The Gates of the Redemption Station are open. Alberto Manzi, Teacher and Educator in Prison

Abstract

In the 1946–47 school year, Alberto Manzi taught at the Aristide Gabelli juvenile prison in Rome. Within the context of postwar social marginalization, Manzi developed pathways to redemption for so-called 'difficult' youths, offering them opportunities to perceive themselves as active and thinking subjects through an educational approach centered on relationships and the use of alternative forms of expression—such as storytelling, collective writing, and outdoor education. The article seeks to illustrate the extent to which this educational experience contributed to shaping his conception of pedagogy as a means of liberation, while also critically challenging the juvenile correctional system and fostering increased awareness of education as a vehicle for emancipation, even within the penal context.