The Dartmouth College Italian program is excited to offer a new and exciting summer internship for our advanced students!
What is Libera?
The Italian anti-mafia NGO Libera – Against Mafias has been at the forefront of combatting mafia mentalities, corruption, and violence for over 25 years, and today is part of a network made up of more than 1600 associations, social cooperatives, schools, trade unions, and other entities, all involved not only in the fight against mafias, corruption and criminal phenomena, but also in the promotion of social justice and protection of human rights around the world. Its national office is in Rome. (See, also the Libera website: https://www.libera.it.)
The principal areas in which Libera is active are:
• Memory and commitment: building a "live" remembrance of innocent mafia victims andtheir families, so as to maintain a shared memory of all those who have lost their life fighting against criminal violence.
• Education: over 5,000 schools and universities are involved with Libera in the realization of educational paths that teach democratic legality and environmental and human rights.
• Confiscated assets: the promotion of the public and social re-use of assets confiscated from mafias is an essential pillar of Libera's mission.
• International: as a response to the globalization of organized crime, Libera enforcestransnational strategies for the defense of human rights and the promotion of social justice. It collaborates with more than 80 organizations around the world and is a partnerwith 3 international networks: ALAS - América Latina Alternativa Social in Central and South America; CHANCE - Civil Hub Against organized Crime in Europe; and a new-born African network.
• Justice: in line with Libera's commitment to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, its legal office offers assistance to families of innocent mafia victims during trials, and conducts civil action proceedings. Libera also promotes civic monitoring of public administrations and a dedicated telephone line for those who wants to denounce corruption crimes.
Libera achieves one important part of its mission through organizing grassroots organizations and assisting in the formation of cooperatives on land and other assets entrusted by the government to local communities for social reuse: these properties, previously belonging to mafia groups, have been seized by the Italian state thanks to a 1996 Italian law promoted by Libera. Since its passing, the law has converted to community use more than 4,500 properties, many of which now are used to cultivate oil, wine, pasta, legumes, and other organic products. Every summer, in over 50 locations around Italy, Libera runs E! State Liberi community service work camps on these lands, offering a unique experience for over 4000 volunteers from both Italy and abroad to work together and learn about social justice, organized crime, and anti-mafia activism. During each one-week camp participants are involved in the social reuse and the collective reappropriation of mafia assets; discuss with experts Italian and international organized crime; study the phenomenon of mafia through workshops, seminars and informal education; and meet and hear the testimonies of families of victims of the mafia and other people of the area.
What does the internship consist of?
The central part of the internship consists of a full-time, full-immersion participation in four week-long E! State Liberi camps in four different areas of southern and central Italy.
Typically, interns work with other camp participants, Libera members, and interns at various agricultural or artisanal activities in the morning; then take part in classes, workshops, testimonies, and cultural events (including visits to local sites and the beach) in the afternoon. Interns assist in the preparation of all meals, and are expected to participate in evening and weekend activities. Libera representatives assist interns with any issues that may arise and help with the logistics of moving to different camps.
Interns may also choose a longer program (8 weeks); in this case, the additional time is spent at the Libera national office in Rome, where interns will support daily operations and learn more about the various areas and programs in which Libera is active. Depending on Libera's current schedule, interns may also be more directly involved in specific national or international projects, assist in research and the creation of reports, and translate documents and texts (IT-EN). Some examples of activities include advocacy at the national and European level for Libera and the European network CHANCE - Civil Hub Against Organized Crime in Europe; research and collection of updated data and information on financial and economic crime, organized crime victims, and practices of public and social re-use of confiscated assets at the Italian and European levels; and editorial work onLibera's bimonthly magazine, lavialibera.
When does the internship take place?
The four week-long camps take place in the month of July. Additional weeks are before the camps, in June and, possibly, at the beginning of August.
Who can apply?
The Libera internship is open to students who:
▪ study disciplines such as Italian, Government, Education, Sociology, Economics, Geography.
▪ have an intermediate or advanced level of spoken Italian, and familiarity with Italian culture. Participants must have completed at least Italian 9 (B1 or B2 level), and preferably also taken part in the LSA+ program and/or upper-level courses in Italian.
▪ possess confident, strong communication skills and an outgoing personality.
▪ are capable of working both independently and as part of a cooperative international team.
▪ are flexible, adaptable, and excited to be part of a dynamic environment.
▪ can adjust to basic living accommodations, and to working in a hot climate.
How do I apply?
Please contact Professor Nancy Canepa (nancy.l.canepa@dartmouth.edu) if you have any questionsabout the internship. When you're ready to apply, submit the following documents:
▪ A personal statement (approx. 500 words, in English) that includes a description of what you hope to gain from this experience, how it is relevant to your education and career goals, and your previous experience(s) in Italy and/or Europe.
▪ A resume
What about funding?
The cost of room and board and all activities is approximately $1500 for the 4 weeks of the E! State Liberi camps. You will also have to budget air travel, travel between locations in Italy, insurance, and, if extending the internship to a period in the national Rome office, housing, meals, and local transportation.
Dartmouth funding for international internships is available from the Dickey Center for International Understanding. See, in particular, the Build Your Own International Internship funding program, https://dickey.dartmouth.edu/student-opportunities/internships/build-your-own-internship. The Dickey Center offers a maximum of $5000 for international internships, which usually must be at least 8 weeks long in order to qualify for funding. Students must submit a detailed application, complete with budget. Please contact Peter Jenkinson (Peter.W.Jenkinson@dartmouth.edu) for further information or to schedule a meeting to discuss your interest in funding for the internship. The CPD may also be a potential source for funding: https://cpdcareers.dartmouth.edu/.
