Questioni di genere, lingue e culture in carcere: Tutela delle differenze, contrasto all’emarginazione e all’esclusione in carcere

The linguistic-educational issues arising from the condition of women in and of prison in Italian society constitute a challenge for the development of a language policy that acknowledges multilingualism and promotes it as both a value and a tool for coexistence, capable of fostering new cultural and gender-sensitive paradigms. This volume brings together the results of a research project that, through direct testimonies, addresses issues of gender, communication, multilingualism, and multiculturalism within the penitentiary context. Adopting an interdisciplinary and historical perspective, it examines the distribution of female prisoners, normative shortcomings, the role of prison staff, and the everyday conditions of incarcerated women. In doing so, it highlights both the numerical and symbolic marginalisation of women in prison while also offering recommendations for educational linguistics interventions aimed at improving the lives of female inmates and women employed in the penitentiary administration. The first part illustrates how patriarchal models and inadequate structures have shaped women’s experience of incarceration, with motherhood and gender roles at the core of discriminatory practices. The second part analyses current facilities and policies, territorial distribution, overcrowding, and the lack of gender-sensitive measures that continue to undermine rights and reintegration opportunities, particularly for foreign and transgender detainees. The third part presents field research conducted in Italian prisons through semi-structured questionnaires and interviews. The fourth section addresses issues related to multilingualism and multiculturalism. The fifth offers educational perspectives, with a focus on inclusive Italian L2 teaching practices.

The linguistic-educational issues arising from the condition of women in and of prison in Italian society constitute a challenge for the development of a language policy that acknowledges multilingualism and promotes it as both a value and a tool for coexistence, capable of fostering new cultural and gender-sensitive paradigms. This volume brings together the results of a research project that, through direct testimonies, addresses issues of gender, communication, multilingualism, and multiculturalism within the penitentiary context. Adopting an interdisciplinary and historical perspective, it examines the distribution of female prisoners, normative shortcomings, the role of prison staff, and the everyday conditions of incarcerated women. In doing so, it highlights both the numerical and symbolic marginalisation of women in prison while also offering recommendations for educational linguistics interventions aimed at improving the lives of female inmates and women employed in the penitentiary administration. The first part illustrates how patriarchal models and inadequate structures have shaped women’s experience of incarceration, with motherhood and gender roles at the core of discriminatory practices. The second part analyses current facilities and policies, territorial distribution, overcrowding, and the lack of gender-sensitive measures that continue to undermine rights and reintegration opportunities, particularly for foreign and transgender detainees. The third part presents field research conducted in Italian prisons through semi-structured questionnaires and interviews. The fourth section addresses issues related to multilingualism and multiculturalism. The fifth offers educational perspectives, with a focus on inclusive Italian L2 teaching practices.