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[Identification of item], Ernesto G. Caserta Papers, University Archives, Duke University.
The Ernesto G. Caserta Papers were received by the University Archives as a transfer in 2008.
Processed by Kimberly Sims and Paula Jeannet Mangiafico, June 2009
Encoded by Kimberly Sims, July 2009
Accession UA2008-0058 is described in this finding aid.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory:
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
Ernesto G. Caserta was born March 19, 1937 in Montenero Valcocchiara, Isernia, Italy. He received the Diploma di Maturità Classica, Ginnasio-Liceo Antonio Genovesi in Naples, Italy in 1957. Caserta earned a B. A. from Gannon College in Pennsylvania (1960), an M. A. from Tulane University (1963) and a Ph.D. from Harvard University (1969). From 1959-1962, he was a teacher of French and Latin at Northwestern High School in Albion, PA. He served as an instructor at Boston University (1967-1969) and as an Assistant Professor (1969-1970). In 1970, Caserta began his career at Duke as Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Romance Languages. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1980 and to Professor in 1989. Caserta is currently retired from teaching.
The bulk of the collection is in Italian. Senior Processing Archivist Paula Jeannet Mangiafico translated the material and provided the following collection overview:
Divided into three series (descriptions taken directly from his papers): professors and scholars; miscellany (colleagues, friends, and students); and Duke University correspondence (promotions, Hearing Committee, Research Council)
Scanned copies followed by the original letters, assembled and arranged by Caserta. Arranged in chronological order, with the exception of Part II and the Appendix, which are in alphabetical order.
Letters written to Caserta from Rocco Montano (U. of Illinois) form the bulk of the body of the first series, and chiefly discuss the state of Italian studies in the U.S., academic culture, Montano's publications and literary research, and Caserta's own career at Duke and his literary writings. There are few personal or family matters discussed, but throughout there are references to each man's health. The correspondence extends from 1965 to 2007.
The rest of series one, notebook 2, begins with Alfredo Parente (several letters), and then the rest is taken up with a long-term correspondence from Dante Della Terza (Harvard), 1970-2007, Caserta's graduate studies mentor at Harvard, chiefly focusing on the same topics as Montano. Della Terza writes in almost every instance of Caserta's difficulties with the pursuit of promotion and tenure at Duke University. This correspondence is followed by a lengthy body of letters from Giovanni Cecchetti (UCLA), 1968-1993, again focusing on the state of Croce studies (Caserta's specialty), Italian studies in the U.S., the culture of the academy in the U.S., publications both by Cecchetti, Caserta, and others (particularly in the field of Dante and Croce studies. Cecchetti, as others, gives advice in almost every letter concerning Caserta's professional development, beginning from the completion of Caserta's thesis on Croce and throughout his years at Duke University. Throughout this series from Notebook 2 there are many references to Caserta's publications and their reception in the U.S., including his work on Croce and Marxist thought. Other smaller groups in this series include letters from Giovanni Gullace (SUNY Binghampton), 1982-1998, Raffaello Franchini (Univ. of Naples), 1971-1988, and Angelo De Gennaro (Loyola Marymount), 1983-1989. The content of these letters is much the same.
The second series, miscellaneous letters from friends, colleagues, and students, contain more references to personal matters, such as his married life and travels, and are sometimes more informal in nature than previous series of exchanges with older colleagues.
The third series is entirely in English and is taken up with Caserta's series of difficulties with promotion and support at Duke University. This material is restricted for 25 years from date of origin as it contains administrative records.
The fourth series contains the original letters and documents that comprise the first three series. The Duke-related material is also restricted for 25 years from the date of origin.
Materials were removed from non-archival binders and placed in archival folders, in original order.
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.