Quaderni Slam

In Italy, poetry slam and spoken word poetry have yet to receive significant academic attention. During her thesis research on Italian poetry slam, Eleonora Fisco faced the major challenge of an almost complete lack of secondary literature. However, interest among young scholars has been growing in recent years, leading to the creation of the Quaderni Slam project. This digital series, directed by Fisco and published by Mille Gru Edizioni in collaboration with LIPS – Lega Italiana Poetry Slam, aims to foster dialogue between the Italian and international poetry slam scene and the academic world.

Quaderni Slam publishes multidisciplinary studies, theses, and research covering text analysis, sociology, art phenomenology, pedagogy, queer theory, and oral performance studies. The name “Quaderni” (notebooks) reflects the scholarly nature of the publications, while “Slam” highlights the movement’s rebellious spirit—both a poetic “shock” and countercultural force. Although poetry slam began as an underground movement challenging literary establishment norms, its nearly 40-year history demands recognition as a vital subject in contemporary poetry studies.

All publications are accompanied by a preface and a postface written by a scholar and a poet performer. They’re freely available digitally on Mille Gru’s website, expanding critical discourse on poetry slam in Italy while promoting its vital role in reviving oral and performative dimensions of poetry, often marginalized by the hegemony of print poetry.