On-site classes will be held in a variety of neighborhoods in the city in order to analyze each area’s status as a social entity and its relationship with the wider urban context. These will include teacher-guided group discussions and observational activities to refine students’ skills of sociological analysis. Lectures and readings will provide students with historical, topographical and sociological information about the area and will introduce relevant urban theories through which to interpret its particular issues. In-class debates will encourage students to question the applicability of theories to the realities observed on-site. Students will watch excerpts of films, read various literary texts and talk to residents of the city (in on-site interviews or with guest speakers) in order to analyze the different discourses through which the city is narrated. Students are expected to do their assigned readings punctually and to follow developments in Roman and Italian society by reading newspaper articles throughout the semester.
Student Responsibilities:
Students will attend every class and arrive on time for all class sessions and on-site visits. They will keep up with assigned readings and out additional assignments. They will turn in assignments promptly. Five points will be deducted from each assignment that is not turned in on time for each day it is late.
The assessment criteria listed below refer to all assessment methods in the course.
Students are strongly urged to begin to familiarize themselves with the city's areas and public transportation system.
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT:
The research assignment makes up 30% of the course grade – 20% for the written paper and 10% for the oral presentation to the class. Students should choose a topic relevant to the course and write 1,500-2,000 words, based on research using at least three academic sources (library books, academic web material and supplemented by newspaper articles where relevant). Non-academic internet material is not reliable and should be avoided. (NO Wikipedia, please!) If you have doubts about the appropriateness of a source, check with the instructor. All sources must be cited in the text and bibliography following a recognized citation system.
Students should start researching their topic well in advance. The topic must be communicated to the instructor by Sept 16. All other important deadlines are listed in the Course Schedule. The outline must include: a thesis or purpose statement, structure and main points of the essay, preliminary conclusion(s), complete bibliography. The deadline for the completed essay is November 11.
The oral presentations will take place in the last two weeks of classes. Students will be required to give a 10-12 minute explanation of the topic of their research paper, explaining its relevance to the course, the methods used to collect information, their main findings and conclusions and a brief discussion of the sources used. Classmates will be encouraged to ask questions and engage in debate/discussion.