Italian Culture and Society
Course Information
Course Number: ITAL-1P96-D02-S01-SYN
Course Title: Italian Culture and Society.
Time/Days: Tue and Thu 4-7 pm
Description
Artistic heritage of Italy and the intellectual, political and social forces that have shaped the mentality and way of life of the Italians. Selected texts and multi-media material.
What was Italian culture before Italy was made in 1861? Through a transmedia approach that considers literature, scientific texts, works of art, movies, videos, and music, this course will trace Italy’s culture from the first testimonies of an Italian written “language” to the formation of the state of Italy during Risorgimento. We will study the social, political, and cultural life of different cities such as Roma, Firenze, Napoli, and Venezia, among others, and will tackle a variety of themes such as the power dynamic between class, gender, and sexuality. We will read and discuss primary and secondary sources by and on canonical figures of Italian culture such as Dante, Petrarca, Boccaccio in literature or Raffaello, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio in the arts, alongside too often neglected female figures such as Chiara D’Assisi, Artemisia Gentileschi, Lucrezia Borgia, and Isabella D’Este, to name a few. Students will thus gain a well-rounded knowledge of Italian culture between 1000-1861 and will be able to reflect on how it is still influencing and shaping our contemporary cultural panorama.
NB: The course is online. Please download Zoom ahead of time. Please use a laptop or a computer to access the Zoom meeting. Do not use an iPad or Phone if not in exceptional cases. Be sure to find a quiet space and have your headphones and earphones on to facilitate class discussion. Class discussion is a key component of this course; therefore, it is mandatory to keep your video on to verify attendance and participation.
No prior Italian knowledge is required for this course. All the reading materials will be provided in English, and you will be able to access the visual content in English or with English subtitles.
Students must attend 80% of classes, failure to do so without acceptable justification will result in a grade of zero (0), regardless of the grades attained on course work.
Learning Outcomes:
· Demonstrate knowledge of Italian literature, cinema, music, arts, history, geography, and culture;
· Compare and contrast Italian culture’s political, social, and artistic aspects from one century to another and from one place to another along the Italian peninsula;
· Recognize and describe the historical, social, economic, and political forces that have shaped society in Italian culture from the origins to 1861;
· Analyze and critique the products of modern Italian culture (film, literature, art, popular culture, media, etc) within their context, including conducting basic research tasks;
· Perceive and value cultural diversity and reinterpret the place of the self as an identity culturally situated in the global context.
Required Readings or Texts
Course material will be posted on Brightspace.
Course Communications
All correspondence will take place through your BROCK e-mail account. E-mails sent from other servers will NOT be answered. Every effort will be made to answer e-mails promptly. In the event of class cancellation an email will be sent to all students through BRIGHTSPACE.
Assessment Components and Due Dates
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Assessment Component
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Grade Weight
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Due Date
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Attendance and Participation
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5%
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ongoing
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In-class Active Learning Activities (No Active learning on Quiz days; 8 x 1.25%)
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10%
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ongoing
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15-Minute Video Presentation on one historical figure to submit on Brightspace the Monday before class (number of students submitting per week depends on enrollment, list of historical figures will be provided)
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15%
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Individual dates will be assigned during the first class
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5 Brief Questionnaires on Readings/Movies Prepared for class (Asynchronous; Multiple choice; at the end of each Thursday)
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15%
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May 8, 15, 22, 29
June 5
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2 Written Quizzes (15 % each): (in-class; multiple choice and open questions)
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30%
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Quiz 1 –May 15
Quiz 2 – May 29
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Final Project (Conceptual Map Creation around a topic provided by instructor; Oral presentation of the map to instructor)
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25%
(10% map outline with bibliography; 15% final map and oral presentation).
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Outline – May 22
Final Submission – Jun 6
Date for oral exam TBD (btw June 10-14)
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