Italy within the world: literary and cultural comparative paths

/

Good knowledge of written and spoken Italian (level B2 of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) .

The aim of the course is the study of how Italian literature and culture had an influence in Europe and internationally, through networks of relationships which became established between Italy and countries all over the world (Europe, North and South America, Australia and Africa). Through this perspective we will analyse literary movements, authors and works which, starting from Italy, had an impact on the literature, poetry and culture of other linguistic and literary regions (e.g. Dante in Latin America, visits to Italy made by European writers, Manzoni and the European historical novel, migration and Italian literature between the XIXth and  XXth centuries etc. ).
These comparative approaches will enable students to understand the place and the role of Italy in a more global perspective, at particular times relating to international literary history and culture. This analyses will bring out the special characteristics of Italian writers and their work, while also emphasising the links of continuity which these authors and their creations form with work from other parts of the world.

1.    to be able to analyse movements, authors and literary works in the Italian language ;
2.    to be able to make a relationship between these Italian movements, works and authors with writers and literary and cultural works from all over the world ;
3.    to be able to make use of a comparative approach to gain greater understanding of Italian literature and culture ;
4.    using the Italian example, to be able to interpret literature as an open, international system.

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.

A midterm paper written in Italian (total 6 pages) and consisting of critical and elaborate answers to questions based on the required readings and film. Student will have to submit the paper online via the Moodle website of the course at the latest by Monday, April 17, 2017.
A final paper written in Italian (total 10 pages) and consisting of critical and elaborate answers to questions based on the required readings and film. Student will have to submit the paper online via the Moodle website of the course at the latest by the first day of the June and / or August exams session.
The final grade will be based on the weighted average of the midterm paper (40%) and the final paper (60%).

Individual required readings + some video conference courses given in Italian by the teacher.

The topic of the cours of this academic year (2016-2017) is Italy as a land of emigration and immigration. After being a country exporting citizens to different regions of the world (Northern Europe, the Americas, Australia, Horn of Africa) during the first seven decades of the 20th century, Italy has now become a destination for migrants from the Middle East and Africa. Students will read and analyze a text of fiction, a testimony, a film and a scientific article around the pattern emigration-immigration. The readings and the film will be in Italian.

Required readings

1) Fiction:
Edmondo De Amicis, Sull'Oceano (1889), only the following chapters: "L'imbarco degli emigranti", "Nel golfo Leone', 'L'Italia a bordo', 'Rancori e amori' (fino a 'proprio sangue'), 'Il passaggio dell'equatore', 'Domani!', 'L'America', 'Sul Rio de la Plata'.
This text is available and downloadable free online and available in PDF on the Moodle site of the course.

2) Text of testimony:
Pietro Bartolo, Lidia Tilotta, Lacrime di sale. La mia storia, Lampedusa fra dolore e speranza, Milan, Mondadori, 2016, ISBN 978-8804669739

3) Film:
Emanuele Crialese, Terraferma, 2011 (1h28)
Available online on Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R19t5mrZ2GM&t=927s

4) A critical text (introduction of a book or scientific article) on the topic of the course, uploaded by the teacher on the Moodle website.

The course is given in Italian.