Italian Culture for Foreign Students Ii
A.Y. 2021/2022
Learning objectives
This course aims to provide students who have already passed the "Italian Culture for Foreign Students 1" exam with a more thorough knowledge of the cultural developments in 20-21th century Italy.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students are expected to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the Italian cultural developments and of the literary texts included in the syllabus.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
At the moment lessons with mixed teaching are provided, held in person with synchronous streaming transmission on Microsoft Teams. However, students are invited to carefully monitor any updates related to the evolution of the Covid 19 pandemic.
Course syllabus
Brief description of the course
Historical reality and literary representation of the Southern Question
In Module 1 the course will try to outline the most important problems and dynamics of the Southern Question, referring to the historical debate, to some classical texts and to recent historiographical researches. In Module 2 the course will focus on the way in which the Southern Question was dramatically re-proposed in the second post-war period and on the way in which it was represented in some fundamental works, which have narrated the post-unification southern problems, the persistent misery and persistent cultural separateness of the southern regions. More specifically, we will re-read the two classic books by Carlo Levi, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli (1945), and by Annamaria Ortese, Il mare non bagna Napoli (1953) ), which respectively represent the rural and urban realities of the southern peninsular, building a peculiar blend of narrative and non-fictional dimension.
Historical reality and literary representation of the Southern Question
In Module 1 the course will try to outline the most important problems and dynamics of the Southern Question, referring to the historical debate, to some classical texts and to recent historiographical researches. In Module 2 the course will focus on the way in which the Southern Question was dramatically re-proposed in the second post-war period and on the way in which it was represented in some fundamental works, which have narrated the post-unification southern problems, the persistent misery and persistent cultural separateness of the southern regions. More specifically, we will re-read the two classic books by Carlo Levi, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli (1945), and by Annamaria Ortese, Il mare non bagna Napoli (1953) ), which respectively represent the rural and urban realities of the southern peninsular, building a peculiar blend of narrative and non-fictional dimension.
Prerequisites for admission
Students must have an excellent knowledge of the Italian language (expected level B2 / C1) and a good awareness of the main characteristics of Italian history and culture.
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons. Combination of historiographical, sociological and literary investigation.
Teaching Resources
Historical reality and literary representation of the Southern Question
Program Module 1:
Brief history of the Southern Question
Bibliography and other didactic materials Module 1 for attending students
Attending students must prepare:
G. Pescosolido, La questione meridionale in breve. Centocinquant'anni di storia, Roma, Donzelli. .
Bibliography and other didactic materials Module 1 for non attending students
Non attending students must prepare two books among the following:
A. De Francesco, La palla al piede. Una storia del pregiudizio antimeridionale, Milano, Feltrinelli;
S. Lupo, La questione. Come liberare la questione del mezzogiorno dagli stereotipi, Roma, Donzelli;
G. Pescosolido, La questione meridionale in breve. Centocinquant'anni di storia, Roma, Donzelli.
Program Module 2:
The Southern Question in the fiction of the late Twentieth Century
Bibliography and other didactic materials Module 2 for attending students
Attending students must prepare:
Texts:
A. M. Ortese, Il mare non bagna Napoli, Milano, Adelphi;
C. Levi, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli, Torino, Einaudi.
Critical bibliography:
L. Clerici, «Il mare non bagna Napoli» di Anna Maria Ortese, in Letteratura italiana, diretta da A. Asor Rosa, vol. 16, Il secondo Novecento. Le opere 1938-1961, Einaudi / La Biblioteca di Repubblica - L'Espresso, 2007, pp. 381-400;
V. Spinazzola, L'«esperienza intera» di Carlo Levi, in Id., La modernità letteraria, il Saggiatore / Fondazione Mondadori, pp. 265-292.
Bibliography and other didactic materials Module 1 for non attending students
Non attending students must prepare:
Texts:
A. M. Ortese, Il mare non bagna Napoli, Milano, Adelphi;
C. Levi, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli, Torino, Einaudi.
Critical Bibliography:
L. Clerici, «Il mare non bagna Napoli» di Anna Maria Ortese, in Letteratura italiana, diretta da A. Asor Rosa, vol. 16, Il secondo Novecento. Le opere 1938-1961, Einaudi / La Biblioteca di Repubblica - L'Espresso, 2007, pp. 381-400;
S. Contarini, Tra cecità e visione. Come leggere "Il mare non bagna Napoli" di Anna Maria Ortese, in "Chroniques italiennes" (edition web), n. 5 (gennaio 2004), Spécial concours 2003-2004 http://chroniquesitaliennes.univ-paris3.fr/PDF/Web5/Contarini.pdf;
G. Falaschi, «Cristo si è fermato a Eboli» di Carlo Levi, in Letteratura italiana. Le Opere, diretta da A. Asor Rosa, vol. IV, Il Novecento, tomo II La ricerca letteraria, Torino, Einaudi, pagg. 469-490;
V. Spinazzola, L'«esperienza intera» di Carlo Levi, in Id., La modernità letteraria, il Saggiatore / Fondazione Mondadori, pp. 265-292.
For difficult-to-find critical texts of Module 2, scans in pdf will be provided.
Program Module 1:
Brief history of the Southern Question
Bibliography and other didactic materials Module 1 for attending students
Attending students must prepare:
G. Pescosolido, La questione meridionale in breve. Centocinquant'anni di storia, Roma, Donzelli. .
Bibliography and other didactic materials Module 1 for non attending students
Non attending students must prepare two books among the following:
A. De Francesco, La palla al piede. Una storia del pregiudizio antimeridionale, Milano, Feltrinelli;
S. Lupo, La questione. Come liberare la questione del mezzogiorno dagli stereotipi, Roma, Donzelli;
G. Pescosolido, La questione meridionale in breve. Centocinquant'anni di storia, Roma, Donzelli.
Program Module 2:
The Southern Question in the fiction of the late Twentieth Century
Bibliography and other didactic materials Module 2 for attending students
Attending students must prepare:
Texts:
A. M. Ortese, Il mare non bagna Napoli, Milano, Adelphi;
C. Levi, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli, Torino, Einaudi.
Critical bibliography:
L. Clerici, «Il mare non bagna Napoli» di Anna Maria Ortese, in Letteratura italiana, diretta da A. Asor Rosa, vol. 16, Il secondo Novecento. Le opere 1938-1961, Einaudi / La Biblioteca di Repubblica - L'Espresso, 2007, pp. 381-400;
V. Spinazzola, L'«esperienza intera» di Carlo Levi, in Id., La modernità letteraria, il Saggiatore / Fondazione Mondadori, pp. 265-292.
Bibliography and other didactic materials Module 1 for non attending students
Non attending students must prepare:
Texts:
A. M. Ortese, Il mare non bagna Napoli, Milano, Adelphi;
C. Levi, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli, Torino, Einaudi.
Critical Bibliography:
L. Clerici, «Il mare non bagna Napoli» di Anna Maria Ortese, in Letteratura italiana, diretta da A. Asor Rosa, vol. 16, Il secondo Novecento. Le opere 1938-1961, Einaudi / La Biblioteca di Repubblica - L'Espresso, 2007, pp. 381-400;
S. Contarini, Tra cecità e visione. Come leggere "Il mare non bagna Napoli" di Anna Maria Ortese, in "Chroniques italiennes" (edition web), n. 5 (gennaio 2004), Spécial concours 2003-2004 http://chroniquesitaliennes.univ-paris3.fr/PDF/Web5/Contarini.pdf;
G. Falaschi, «Cristo si è fermato a Eboli» di Carlo Levi, in Letteratura italiana. Le Opere, diretta da A. Asor Rosa, vol. IV, Il Novecento, tomo II La ricerca letteraria, Torino, Einaudi, pagg. 469-490;
V. Spinazzola, L'«esperienza intera» di Carlo Levi, in Id., La modernità letteraria, il Saggiatore / Fondazione Mondadori, pp. 265-292.
For difficult-to-find critical texts of Module 2, scans in pdf will be provided.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral interview on the topics of the program, aimed at ascertaining knowledge of the main topics covered. Attending lessons is strongly recommended for better exam preparation. However, the program already includes supplements for students who could not attend.
There are no intermediate tests or exams with partial programs: students must present all the teaching units for the exam, without exception. Students must register through the appropriate links on the University website: only in this case can the exams be regularly recorded.
There are no intermediate tests or exams with partial programs: students must present all the teaching units for the exam, without exception. Students must register through the appropriate links on the University website: only in this case can the exams be regularly recorded.
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Turchetta Giovanni
Professor(s)