«Whatever happens, you'll go on studying». Elena Ferrante and the Narrative Construction of Citizenship in Secondary School

Abstract

This essay proposes the integration of narrative learning strategies and practices oriented toward the development of citizenship skills as a relevant axis of a humanities education focused on empowerment and integral growth. Elena Ferrante’s work, acting as a cultural device, provides access to knowledge centered on social marginality and the dialectical tension between educational inclusion and exclusion. By complementing transmissive functions with Freirean conscientization, the study presents three curricular trajectories (Situated Learning Episodes, a lecture, and a narrative workshop) to demonstrate the use-value of literature in developing critical thinking, cultural awareness, and LifeComp. By investigating the multiple cultural taxonomies in Ferrante’s work alongside other curriculum texts, the paper aims to show how the vivification of the cultural object—restored to learners through their ‘taking the floor’ on micro-experiences—fosters the interpretation and agency necessary to critically inhabit their territory.