Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

This seminar maps out Italy's contributions to the world's literary heritage, whether in the form of one of the nation's great authorial voices, a particular period or movement, or a defining theme. This exploration will tease out the ways in which these contributions are inscribed in a dynamic global matrix wherein cultures are negotiated and transformed through on-going dialogue and exchange. This course may be repeated once for credit when different topics are offered.

COURSE DETAILS:

Made in Italy: Italian Voices of the New Millennium

The places in which we live shape us, whether they are the places we were born, or the places we were reborn into a different, hybrid identity. Every place has visible and invisible gatekeepers who decide who can belong and who is allowed to represent that place. Those who issue passports, administer tests for language knowledge, cast actors for film and TV, decide what is Italian literature, and so many more all wield the stamp of authenticity that determines: Made in Italy.  

Since the late 1800s, Italy has been predominantly known as a country of immigration, having sent large swaths of its population abroad to other European countries as well as to the US, Canada, Australia, and Argentina, mostly in search of the economic opportunity they found lacking at home. Since the end of the 20^thcentury, due in part to its geographical location so close to Africa, and its colonial history and the resulting ties to Libya and the Horn of Africa, Italy has also become a country of emigration for large numbers of Africans from countries such as Somalia, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, and Eritrea.

In this course, we will read some of the most prominent works of literature written by Italians of African origin to trace differences and commonalities across the experiences of Africans in Italy. Our readings will prompt a variety of questions regarding national and personal identity, racism and discrimination, belonging, immigration status and borders, representation, and perceived otherness. We will look at the interplay of integration/discrimination and topics such as food, skin color, religion, language, and cultural habits. Texts will include novels written by Italian-born authors of African descent and adult immigrants from Africa, as well as recent films on refugees arriving in Italy, and excerpts of literary criticism and theory by Etienne Balibar, Jacqueline Andall, Stephen Gundle, Jacques Derrida, and others. While we focus on Italy as a unique site for these questions, many of the explored tropes and experiences find their echo among immigrants (whether first-, second-, or even third-generation) living in other Eurocentric societies (geographically situated inside and outside of Europe).

NOTE: The course does not require any knowledge of Italian. All course readings will be read in English translation, and class will be conducted in English. Students who do know Italian are welcome to read the texts in the original language.

NOTE: All course information will be centralized on the Canvas course page. Students are expected to have viewed and reflected on the prerecorded lectures before our weekly Monday meeting time on Zoom. These weekly Zoom meetings are required class time.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

• Develop familiarity with 21^st century Italian literature written by authors of African descent against the backdrop of their different historical contexts.
• Develop a nuanced understanding of the complexity of immigrant and national identity from the perspective of first-generation and second-generation “new” Italians with diverse immigration narratives.
• Discern abstract trends and tensions related to race and migration that transcend the Italian literary and socio-cultural context.
• Increase ability to read critical theory to enhance and enrich our understanding of literary texts and films (both orally and in writing).

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING: