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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "SOCSC/ITS225-1"
COURSE NAME: "Sociology of Southern Italy"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Spring 2014
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
James Schwarten
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
TTH 3:00 PM 4:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course aims to examine the social history and contemporary realities of Southern Italy, focusing on the many paradoxes which continue to characterize the area, such as the influence of history and tradition alongside the often rapid social changes which have occurred since World War II. Some of the themes to be studied are: the Unification of Italy from a Southern perspective; the mass migrations of the twentieth century; the development of organized crime and the anti-Mafia movements; clientelist politics and civil society; the changing role of women.
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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, social capital and civic spirit or the lack of it, the argument that the South is characterized by “amoral community”, the whys and hows of the great emigration of the last century, the land reforms after World War II, the attempt to overcome the region’s underdevelopment with the Southern Development Fund, the issue of clientelistic and corrupt politics, organized crime including the Sicilian Mafia, the Neapolitan Camorra, and the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta, the anti-Mafia 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 the often-overlooked attempts of ordinary Southern Italians to find solutions of their own to the problems facing them, from mass emigration abroad in the early twentieth century, to land occupations, from internal migration to the factories and cities of northern Italy in the 1950s and 1960s, to the anti-Mafia movements in Palermo in the 1990s and in Calabria today.
Students are expected to do their assigned readings punctually and to follow developments in Southern Italy by reading newspapers throughout the semester.
On-site classes, guest speakers and videos may be organized to supplement lectures and presentations.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
Italy’s Southern Question: Orientalism in One Country | Jane Schneider | Berg | 9781859739976 | | |
The View from Vesuvius: Italian Culture and the Southern Question | Nelson Moe | UC Press | 0520248260 | | |
Reversible Destiny: Mafia, Antimafia and the Struggle for Palermo | Peter and Jane Schneider | UC Press | 0520236092 | | |
Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy | Robert Putnam | Princeton Univ Press | 0691037388 | | |
Gender, Family and Work in Naples | Victoria Goddard | Berg | 1859730345 | | |
The New History of the Italian South: The Mezzogiorno Revisited | Robert Lumley and Johnathan Morris | University of Exeter Press | 0859895068 | | |
A History of Contemporary Italy | Paul Ginsborg | Palgrave Macmillan | 1403961530 | | |
Italian Cultural Studies: An Introduction | David Forgacs and Robert Lumley | Oxford University Press | 0198715099 | | |
Italy in the Nineteenth Century: 1796-1900 | John A. Davis | Oxford University Press | 0198731272 | | |
A Concise History of Italy | Christopher Duggan | Cambridge University Press | 0521408482 | | |
Gomorrah | Roberto Saviano (trans. V. Jewiss) | Macmillan | 0230703674 | HV6453 .I83C42 | |
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
Research Paper | 1,500-2,000 word paper on a topic relevant to the course based on research using at least three academic sources. | 20 |
Oral presentation | 10 minute explanation (in class) of the topic of the research paper, explaining its relevance to the course, the methods used to collect information, main findings and conclusions and brief discussion of the sources used. | 10 |
Midterm Exam | | 25 |
Final Exam | | 25 |
Attendance | Missing more than 2 classes without valid justification will reduce the final grade by 5% for each absence. | 5 |
Participation | Assessed qualitatively and quantitatively on the basis of participation in class discussions, insightful comments and note-taking. | 10 |
Emigration Questionnaire | Brief in-class oral presentation of the results of an interview with someone who has emigrated from Southern Italy, carried out following the guidelines handed out in class. | 5 |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AGrading Scale: 100—94 (A), 93—90 (A-), 89—88 (B+), 87—84 (B), 83—80 (B-), 79—78 (C+), 77—74 (C), 73—70 (C-), 69—68 (D+), 67—64 (D), 63—60 (D-), 59—0 (F)
Work 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 cours 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:
Each unjustified absence beyond the second will incur a 5% penalty in the final-grade calculation. Travel plans, visiting friends or relatives, or other personal concerns are not considered valid grounds for justifying an absence.
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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.
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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.
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SCHEDULE
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Session
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Session Focus
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Reading Assignment
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Other Assignment
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Exam Dates
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WK 1A
Jan 14
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Course introduction, syllabus, goals and expectations
Group discussion: stereotypes about the Mezzogiorno
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WK 1B
Jan 16
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Defining and measuring “the South”
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Duggan, Chapter 1 (on reserve)
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WK 2A
Jan 21
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Lecture: Introduction to the history of Southern Italy
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Davis, Chapter 5 (on reserve)
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WK 2B
Jan 23
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Introduction to the history of Southern Italy cont’d
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research topic due
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WK 3A
Jan 28
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Lecture: Unification viewed from the South
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Forgacs and Lumley, Chapter 4
(on reserve)
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WK 3B
Jan 30
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Lecture and group discussion: Italy’s “Orientalism”
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WK 4A
Feb 4
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Lecture and discussion: Gramsci, Banfield and Putnam
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Putnam, Chapter 6 (on reserve); Tarrow article (on MyJCU)
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annotated bibliography and working outline due
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WK 4B
Feb 6
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Lecture: Mass emigrations; causes and consequences
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emigration interview
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WK 5A
Feb 11
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Group discussion based on interviews: experiences and personal histories of emigrants
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emigration interview; discussion
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WK 5B
Feb 13
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Lecture: Politics of the South since World War II; Southern Development Fund
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WK 6A
Feb 18
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Lecture: Introduction to Organized Crime
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WK 6B
Feb 20
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Lecture: Cosa Nostra
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readings TBA
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WK 7A
Feb 25
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Review for Midterm Exam
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prepare for exam
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WK 7B
Feb 27
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MIDTERM EXAM
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WK 8A
Mar 4
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Film: TBA
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WK 8B
Mar 6
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Film: TBA and group discussion
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research paper rough draft due
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WK 9A
Mar 11
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Lecture: Camorra
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Saviano (on reserve) + additional readings TBA
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WK 9B
Mar 13
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Lecture: Organized Crime – ‘Ndrangheta
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readings TBA
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WK 10A
Mar 25
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Group discussion: Possible solutions to organized crime?
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WK 10B
Mar 27
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Lecture and group discussion: Anti-Mafia
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readings TBA
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WK 11A
Apr 1
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Immigrants in Southern Italy
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WK 11B
Apr 3
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Lecture: Women and the Family in Southern Italy
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readings TBA
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research paper final draft due
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WK 12A
Apr 8
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Women and the family in Southern Italy
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WK 12B
Apr 10
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Lecture and group discussion: Alternative analyses and perspectives of the South
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WK 13A
Apr 15
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Student research presentations
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WK 13B
Apr 17
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Student research presentations
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begin preparing for Final Exam
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WK 14A
Apr 22
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Student research presentations
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WK 14B
Apr 24
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Course conclusions / Final Exam review
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