Joseph Pivato
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Joseph Pivato (born February 1946, in
Tezze sul Brenta Tezze sul Brenta ( cim, Tetsch) is a town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Medi ...
, Italy) is a Canadian writer and academic who first established the critical recognition of
Italian-Canadian Italian Canadians ( it, italo-canadesi, french: italo-canadiens) comprise Canadians who have full or partial Italian heritage and Italians who migrated from Italy or reside in Canada. According to the 2021 Census of Canada, 1,546,390 Canadians ...
literature and changed perceptions of Canadian writing. From 1977 to 2015 he was professor of Comparative Literature at Athabasca University, Canada. He is now Professor Emeritus.


Biography

He was born Giuseppe Pivato in Tezze sul Brenta (Stroppari), a town about 40 km north of Venice, Italy. His mother was from
Udine Udine ( , ; fur, Udin; la, Utinum) is a city and ''comune'' in north-eastern Italy, in the middle of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic Sea and the Alps (''Alpi Carniche''). Its population was 100,514 in 2012, 176,000 with t ...
in the Friuli region east of Venice. This Italian origin was to have a profound influence on his whole life and career as a writer, researcher and academic. The family emigrated to
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Ontario, Canada, in 1952 where the Catholic nuns changed his name to Joseph. He attended
St. Michael's College School St. Michael's College School, (also known as St. Michael's, St. Mike's, and SMCS), is an independent, Catholic school for young men in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Administered by the Basilian Fathers, it is the largest school of its kind in Canada ...
, an academic high school for boys, where he studied languages and literature. He enrolled at
York University York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,0 ...
where he studied with modernist scholar, D.E.S. Maxwell, feminist and medievalist, Beryl Rowland, feminist scholar, Johanna H. Stuckey, Canadian writer,
Irving Layton Irving Peter Layton, OC (March 12, 1912 – January 4, 2006) was a Romanian-born Canadian poet. He was known for his "tell it like it is" style which won him a wide following, but also made him enemies. As T. Jacobs notes in his biography (2001) ...
, met French poet Hedi Bouraoui and poet-critic,
Eli Mandel Eli Mandel (December 3, 1922 – September 3, 1992) was a Canadian poet, editor of many Canadian anthologies, and literary academic. Biography Eli Mandel died in relative obscurity. A series of strokes had left him unable to write and, as a r ...
. With D.E.S. Maxwell he enrolled in the first course in African Literature (1969). In the summers he worked with Italian bricklayers to help pay for his university fees. In 1968 he founded and edited the first literary magazine at York, ''Voodoo Poetry'' at Vanier College. In 1970 he earned a B.A. (Combined Honours, English and French) from York and moved to Edmonton to study Comparative Literature at the
University of Alberta The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
. His 1971 M.A. thesis was on
Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...
and
Baudelaire Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poet who also produced notable work as an essayist and art critic. His poems exhibit mastery in the handling of rhyme and rhythm, contain an exoticism inherited fro ...
. Writer and academic E.D. Blodgett was his advisor for his Ph.D. thesis on hermetic poetry. He also met Canadian writers
Henry Kreisel Henry Kreisel, OC (June 5, 1922 – April 22, 1991) was a Canadian writer of novels and essays. Kreisel was born in Vienna, Austria to a Polish-born mother and a Romanian-born father. The family, which was Jewish, managed to reach Britain jus ...
and Sheila Watson and began to work on Canadian authors publishing his first critical essay in ''Canadian Literature'' (1973, editor George Woodcock) while he was still a graduate student. At the end of his doctoral program (1977) he began to work at
Athabasca University Athabasca University (AU) is a Canadian public research university that primarily operates through online distance education. Founded in 1970, it is one of four comprehensive academic and research universities in Alberta, and was the first ...
, a distance education institution modeled after the British Open University. At Athabasca he helped to develop the first courses in English literature, Canadian Literature, Comparative Literature and Theory. He was founding president of the Association of Italian-Canadian Writers (1986) which advances the work of these ethnic minority authors through critical publications, biennial conferences and book launches. At Athabasca Pivato was Chair of the Centre for Language and Literature and developed the first courses in creative writing. Between 1997 and 2005 he pioneered Online courses at Athabasca by producing the first webpages for courses in English Literature, Canadian Literature, Comparative Literature and Theory. In 2010 he was founding professor of the new M.A. in Literary Studies which is part of the MA-IS program. He is married to Alberta psychologist, writer, academic and disabilities advocate Dr. Emma Pivato. Their children include (1) Dr. Marcus J. Pivato, Prof. of Economics, CY Cergy Paris University, France), (2) Juliana Pivato, Artist and Academic in Toronto and (3) Alexis who has disabilities and lives at home. They have 4 grandchildren. Emma Pivato's novels include ''Blind Sight Solution'' (Chicago: Cozy Cat Press, 2013) ''The Crooked Knife'' (2014) ''Roscoe's Revenge'' (2014) ''Jessie Knows'' (2015) ''Murder on Highway 2'' (2016) ''Deadly Care'' (2016) ''Healthy Bodies Also Die'' (2019) and ''Postpartum Dead'' (2021). In 2021 Emma Pivato published ''And along came Alexis'' a powerful memoir of life with a severely disabled daughter (Guernica Editions).


Scholarly work in Comparative Literature

Joseph Pivato promotes Italian-Canadian writing by using the theories of
Comparative Literature Comparative literature is an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expression across linguistic, national, geographic, and disciplinary boundaries. Comparative literature "performs a role similar to that of the study ...
. As a literature which exists in three languages: English, French and Italian, it lends itself to discussions on translation, influences, ethnic identity, migration and appropriation. His discovery began in 1978 when his poems were included in ''Roman Candles'', the first anthology of Italian-Canadian poets edited by Pier Giorgio DiCicco. This inspired him to present the first paper on Italian-Canadian writers at a national conference at Dalhousie University, Halifax in May, 1981. This paper was rejected by several journals and was eventually published as "The Arrival of Italian-Canadian Writing," in ''Canadian Ethnic Studies'' 14,1 (1982). In 1984 Pivato was research fellow in the Ethnic and Immigration Studies Program at the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
. This fellowship was at the invitation of Prof. Robert F. Harney, Academic Director (1976–89) of the Multicultual History Society of Ontario at U.of T. In Toronto he edited his first book, ''Contrasts: Comparative Essays on Italian-Canadian Writing'' (1985) which became a seminal volume for the promotion of ethnic minority literature in Canada. He conceived and co-edited the "Italian-Canadian Connections" issue of ''Canadian Literature'' 106 (1985). Pivato spent the year 1987-88 at York University in the Mariano Elia Chair in Italian-Canadian Studies where he developed and taught the first course on Italian-Canadian writers. The Research Institute for Comparative Literature in Edmonton invited him to edit ''Literatures of Lesser Diffusion'' (1990), the first collection of studies of writing by 20 different ethnic groups in Canada. In 1991 he was Canadian Visiting Fellow at
Macquarie University Macquarie University ( ) is a public research university based in Sydney, Australia, in the suburb of Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of S ...
in Sydney, Australia. This sojourn resulted in the publication of ''Echo: Essays on Other Literatures'' (1994), a collection of original critical studies on Comparative Literature and minority writing, translation, oral influences on writing, ethnic women writers, and other topics. The critical foreword is by feminist scholar, Sneja Gunew (Deakin & U.B.C.). He returned to ''Canadian Ethnic Studies'' in 1996 by editing a special issue on "Literary Theory and Ethnic Minority Writing." The major volume Pivato edited was ''The Anthology of Italian-Canadian Writing'' (1998) which included 53 authors working in English, French or Italian and which has been used as a text in many college and university courses. Among the authors included are F.G. Paci, Linda Hutcheon, Nino Ricci, Pasquale Verdicchio, Mary di Michele, and Marco Micone. Pivato's poetry has appeared in ''Poetry Canada Review, ''Seven Persons Repository, ''Manna, ''Canadian Ethnic Studies," and his short fiction in ''Threshold'' (1999) and ''Passages'' (2002). Pivato was in the forefront of research and advocacy for a multicultural view of Canadian literature. Writer and academic George Elliott Clarke points to his work as an example that other ethnic minority writers should follow in establishing a distinct identity for their publications. Pivato has been a visiting speaker and researcher at the
University of Udine The University of Udine (Italian ''Università degli Studi di Udine'') is a university in the city of Udine, Italy. It was founded in 1978 as part of the reconstruction plan of Friuli after the earthquake in 1976. Its aim was to provide the Friul ...
several times and at their Centro di Cultura Canadese founded by Prof. Anna Pia De Luca. He focused some of his research on Canadian writers with backgrounds in Friuli. In 2004 he was visiting fellow at the
University of Wollongong The University of Wollongong (abbreviated as UOW) is an Australian public research university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney. As of 2017, the university had an enrolment of ...
, Australia, where he collaborated with Prof. Gaetano Rando. Over the years Pivato has been an invited speaker at the
University of Calgary The University of Calgary (U of C or UCalgary) is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The University of Calgary started in 1944 as the Calgary branch of the University of Alberta, founded in 1908, prior to being ins ...
, the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
, The
University of Montreal A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
,
Laurentian University Laurentian University (french: Université Laurentienne), officially the Laurentian University of Sudbury, is a mid-sized Bilingualism in Canada, bilingual public university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, incorporated on March 28, 1960. Lau ...
, the
California State University, Long Beach California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is a public research university in Long Beach, California. The 322-acre campus is the second largest of the 23-school California State University system (CSU) and one of the largest universities i ...
, the
University of Warwick The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands (county), West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded i ...
, U.K. the
University of Venice Ca' Foscari University of Venice ( it, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, simply Università Ca' Foscari) is a public university in Venice, Italy. Since its foundation in 1868, it has been housed in the Venetian Gothic palace of Ca' Foscari, from w ...
, the
University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
and other institutions. From 2000 to 2011 he was general editor of the Essential Writers Series with
Antonio D’Alfonso Antonio D'Alfonso (born 6 August 1953)Filippo Salvatore, ''Ancient Memories, Modern Identities''. Guernica Editions, 1999. . is a Canadian writer, editor, publisher, and filmmaker, best known as the founder of Guernica Editions. Biography Anton ...
at Guernica Editions (Toronto and Montreal). He is now sole Academic Editor of this Writers Series. By 2022 the series had reached an impressive 56 volumes, each a monograph on a Canadian author including: Sheila Watson,
Sharon Pollock Sharon Pollock, (19 April 1936 – 22 April 2021) was a Canadian playwright, actor, and director. She was Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary (1984), Theatre New Brunswick (1988–1990) and Performance Kitchen & The Garry Theatre, the latter ...
,
Caterina Edwards Caterina Edwards LoVerso (born 1948) is a Canadian writer and teacher. Edwards was born in Earls Barton, England. Her mother was born in Lussino, Istria, and her father is from a Welsh and English family. Edwards eventually moved to Calgary ...
, Aritha Van Herk, Gail Scott,
Robert Kroetsch Robert Paul Kroetsch (June 26, 1927 – June 21, 2011)
,
David Adams Richards David Adams Richards (born 17 October 1950) is a Canadian writer and member of the Canadian Senate.Nicole Brossard Nicole Brossard (born November 27, 1943) is a leading French-Canadian formalist poet and novelist. Her work is known for exploration of feminist themes and for challenging masculine-oriented language and points of view in French literature. Sh ...
,
Margaret Atwood Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, nin ...
,
Anne Hébert Anne Hébert (pronounced in French) (August 1, 1916 – January 22, 2000), was a Canadian author and poet. She won Canada's top literary honor, the Governor General's Award, three times, twice for fiction and once for poetry. Early life Hébe ...
, Gary Geddes,
Joy Kogawa Joy Nozomi Kogawa (born June 6, 1935) is a Canadian poet and novelist of Japanese descent. Life Kogawa was born Joy Nozomi Nakayama on June 6, 1935, in Vancouver, British Columbia, to first-generation Japanese Canadians Lois Yao Nakayama a ...
,
Mary di Michele Mary di Michele (born 6 August 1949) is an Italian-Canadian poet and author.Joseph Pivato. Mary Di Michele: Essays on Her Works'. Guernica Editions; 2007. . p. 206–. She is a professor at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec where she teach ...
, Dany Laferriere,
Roy Kiyooka Roy Kenzie Kiyooka (January 18, 1926January 8, 1994) was a Canadian painter, poet, photographer, arts teacher, and multi-media artist. Biography A Nisei, or a second generation Japanese Canadian, Roy Kenzie Kiyooka was born in Moose Jaw, Saskat ...
and
Jack Hodgins Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas, USA People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, ...
. Each is edited by a prominent academic such as Lianne Moyes, Anne Nothof, Louise H. Forsyth, Monique Tschofen,
Christl Verduyn Christl Verduyn (born 1953) is Professor of English Literature and Canadian Studies at Mount Allison University.Bressani Prize for multicultural literature for 1985. *''Literatures of Lesser Diffusion'' / ''Les littératures de moindre diffusion''. Edmonton: Research Institute for Comparative Literature, 1990. Editor in collaboration with Steven Totosy and Milan Dimic. *''Echo: Essays on Other Literatures''. Toronto: Guernica Editions, 1994. Author with foreword by Sneja Gunew. *''The Anthology of Italian-Canadian Writing''. Toronto: Guernica, 1998, Editor. *''Caterina Edwards: Essays on Her Works''. Toronto: Guernica, 2000. Editor *''F.G. Paci: Essays on His Works''. Toronto: Guernica, 2003. Editor. *''Mary di Michele: Essays on Her Works''. Toronto: Guernica, 2007. Editor and contributor. *''Pier Giorgio DiCicco: Essays on His Works''. Toronto: Guernica, 2011. Editor and contributor. *''Africadian Atlantic: Essays on George Elliott Clarke''. Toronto: Guernica, 2012. Editor and contributor. *''Sheila Watson: Essays on Her Works''. Toronto: Guernica, 2015. Editor and contributor. *''From Friuli: Poems in Friulan with English Translations''. Rina Del Nin Cralli. Montreal: Longbridge Books, 2015. Editor and contributor. *''Comparative Literature for the New Century'' co-edited with Giulia De Gasperi. Montreal: McGill-Queen's UP, 2018. Editor and contributor. --- * SPECIAL EDITIONS of Journals edited by Joseph Pivato *''Canadian Literature 106'', "Italian-Canadian Connections" (1985), Co-editor. *''Canadian Ethnic Studies'' 28,3 (1996) "Literary Theory and Ethnic Minority Writing." *''The Toronto Review of Contemporary Writing Abroad'' 16,3 (1998) "Italian-Canadian Issue." *'' Accenti: The Magazine with an Italian Accent'' 29 (2013) "Special Issue on Italian Music."


Contributions to books (selected list)

*''Comparative Literatures: Aspects, Method, and Orientation.'' eds. Alison Boulanger & Fiona McIntosh-Varjabedian. Stuttgart: Ibidem-Verlag, 2022. *''Comparative Literature in Canada: Contemporary Scholarship, Pedagogy, and Publishing in Review.'' eds. Susan Ingram & Irene Sywenky. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2020. *''Writing Alberta: Building on a Literary Identity.'' eds. George Melnyk & Donna Coates. Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 2017. *''Translation Effects: Shaping Modern Canadian Culture.'' eds. Kathy Mezei, Sherry Simon & Luise von Flotow. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. 2014. *''Transformations of the Canadian Cultural Mosaic'', eds. Anna Pia De Luca & Deborah Saidero. Udine: Forum, 2012. *''Veneti in Canada'', ed. Gianpaolo Romanato. Ravenna, Italy: Longo Editore, 2011. *''Reflections on Culture'', eds Licia Canton, Venera Fazio, Jim Zucchero. Toronto: Frank Iacobucci Centre for Italian-Canadian Studies, 2010. *''Faith and Fantasy in the Renaissance'', eds Olga Zorzi Pugliese & Ethan Matt Kavaler. Toronto: Centre for Reformation & Renaissance Stuides, 2009 *''Investigating Canadian Identities'', ed. Anna Pia De Luca. Udine: Forum, 2010. *''Literary Pluralities'', ed. Christl Verduyn. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 1998. *''Floating the Borders: New Contexts in Canadian Criticism'', ed. Nurjehan Aziz. Toronto: TSAR, 1999. *''Shaping History: L’Identita Italo-Canadese nel Canada Anglofono'', eds Anna Pia De Luca & Alessanda Ferraro. Udine: Forum, 2005. *''Social Pluralism and Literary History'', ed. Francesco Loriggio. Toronto: Guernica, 1996.


External links


Guernica Editions, editor's website
* Athabasca University AUSPAC

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pivato, Joseph Academic staff of Athabasca University 1946 births Living people Italian emigrants to Canada Canadian literary critics Comparative literature academics