Coloniality of Urban Space in Contemporary Rome: A Case Study on the Dogali Monument to the Fallen

Informed by the stream of critical heritage studies and cultural geography, this work investigates the complexities of contested colonial heritage and memory within the Italian context. Despite Italy representing a minor colonial power compared to the history of European colonialism, this work will attempt to retrace how the memory of colonialism has been constructed and maintained over centuries, and how this is reflected in the management of heritage. The research delves into Rome's cultural landscapes taking the Dogali Monument to the Fallen, erected in 1887 after the first colonial expedition, as a case study. It represented the very first celebrative monument dedicated to the colonial enterprise and inserted within the capital’s urban fabric. From these premises, the study examines the terrains of collective memory, identity formation, and heritage, analysing contested narratives and their role in shaping public urban spaces. Through a diversified research method, including a comprehensive questionnaire administered to Rome inhabitants, and interviews, this research captures diverse perspectives and sentiments regarding colonial heritage’s significance and impact on the cultural landscape of Rome, while trying to collocate the relevance of the monument in analysis within the urban landscape of the city. The research methodology is aimed at unravelling the multifaceted layers of contested heritage and its implications on communities in Rome's urban milieu. “How does the population interact, cultural- and value-wise with colonial heritage?” represents the core question of the present work, from which the possibilities of fostering inclusive discussions, informing policymaking, and facilitating a more nuanced understanding of the contentious colonial legacy within the country and the city's cultural fabric.