esodo

Esodo is the Italian term for exodus and denotes a large-scale departure of people from a country, region, or locality. It can refer to planned or forced migrations and is used in both secular and religious contexts to describe outward population movements driven by conflict, persecution, economic hardship, famine, or natural disasters.

Etymology and scope: The word derives from the Greek exodos, via Latin exodus, meaning "a going out" or "a way out." In Italian usage, esodo commonly denotes large population movements and can apply to historical events as well as contemporary migration flows. When capitalized in Italian, Esodo refers specifically to the biblical Exodus in religious contexts.

Religious and cultural dimensions: In religious traditions, the Exodus narrative recounts the departure of the Israelites from Egypt led by Moses and has shaped Jewish, Christian, and Islamic thought. In literature and art, the motif appears as a symbol of liberation and collective migration.

Contemporary usage: In migration studies and public discourse, esodo describes modern waves of migration, refugee flows, or evacuations prompted by war, persecution, or environmental crisis. It is often analyzed in terms of causes, routes, impacts on sending and receiving communities, and policy responses.

See also: Exodus, Migration, Diaspora.