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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 317"
COURSE NAME: "Roots of Italian Identities"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2015
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Federica Capoferri
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 1:30 PM 2:45 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 topics studied, based primarily on literary texts but also taking into consideration other areas such as contemporary history, social studies, and art history, include some of the major themes of Italian culture as well as examples of the various ‘identities’ that Italy offers today: the role played by Italian intellectuals in the construction of Italy as a Nation, the Mafia and the long-lasting institution of family-based structures, the ideal of beauty, modern design, contemporary literary production. Some of the key authors of Italian literature such as Dante, Petrarca, Machiavelli, Calvino and Pasolini will guide us to the complex process of Italian culture configuration through different ages. Italian political cinema  will be also part of our study of the multilayered identity of Italian culture tradition.
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

- discuss cultural heritage and modern aspects of topics studied

- establish comparisons between different media (reading passages, art works, films)
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Dimenticare Pasolini. Intellettuali e impegno nell'Italia contemporanea.Antonello PierpaoloMimesis9788857516943     
Letteratura e controvalori. Critica e scritture nell'età del webCasadei AlbertoDonzelli9788868430863     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
Una nazione di carta. Tradizione letteraria e identità italianamatteo di gesùcarocci9788843071616  
The Cambridge Companion to Italian CultureBaranski-WestUniversity of Cambridge Press9780521559829  
Scritti corsariPier Paolo PasoliniGarzanti8811697050  
la mia casa è dove sonoIgiaba ScegoRizzoli9788858651292.  

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
2 questionnaires 25%
midterm exam 25%
Attendance and participation 10%
oral presentation 10%
Final Exam 30%

-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:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
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 ____________
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 CAN MAKE CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE.

Make sure to check your MyJCU on regular basis.





week 1--

Introduction to the course. The notion of Italy-



"Questione della lingua".

Brief history of Italian language and its literary use. 

Dante’s De Vulgari Eloquentia

Modern Italian Culture, pp. 17-33;63-79.











Dante, De Vulgari Eloquentia

www.classicitaliani.it/dante/prosa/vulgari_lat.htm

libro 1.



Week 2--

Dante, De Vulgari Eloquentia. Class Discussion.



Italian Renaissance and the question of language 'part II'.. Pietro Bembo's Prose della Volgar Lingua.

Literary Canon and the culture of imitatio.







 P. Bembo, Prose della Volgar Lingua, Excertps.

Petrarca and petrarchisti: excerpts-

 

Week 3--

The 'questione della lingua' during Italian Risorgimento.

Alessandro Manzoni's role as the 'father' of modern Italian (literary) language.





The role of dialects in Italian literary tradition: Carlo Porta and Belli.

A. Manzoni, excerpts.







C. Porta's selected poems.

G.G. Belli, selected sonnets.

week 4-- 

Italy as a geographical and political notion- The 'literary invention' of the concept of 'Patria'.

Dante, Divina Commedia- Inferno, Canto VI vv. 58-75; Purgatorio, Canto VI, vv. 223-228; Paradiso, Canto VI, vv. 97-11.



F. Petrarca, All'Italia, N. Machiavelli, Il Principe (selected passages), Leopardi, Canzone all'Italia.



 Modern Italian Culture, 

M. Di Gesù, Una nazione di carta, pp.25-48.

 

WEEK 5-- 

 Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Alla mia nazione". 



Pasolini's opposition to modern Italy- Screening La forma della città and class discussion.

 M. Di Gesù, Una nazione di carta, pp. 49-63.

P- Paolo Pasolini, Scritti corsari, "Nuove prospettive storiche: la Chiesa è inutile al potere", "Sviluppo e progresso".

M. Di Gesù, Una nazione di carta, pp. 113-130



P.P.Pasolini, Scritti corsari, "Acculturazione e acculturazione".

M. Di Gesù, Una nazione di carta, pp.130-145.

WEEK 6--

The role of Italian intellectuals in shaping the 'notion of Italy?



Saviano's 're-appropriation of Pasolini's civic engagement.





 Modern Italian Culture, pp. 139-141.



A. Piepaolo. Dimenticare Pasolini. Intellettuali e impegno nell'Italia contemporanea, pp. 97-123. 



P.P.Pasolini, Scritti corsari, "Il romanzo delle stragi".

R. Saviano, Gomorra, pp. 231-240.

Questionario 1.. ORAL PRESENTATIONS TOPIC DUE.

Week 7

Midterm week. Review and exam

Week 8



Gramsci's legacy. Redifining the Italian Intellectuals. The role of Italian cinema.



Italian intellectuals and mass-media-Clips from N. Moretti's Sogni d'oro, F. Fellini's Ginger and Fred, Garrone's Reality.

Modern Italian Culture, 



P. Antonello. Dimenticare Pasolini. Intellettuali e impegno nell'Italia contemporanea, pp.39-57.

--home screening: N. Moretti, Il caimano. --

 

Week 9

Women and/in Italian Society.

Screening: A. Mazzari, Vogliamo anche le rose and class discussion.

Oral presentations.

P. Antonello, Dimenticare Pasolini, pp. .67-98

Modern Italian Culture,  

Week 10

Italian canon and the global age. National and transnational approach to Italian canon.  



-Oral presentations.

A. Casadei, Letteratura e controvalori. Critica e scritture nell'età del web.

 Modern Italian Culture.

 

Week 11

Global and Local Italy-Zerocalcare. Dimentica il mio nome. 



Oral Presentations



P. Antonello, Dimenticare Pasolini, pp.89-96.



A. Casadei, Letteratura e controvalori. Critica e scritture nell'età del web. Selected chapters.



M. Di Gesù, Una nazione di carta, pp. 147-165.

 Questionnaire 2 DUE

Week 12



Postcolonial Italy- Igiaba Scego, La mia casa è dove sono, excerpts.

Oral presentations

.

A. Casadei. Letteratura e controvalori. Critica e scritture nell'età del web. Selected chapters.

I. Scego, La mia casa è dove sono.

Week 13

Postcolonial Italy- Part II - Igiaba Scego. La mia casa è dove sono. Selected chapters.

 P Antonello, Dimenticare Pasolini, pp. 125-144.

 

Week 14

Conclusions and review

 P. Antonello, Dimenticare Pasolini, pp. 145-163.