Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 317"
COURSE NAME: "Roots of Italian Identities"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2025

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Federica Capoferri
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 3:00 PM 4:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: IT 302 or permission of the instructor
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course aims to give an insight into the linguistic, cultural and sociological complexity of the ‘notion of Italy.’ The topics studied, based primarily on literary texts, include some of the major themes of Italian culture as well as examples of the various ‘identities’ that Italy offers today: the question of political and cultural unity and the long-lasting question of a common national language; the role played by Italian intellectuals in the construction of Italy as a nation; the Mafia and the institution of family-based structures; the Italian literary canon and the contemporary ideas of culture and literature. The course is in Italian.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course will explore some of the major themes of Italian literary and cultural tradition such as the question of language, the engagement of literature into political discourses, the role of intellectuals in shaping the 'Notion of Italy'. Some of the key Italian literary authors such as Dante, Petrarca, Machiavelli, and Pasolini will be studied to understand the historical paradigms that supported the construction of the Italian literary culture. Latest literary works and multidisciplinary materials addressing topics such as gender, post-colonial Italy, and intermediality will counterbalance the hegemonic discourse on Italy providing students with a critical awareness of the several cultural, social, and historical factors involved in the dominant artistic representations of Italy and Italianity. Lectures and readings will be in Italian.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon completing this course, students will possess the ability to:

- Analyze language and structures of literary texts

- Identify main ideas in relationship to the historical and cultural context in which they arose

- Identify broad ideological frames of current received ideas on certain aspects of Italian culture

- Discuss the relevance of such ideas in connection with other information about topics in question

- Critically discuss Italian cultural heritage in today's world with interdisciplinary methodologies

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number
Contro l'identità italiana	Christian Raimo	Einaudi	9788806241612
Scritti corsari	Pier Paolo Pasolini	Einaudi	9788811688372
Una nazione di carta	Matteo DI Gesù	Carocci	9788843071616
The A to Z of modern Italy	Mark Gilbert -K Robert Nilsson	Scarecrow Press	9781461672029
Revisioning Italy : national identity and global culture	Beverly Allen Mary J Russo	University of Minnesota Press,	0816627266
Roma negata Percorsi postcoloniali nella città	Igiaba Scego	Futura Editrice	978-88-230-1842-6

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Two Critical Essays	Two 1500 word papers on the materials covered in class. Students are expected to use additional sources and readings (peer-reviewed, at least 3). See the section LETTER GRADE REQUIREMENTS.	20%
Midterm exam	In-class exam composed of short questions and a critical essay	25%
Class Participation and Attendance	Students are expected to come to class with all the assigned reading done, to engage themselves in class discussions, to pay attention to the Instructors' lectures, take notes, and ask questions. Cell phones are striclty prohibited. More than 2 absences will result in a 0 for this portion of your grade<	15%
Oral Presentation	15 minutes presentation on a topic previously discussed with the Instructor.	15%
Final Exam	A CUMULATIVE exam composed by short questions and a short critical essay.	25%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Students are allowed 2 absences. Additional absence will result in 0 for attendance and class participation grade (15%). Medical notes will note allow additional absences (please, avoid to send me doctor's notes).

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INSTRUCTOR MIGHT NEED TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE

Friday Make Up: February 7

WEEK 1 (Jan. 20,22):

Introduction to the course

WEEK 2 (Jan. 27, 29):

Readings:

https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/dante_(Enciclopedia-dell'Italiano)/

Dante, De Vulgari Eloquentia, Libro I

UNIT I: The Question of Language.

Lecture and Discussion: Dante's De Vulgari Eloquentia, Libro I.

Readings:

https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/la-questione-della-lingua_(Storia-della-civilt%C3%A0-europea-a-cura-di-Umberto-Eco)/

Excerpts from Pietro Bembo, Prose della Volgar Lingua; Francesco Petrarca's Rerum vulgarium fragmenta, examples of Petrarchismo.

Lecture and discussion: Italian Renaissance and Pietro Bembo’s codification of Tuscan as the 'Italian' literary language.

WEEK 3 (Febr. 3. 5. 7- MAKE UP FRIDAY):

Readings:

Alessandro Manzoni, Della lingua italiana (https://www.alessandromanzoni.org/opere/83);

Enciclopedia Treccani, La questione della lingua italiana nell'Otttocento.

Mark Gilbert - K. Robert Nilsson, The A to Z Modern Italy, Selection

Lecture and class discussion: The Question of Language during the Risorgimento.

Readings:

Mark Gilbert - K. Robert Nilsson, The A to Z Modern Italy, Selection

Lecture and class discussion: Dialectal Poetry in the Ottocento: Carlo Porta and Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli. Pluri and mono-linguism in the Italian literary tradition.

Readings:

Excertps from Il Trovatore and Nabucco

Friday: Lesson and class discussion:The role of Italian Opera in the Risorgimento: Giuseppe Verdi.

WEEK 4 (Febr. 10, 12):

Readings:

Dante, Divina Commedia: Inferno, Canto VI, vv. 58-75; Purgatorio, Canto VI, vvi. 223-228.

Individual research on the "canti politici" in the Divine Comedy

UNIT 2: The Question of Political Unity

Lecture and Discussion: Literature and (as?) Politics. Dante Alighieri, Divina Commedia: i “canti politici”.

Readings:

https://www.fareletteratura.it/2014/06/21/analisi-del-testo-e-parafrasi-italia-mia-benche-l-parlar-sia-indarno-petrarca/#google_vignette

Francesco Petrarca, Italia mia.

Lecture and Discussion: the topos of Italia mia and other topoi of the Italian literature.

Recommend Reading: Matteo Di Gesù, Una nazione di carta, chapter on the Topos of Italia mia.

WEEK 5 (Febr. 17, 19):

February 17: Essay I: topic, outline and bibliograghy due

Readings:

https://letteraria.altervista.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Il-Principe-corr.pdf

N. Machiavelli, Il Principe, chapter XXVI

Lecture and Discussion: Il Principe, chapter XXVI.

Readings:

Giacomo Leopardi, All'Italia

Matteo Di Gesù, Una nazione di carta. Chapter: Archetipi danteschi.

Lecture and class discussion: The role of the archetypes and cultural myths.

WEEK 6 (Febr. 24. 26):

Febr. 24: Essay I due

Readings:

Pier Paolo Pasolini, Alla mia nazione

Matteo Di Gesù, Una nazione di carta, chapter: Il carattere degli Italiani. Un'invenzione letteraria moderna.

Lecture and Discussion: Questioning the Topos of Patria mia: Pier Paolo Pasolini, Alla mia nazione.

Readings:

Mark Gilbert - K. Robert Nilsson, The A to Z Modern Italy, Selection

Beverly Allen - Mary J. Russo (eds), Revising Italy, "Culture and Place: Italy as a European Country. The Myth of Backward Italy in Modern Europe"

WEEK 7 (March 3, 5)

Review for Midterm

March 5: MIDTERM EXAM

March 10-14 (Mon-Fri) Spring Break

WEEK 8 (March 17, 19):

Readings:

Luca La Rovere, Gli intellettuali italiani e il problema nella transizione al postfascismo. "Laboratoire Italien", 12/2012 in

https://journals.openedition.org/laboratoireitalien/641?lang=it

UNIT 3: Intellectuals and Italian Identities

Readings:

Pier Paolo Pasolini, Scritti corsari, Chapters: “Sviluppo e progresso”, “Acculturazione e acculturazione”.

Home screening: Pier Paolo Pasolini, Comizi d’amore.

Lecture and Discussion: Pier Paolo Pasolini's critique of Italy and Italians during the Economic Miracle.

WEEK 9 (March 24. 26):

March 24: Essay 2- Topic, Outline, and Bibliography Due

Readings:

Pier Paolo Pasolini, Scritti corsari, “Il romanzo delle stragi”; Roberto Saviano, Gomorra, pp. 231-240.

Lecture and class discussion: Pasolini's Intellectual Legacy

Readings:

Cristian Raimo, Contro l'identità italiana, chapter 1.

Review of Pier Paolo Antonello, Dimenticare Pasolini in https://www.leparoleelecose.it/?p=1080

Lecture and class discussion: Who (and where) are today the Italian Intellectuals?

WEEK 10 (March 31, April 2):

Readings:

C. Raimo, Contro l'identità italiana, Chapter: "Il virilismo ...".

Mark Gilbert - K. Robert Nilsson, The A to Z Modern Italy, Selection

UNIT 3: Italian Culture and Women Rights:

Screening: Alina Marazzi, Vogliamo anche le rose (2007)

Readings:

Igiaba Scego, Dismatria (in Pecore nere)

David Ward, "Impositions, Race, and Colonization. Italy: Cultural Identity and Spatial Opportunism from a Postcolonial Perspective" in Allen - Mary J. Russo (eds), Revising Italy.

UNIT 4: Postcolonial Italy

Lecture and Discussion: Another Idea of Cultural Identity

WEEK 11 (April 7, 9):

Essay 2 due April 9

Readings:

Igiaba Scego, Roma negata (Library), excerpts

Christian Raimo, Contro l’identità italiana, chapter 5: "Un'identità italiana alternativa"

Lecture and Discussion: What does it mean to be Italian today?

WEEK 12 (April 14, 16)

Screening: Italy. Love it or leave it (G. Hofer, L. Ragazzi, 2014)

April 16: Oral Presentations:

WEEK 13 (April 23):

Oral Presentations:

Readings:

Christian Raimo, Contro l'identità italiana, chap 6: "Contro l'identità"

Lecture and Discussion: Some Conclusions.

WEEK 14: (April 28, 20)

April 28 Lecture by Francesca Cadel (Professor of Italian and Film Studies at Calgary University) "You Gotta Throw Your Body into the Fight. Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Civil War (1968): from the 1940s to the 1970s".

Review for Final Exam

May 5-9 (Mon-Fri) Final Examinations