The Diplomacy of the Hoops - The Americanization of Italy through the Game of Basketball (1945-1968)

In this thesis, I consider the game of basketball as a social, cultural, and sportive phenomenon, brought to Italy from the United States of America. By focusing my research on the period between 1945 and 1968, I will analyze the Italian post-war landscape by identifying some traces of the Americanization process connected to the spread of this typically American sport. In particular, I will follow the evolution of American elements present in the Italian pallacanestro, from the first informal matches between Italian teams and American military selections, to the arrival of the U.S. players in the Peninsula. Finally, I will examine the development of basketball into a popular sport. The context of the Cold War and anti- American sentiment serve as the historical backdrop to this period.