The course aims to examine the social history and contemporary realities of Southern Italy, focusing on the many paradoxes that continue to characterize the area, such as the influence of history and tradition alongside the often rapid social changes that have occurred since World War II. Themes to be studied include: the Unification of Italy from a Southern perspective; mass migration during the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries; the rural and urban Souths; the development of organized crime and the antimafia movements; clientelistic politics and social movements.    

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Each of the main themes of the course will be introduced with lectures, followed by seminar-style group discussion and debate, drawing on students’ reading assignments and research projects. The course will first briefly look at the modern history of the Mezzogiorno, moving on to major themes and questions concerning how the Italian South has developed since the Unification of Italy and especially in recent decades. Issues to be studied include underdevelopment, modernization, the argument that the South is characterized by ‘amoral familism’ and a lack of civic spirit, the mass emigration of Southern Italians but also the more recent phenomenon of immigration, the land reforms after World War II, the attempts to overcome the region’s underdevelopment through state-funded industrialization, the issue of clientelism and political corruption but also grassroots social movements, the urban predicaments posed by the city of Naples, organized crime including the Sicilian Mafia, the Neapolitan Camorra, and the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta, the various expressions of the antimafia movement, the recent crisis of waste removal in Naples and its causes, the changing role of women in Southern society and others. Emphasis will be on critically rethinking about the South as a dynamic and internally diversified region and on considering the attempts by ordinary Southern Italians to find solutions to the problems facing them, from mass emigration abroad in the early twentieth century, to land occupations after World War II, from internal migration to the factories and cities of northern Italy in the 1950s and 1960s to the emergence of antimafia movements in Sicily during the 1980s.

Students are expected to do their assigned readings punctually and to follow developments in Southern Italy by reading newspapers throughout the semester.

Students will acquire detailed knowledge of the social history of Southern Italy from Unification to the present day. They will be able to identify the main events, trends and actors in the political, economic and social development of the Mezzogiorno during that time period.

Based on the required readings and lectures, students will be able to summarize and critically analyze the different theories which have emerged to explain the South’s economic, political and social development.

Students will develop their research and oral presentation skills by carrying out a research project, based on high quality bibliographical research as well as some fieldwork techniques if appropriate, and discussing their findings with the class.

59.99 – 0 = F

Assessment Guidelines for assigning main letter grades: A, B, C,D, and F.

A:  Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensiveknowledge 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.

B:  This 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.

C:  This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.

D:  This 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.

F: This 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 is mandatory and, alongside active participation in class, makes up 15% of the final grade. More than four unexcused absences will result in a failure for this part of the assessment.

SCHEDULE