Nel nome di Copernico

Scienza e Politica tra le Università di Ferrara e Toruń negli anni Sessanta del Novecento

Abstract

The article deals with the twinning between the University of Ferrara and the University of Toruń, the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus, placing it in the context of the history of Ferrara's celebrations of the Polish astronomer, who graduated from the Este University in 1503. The reconstruction of this episode, hitherto substantially neglected by historians, allows us to reflect on the use of history for the construction of their identity by educational institutions such as universities, as well as to illuminate the intertwining of interests, political strategies and rhetorical choices that characterise events such as anniversaries. In this case, the reconstruction of the agreement between the Universities of Ferrara and Toruń raises interesting questions concerning academic politics, the relations between politics and religion, and more generally, cultural politics in the latter part of the 20th century.