs. Research Findings/Insights Our analysis of 99 papers published between 2001 and 2023 shows that the literature on boards in FFs relies heavily on input–output models that use archival data. Although traditional perspectives remain dominant, new ideas are gaining traction by recognizing the importance of family ownership, exploring alternative or complementary theoretical lenses, uncovering board processes, and using advanced analytical methods. Theoretical/Academic Implications We propose five research directions: (1) Investigate how family dimensions shape FF boards and their impact on firm outcomes; (2) examine the impact of board characteristics on board decision‐making and effectiveness in FFs; (3) analyze the specific mechanisms through which board processes in FFs influence firm outcomes; (4) expand the research geographically and explore the influence of temporal and institutional contexts on FF boards; and (5) employ a wider range of research methods to study FF boards. Practitioner/Policy Implications Our results indicate that research on boards in FFs is evolving and broadening, most notably, through the integration of classical theories borrowed from the general management field (e.g., agency, stewardship, and resource dependence theories) with more specific theories (e.g., socioemotional wealth theory) and themes related to corporate social responsibility.

The Centre for Employee Relations and Communication (CERC) operating at Università IULM in Italy represents an experience of academia‐industry collaboration through a multi‐company research group: the Working Group Employee Communication (WG_EC). The article depicts the efforts that the WG_EC has been putting into the specific research area of internal crisis communication over its 15 years of activity. Through a qualitative study involving 13 professionals that were partners of the WG_EC, it also sheds light on the value generated for company partners from the collaboration with the academic experts of CERC during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The study also reflects upon the professional and research advancement boosted by the CERC and its WG_EC beyond that specific critical event, and to focus on issues that WG_EC professionals consider particularly relevant for the future.

Los Alamos, New Mexico – a largely uninhabited desert area – became the site of the Manhattan Project, the federal programme launched during the Second World War to develop the atomic bomb. As a secret city and the ultimate symbol of US scientific, military and economic ‘progress’, Los Alamos also evokes the image of ‘ultimate things’. This paper focuses on two great American authors who, through different media, have considered Los Alamos as a key to offering their own image of the contemporary landscape and its ‘remains’; the writer Cormac McCarthy and the photographer William Eggleston.

Purpose of the paper: This paper delves into the realm of mission reports within the context of banking foundation to scrutinise the communicative aspects of these documents and unearth their fundamental characteristics to shed light on prevalent trends and discern potential directives to write them effectively. Methodology: The study focuses on the major Italian banking foundations, namely those boasting assets exceeding the billion euros, by employing a methodology that integrates textual analysis such as Lexical Correspondence Analysis (LCA) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to comprehensively scrutinize their mission reports, investigate the communicative strategies employed and explore the thematic priorities and accessibility of information dissemination. Findings: The study reveals a dichotomy in communication approaches among major Italian banking foundations in their mission reports, with some treating them as regulatory obligations while others employ dedicated, engaging reports emphasising community involvement and societal impact. Research limits: Limitations include potential variances in communication practices among smaller foundations, not included in the analysis, and a constrained stakeholder perspective. Practical implications: Our findings can guide efforts in strategic communication practices of the banking foundation, offering insights into enhancing the transparency, accessibility, and inclusivity of mission reporting. Originality of the paper: This paper presents an original analysis of Italian banking foundations' strategic communication through mission reports, uncovering distinct approaches and outlining best practices to enhance transparency in social accountability reporting.

Purpose of the paper: This paper explores the concept of antifragility and its application to crisis communication in the contemporary business environment marked by perpetual disruptions and uncertainty. Methodology: Qualitative research methodology was employed, involving 22 in-depth interviews with industry professionals. Data was analyzed using grounded theory and theories-in-use approaches. Findings: The study identifies six critical factors for antifragile crisis communication: experimentation, option generation, stress, redundancy, subtraction, and creativity. These factors contribute to an organization's ability to thrive in the face of ongoing disruptions, aligning with the principles of antifragility. Research limits: The research is based on qualitative data from a specific set of participants and may not be fully generalizable. Further quantitative research could validate these findings. Practical implications: Organizations can enhance their crisis communication strategies by integrating the identified factors, promoting adaptability, and leveraging uncertainty to thrive in the new business environment. Originality of the paper: This research offers a novel perspective by applying antifragility principles to crisis communication, bridging the gap in existing literature and providing valuable insights into managing crises in the contemporary business landscape.

Purpose of the paper: this paper aims to explore the potential of strategic communication in the context of industrial tourism open-door events, investigating how effective storytelling by companies can positively influence visitors' perceptions, subsequently impacting their intentions to purchase, recommend, engage, and their overall satisfaction. Methodology: we employed a mixed-method approach to investigate the impact of storytelling ability (SA) on visitors' perceptions during Open Factory 2022 by conducting qualitative interviews with company representatives and administering structured questionnaires to 233 event attendees. Findings: the analysis suggests that open-door events serve as a valuable platform for companies to communicate their brand stories and enhance internal communication processes. Moreover, we argue that visitors who perceive companies positively during the openings are more likely to make purchases and recommend products. Research limits: as the research primarily focuses on B2B companies, the homogeneity of the sample might impact the generalizability of the findings to a broader market context, particularly in understanding consumer behavior typical of business-to-consumer (B2C) interactions. Practical implications: our study highlights that companies can enhance their communication strategies during industrial tourism open-door events by employing compelling storytelling, emphasising product history, quality, and local ties to boost visitor engagement, reputation, and actions. Originality of the paper: this research contributes to the literature by exploring the intersection of strategic communication and industrial tourism, revealing how effective storytelling during open-door events positively influences visitor perceptions, engagement, and actions, shedding light on innovative communication approaches within this underexplored context.

This study investigates how multimodal sensemaking and sensegiving processes of discursive threat appraisal are employed by global movements in their environmental crisis communication when disclosing how corporate commitments are failing to reduce the global plastic pollution. The theoretical framework includes perspectives on global sticky crises, threat appraisal, framing, crisis sensemaking and sensegiving, and multimodal discourse. Empirically, a series of brand audits reports of #breakfreefromplastic global movement are systematically examined. The analytical focus transcends the usual monomodal approach and is directed towards the multimodal interplay that builds strategic discourses through images and texts. Findings details, on the one hand, the multimodal discursive sensemaking processes of content enrichment and appeal bolstering as well as their outcomes related to the building of common sense, new sense, and non‐sense; on the other hand, they clarify how prognostic, diagnostic, and motivational framing tasks are accomplished in environmental crisis sensegiving by the global movement. This study provides insights useful to corporations when reevaluating their own crisis sensemaking and sensegiving in corporate communications and, ultimately, contribute to changing risky corporate behaviour toward more effective and ethical environmental crisis prevention and communication.