The series of conferences ‘America 2026’ on the past and present history of the United States will begin on January 18th at the Palazzo Blu in Pisa, 250 years after the Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776, which sanctioned the birth of the great world power.
For the occasion, Palazzo Blu is organizing four conferences that are important for understanding the events of yesterday and today, from Independence to the contemporary United States, which are the expression of the Trump presidency and Pope Leo XIV.
The scheduled meetings, curated by Professor Arnaldo Testi, entrusted to important scholars, begin on Sunday 18 January with the event entitled ‘Catholics and America: from Leo XIII to Leo XIV’, with Professor Daniele Menozzi (Scuola Normale Superiore), who will address the theme of the relationship between politics and religion, always crucial in the country and today more than ever, with three aspects that have a novel character: the parareligious cult surrounding President Trump, the contribution of Catholics to his re-election, and the advent of an American pope. In the events that follow, Professor Francesco Clementi will discuss the boundaries of the president's power, in a system based on an eighteenth-century separation of powers that, not from today, seems to be shaky due to the growth of an «imperial» presidency that seeks to free itself from all constraints. Following this, Professor Raffaella Baritone will recount the more than bisecular journey of American women to fulfill the promise of political equality, a promise not yet fully fulfilled. Finally, Arnaldo Testi will analyze the phenomenon of the enormous number of firearms in civilian hands, its significance in a deeply divided society, and the belief that it is based on a constitutionally protected individual right, namely the Second Amendment of 1791.
The appointments
- Sunday, January 18, 2026
Daniele Menozzi (Normal High School)
Catholics and America: From Leo XIII to Leo XIV - Sunday, February 1, 2026
Francesco Clementi (University of Rome «La Sapienza»)
The President of the United States and the Separation of Powers: When Ambition Moves More Than Virtue - Sunday, February 15, 2026
Raffaella Baritone (University of Bologna)
Breaking the Barriers of Politics: The Long Journey of American Women - Sunday, March 1, 2026
Arnaldo Testi (University of Pisa)
A People in Arms: A Constitutional Right of Americans?
The events will be held in the auditorium of Palazzo Blu, Pisa, starting at 11:00 a.m. Appointments are free but reservations are required on www.eventbrite.it.
