Essay #119: Roberta Cesana, ‘Writing as Self-Construction: Leda Rafanelli’s Life in Anarchism, Typography and Publishing’

In this essay, Roberta Cesana examines the relationship between anarchism and print culture through the figure of Leda Rafanelli (1880–1971). It shows how writing, printing, and publishing functioned as forms of self-construction, shaping Rafanelli’s identity as a militant, an intellectual, and a professional. Roberta Cesana is Associate Professor of History of Bibliography, Books and Publishing at the University of Milan. She is President of Apice. Her recent work focuses on women’s roles in editorial production and includes L’altra metà dell’editoria. Le professioniste del libro e della lettura nel Novecento (Ronzani, 2022) and Libri e rose. Le donne nell’editoria italiana degli anni Settanta (MUP, 2024), both co-edited with Irene Piazzoni. Her essay on Inge Schöntal Feltrinelli as Publisher has been included in The Edinburgh Companion to Women in Publishing 1900-2020 (EUP, 2024). She has published articles and essays on Leda Rafanelli in journals and edited volumes and is currently working on a monograph on the subject. Anarchist Essays is brought to you by Loughborough University's Anarchism Research Group and the journal Anarchist Studies. Follow us on Bluesky @anarchismresgroup.bsky.social Our music comes from Them'uns (featuring Yous'uns). Artwork by Sam G.