The course is structured as an on-going discussion between the professor and students during which, together, they decide the most appropriate ways of carrying out each student’s chosen research project and  of interpreting and presenting the findings. Students are required to read widely on contemporary Rome and global cities more broadly and they are introduced to the main methods of doing urban research. They learn to hone their observation skills, keeping a diary of all their fieldwork sessions, and to actively consider the ethical issues surrounding ethnographic research. Students are introduced to methods and theories of visual sociology and non-participant observation, enabling non-Italian speakers to study Rome’s social environment. They will participate in a variety of fieldwork observation activities with the professor in selected neighborhoods of Rome. Where linguistic skills permit, students are also trained in carrying out interviews and surveys in the field. Students will write a 10-15 page research report explaining the rationale, methods, results and conclusions of the project. They will also present their findings visually in the form of a photographic exhibition, a video documentary or a powerpoint presentation.

Students will present their final projects to the JCU community during the last week of the semester.

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

· Identify a key feature of contemporary social, economic or political dynamics in Rome and contextualize it within broader scholarship in    Italian studies and urban studies.

· Demonstrate knowledge of the main methods for carrying out fieldwork observation in an urban context and select the most appropriate for researching their topic.

· Construct an ethically rigorous research project.

· Organize their research time in an independent and disciplined way.

· Carry out their fieldwork observation in a systematic manner, identifying any problems and solving them in dialogue with the professor.

· Question, discuss and analyze their findings, incorporating feedback from class discussions into their final report.

· Present their findings in a clear and engaging manner to a large audience.

Attendance is mandatory for this class and you are expected to not miss any classes. If you do, for example for health reasons, I will accept a maximum of 1 absence after which I will deduct 3% of your final grade for each class missed."

You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until 10 May 2019.