MELANIA BORGO*, MARIANO MARTINI**, NICOLA LUIGI BRAGAZZI***, FILIPPO PALUAN****, ILARIA GORINI*, IGNAZIO
VECCHIO*****, MARTA LICATA*
*Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria (Varese), O. Rossi, 9, 21100, Varese, Italy-**Section of History of Medicine and Ethics, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Largo R. Benzi, 10 - Pad . 3, Genoa 16132, Italy -***Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Via Antonio Pastore 1, Genoa 16132, Italy - ****Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani, n. 2 - 35128 Padova, Italy - *****Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
This article provides a comprehensive overview of the work of Abele De Blasio (1858-1945), a pol-yhedral and eclectic figure of physician who cultivated a wide range of interests, from cultural an-thropology and ethnology to botanics, chemistry and dentistry. In particular, De Blasio is recog-nized as one of the founders and one of the most important representatives of Italian criminal an-thropo- logy, thanks to his thorough knowledge and historical culture. He challenged the strict bio-medical paradigm of the period and combi- ned a scientific and rigorous approach with a humanistic Weltanschauung, conjugating disciplines, such as archeology and psycho- pathology with biology, in such a way to give birth to a unique, innovative interdisciplinary approach. He applied this method, for example, when investigating deviant behaviors or when analyzing populations’ customs and hab-its. He also studied trepanation and he considered analyzing the skull as the best way to investigate the different aspects of human life.
Abele De Blasio, criminal anthropology, cultural anthropology, social pathology
10.19193/0393-6384_2017_1_015