Cultures of the United States I
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide advanced tools for the framing of the fundamental discursive strategies of U.S. cultural production and representation in the relevant spatial-temporal context and through the lens of the diversity of identity belonging (broadly defined as race, ethnicity, gender, social class, migratory status).
The course aims to provide students with the knowledge, methodological tools of analysis and conceptual categories necessary for the in-depth reading, contextualization, analysis and critical understanding of the texts addressed and related to the crucial narratives of U.S. culture in literary, historical, political, sociological, media and environmental contexts. It also aims, through class discussion, to promote the capacity for argumentative critical debate both as a tool for better understanding of texts and critical issues and as a goal in itself.
The course aims to provide students with the knowledge, methodological tools of analysis and conceptual categories necessary for the in-depth reading, contextualization, analysis and critical understanding of the texts addressed and related to the crucial narratives of U.S. culture in literary, historical, political, sociological, media and environmental contexts. It also aims, through class discussion, to promote the capacity for argumentative critical debate both as a tool for better understanding of texts and critical issues and as a goal in itself.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will be required to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the historical, social and cultural contexts of the major U.S. narratives from the 1700s through contemporary times. Students must demonstrate mastery of the formal and thematic features of the texts under study, the historical and cultural issues addressed, and the categories of theoretical and conceptual reflection analyzed in the course. Therefore, they must be able to critically analyze and interpret the texts, place them in relation to their historical and cultural context, and reflect on their forms and modes of representation, demonstrating the ability to construct a rigorous, original and methodologically aware critical argumentation, supported by textual evidence and theoretical reflections, and to do so in critically appropriate English - both written and oral.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Course Title: Cultural Representations of New York City
Description
This course explores the cultural representations of New York City through a selection of literary texts, films, and graphic novels. It aims to provide students with critical tools to analyze how the city has been imagined and narrated across different historical periods and artistic forms.
Syllabus Status: Provisional
Unit 1: 1624-1910s
Introduction to American culture and identity and the American City
History of New Amsterdam-New York
E.A. Poe, "The Man of the Crowd" (1830)
H. Melville, "Bartleby the Scrivener" (1853)
Film: M. Scorsese, Gangs of New York (2002)
Photography: J. Riis, How the Other Half Lives (1890)
Unit 2: 1920s-1940s
The Roaring Twenties and The Great Depression
F. S. Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (1925)
H. Roth, Call It Sleep (1934)
D. Parker, "From the Diary of a New York Lady" (1933)
R. Ellison, Prologue to Invisible Man (1952)
Graphic novel: W. Eisner, A Contract with God (1978)
Photography: Lewis Hine, Photographs of the Empire State Building (1935)
Unit 3: 1950s-2001
From the Cold War to 9/11
G. Paley, "The Loudest Voice" (1959)
J. Didion, "Sentimental Journeys" (1991)
Graphic novel: A. Spiegelman, In the Shadow of No Tower (2002)
Film: S. Lee, Do the Right Thing (1989)
Description
This course explores the cultural representations of New York City through a selection of literary texts, films, and graphic novels. It aims to provide students with critical tools to analyze how the city has been imagined and narrated across different historical periods and artistic forms.
Syllabus Status: Provisional
Unit 1: 1624-1910s
Introduction to American culture and identity and the American City
History of New Amsterdam-New York
E.A. Poe, "The Man of the Crowd" (1830)
H. Melville, "Bartleby the Scrivener" (1853)
Film: M. Scorsese, Gangs of New York (2002)
Photography: J. Riis, How the Other Half Lives (1890)
Unit 2: 1920s-1940s
The Roaring Twenties and The Great Depression
F. S. Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (1925)
H. Roth, Call It Sleep (1934)
D. Parker, "From the Diary of a New York Lady" (1933)
R. Ellison, Prologue to Invisible Man (1952)
Graphic novel: W. Eisner, A Contract with God (1978)
Photography: Lewis Hine, Photographs of the Empire State Building (1935)
Unit 3: 1950s-2001
From the Cold War to 9/11
G. Paley, "The Loudest Voice" (1959)
J. Didion, "Sentimental Journeys" (1991)
Graphic novel: A. Spiegelman, In the Shadow of No Tower (2002)
Film: S. Lee, Do the Right Thing (1989)
Prerequisites for admission
Students are expected to be able to read and understand complex texts in English and to articulate a critical opinion on the proposed content, also demonstrating solid methodological competence.
Teaching methods
The course combines lectures and seminar-style discussions. Guest speakers may be invited to present on specific topics.
Teaching Resources
Required primary texts
Novels (any edition)
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (1925)
Henry Roth, Call It Sleep (1934)
Short Stories and other texts (available online)
E. A. Poe, "The Man of the Crowd" (1840)
Herman Melville, "Bartleby the Scrivener" (1853)
Dorothy Parker, "From the Diary of a New York Lady" (1933)
Ralph Ellison, "Prologue" Invisible Man (1952)
Grace Paley, "The Loudest Voice" (1959)
Joan Didion, "New York: Sentimental Journeys" (1991)
Optional texts
Graphic novels
Will Eisner, A contract with God (1978)
Art Spiegelman, In the Shadow of No Towers (2002)
Films
Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York (2002)
Spike Lee, Do the Right Thing (1989)
Required critical bibliography
Chapters
Select 12 chapters from the list below based on your interests. All entries are available in digital forms at (Minerva, Open Access) https://sba.unimi.it/
Selections must be listed in a document to be presented at the oral exam.
Access materials via https://sba.unimi.it/ promptly, as access agreements may expire.
· The Cambridge Companion to the Literature of New York, eds. Cyrus R. K. Patell & B. Waterman (Cambridge UP, 2010)
o Ch. 4: T. Augst, "Melville, at Sea in the City"
o Ch. 9: E. Homberger, "Immigrants, Politics, and the Popular Cultures of Tolerance"
o Ch. 11: T. Davis, "African American Literary Movements"
o Any other chapter of interest
· Activist New York: A History of People, Protest, Politics, ed. Steven H. Jaffe (NYU Press, 2018)
o Ch. 8-13 (topics include labor, suffrage, Harlem activism, Cold War, Civil Rights movements)
· New York, Jill S. Gross & Hank V. Savitch (Cambridge UP, 2023)
o Ch. 5: "Neighborhoods, Diversification, and Gentrification in the Megacity"
· Hollywood on the Hudson, Richard Koszarski (Rutgers UP, 2008)
o Introduction
· City That Never Sleeps, ed. Murray Pomerance (Rutgers UP, 2007)
o P. J. Massood, "From Mean Streets to Gangs of New York"
o D. Sterritt, "He Cuts Heads: Spike Lee and the New York Experience"
o Any other chapter of interest
· Handbook of Comics and Graphic Narratives, eds. S. Domsch et al. (De Gruyter, 2021)
o Ch. 20: "Will Eisner: A Contract with God"
· The Cambridge Companion to F. Scott Fitzgerald, ed. Michael Nowlin (Cambridge UP, 2023)
o Ch. 4: S. Churchwell, "The Modern Old Master"
· The Cambridge Companion to F. Scott Fitzgerald, ed. Ruth Prigozy (Cambridge UP, 2006)
o Ch. 5: R. Berman, "The Great Gatsby and the Twenties"
· Handbook of the American Novel of the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries, ed. Timo Mueller (De Gruyter, 2017)
o Andrew S. Gross, "F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925"
· Novels for Students, Gale
o Call It Sleep, pp. 22-50
· New Essays on Call It Sleep, ed. Hana Wirth-Nesher (Cambridge UP, 1996)
o Any essay
Optional Critical Bibliography
· George J. Lankevich, New York City: A Short History (NYU Press, 2002)
· Bruce Burgett, Glenn Hendler, eds, Keywords for American Cultural Studies (NYU Press, 2020), Open Access via https://sba.unimi.it/
Additional Requirements for Non-Attending Students
In addition to the required texts and critical bibliography, non-attending students must read one of the following novels (any edition):
· Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence (1920)
· Paul Auster, City of Glass (1985)
Novels (any edition)
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (1925)
Henry Roth, Call It Sleep (1934)
Short Stories and other texts (available online)
E. A. Poe, "The Man of the Crowd" (1840)
Herman Melville, "Bartleby the Scrivener" (1853)
Dorothy Parker, "From the Diary of a New York Lady" (1933)
Ralph Ellison, "Prologue" Invisible Man (1952)
Grace Paley, "The Loudest Voice" (1959)
Joan Didion, "New York: Sentimental Journeys" (1991)
Optional texts
Graphic novels
Will Eisner, A contract with God (1978)
Art Spiegelman, In the Shadow of No Towers (2002)
Films
Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York (2002)
Spike Lee, Do the Right Thing (1989)
Required critical bibliography
Chapters
Select 12 chapters from the list below based on your interests. All entries are available in digital forms at (Minerva, Open Access) https://sba.unimi.it/
Selections must be listed in a document to be presented at the oral exam.
Access materials via https://sba.unimi.it/ promptly, as access agreements may expire.
· The Cambridge Companion to the Literature of New York, eds. Cyrus R. K. Patell & B. Waterman (Cambridge UP, 2010)
o Ch. 4: T. Augst, "Melville, at Sea in the City"
o Ch. 9: E. Homberger, "Immigrants, Politics, and the Popular Cultures of Tolerance"
o Ch. 11: T. Davis, "African American Literary Movements"
o Any other chapter of interest
· Activist New York: A History of People, Protest, Politics, ed. Steven H. Jaffe (NYU Press, 2018)
o Ch. 8-13 (topics include labor, suffrage, Harlem activism, Cold War, Civil Rights movements)
· New York, Jill S. Gross & Hank V. Savitch (Cambridge UP, 2023)
o Ch. 5: "Neighborhoods, Diversification, and Gentrification in the Megacity"
· Hollywood on the Hudson, Richard Koszarski (Rutgers UP, 2008)
o Introduction
· City That Never Sleeps, ed. Murray Pomerance (Rutgers UP, 2007)
o P. J. Massood, "From Mean Streets to Gangs of New York"
o D. Sterritt, "He Cuts Heads: Spike Lee and the New York Experience"
o Any other chapter of interest
· Handbook of Comics and Graphic Narratives, eds. S. Domsch et al. (De Gruyter, 2021)
o Ch. 20: "Will Eisner: A Contract with God"
· The Cambridge Companion to F. Scott Fitzgerald, ed. Michael Nowlin (Cambridge UP, 2023)
o Ch. 4: S. Churchwell, "The Modern Old Master"
· The Cambridge Companion to F. Scott Fitzgerald, ed. Ruth Prigozy (Cambridge UP, 2006)
o Ch. 5: R. Berman, "The Great Gatsby and the Twenties"
· Handbook of the American Novel of the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries, ed. Timo Mueller (De Gruyter, 2017)
o Andrew S. Gross, "F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925"
· Novels for Students, Gale
o Call It Sleep, pp. 22-50
· New Essays on Call It Sleep, ed. Hana Wirth-Nesher (Cambridge UP, 1996)
o Any essay
Optional Critical Bibliography
· George J. Lankevich, New York City: A Short History (NYU Press, 2002)
· Bruce Burgett, Glenn Hendler, eds, Keywords for American Cultural Studies (NYU Press, 2020), Open Access via https://sba.unimi.it/
Additional Requirements for Non-Attending Students
In addition to the required texts and critical bibliography, non-attending students must read one of the following novels (any edition):
· Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence (1920)
· Paul Auster, City of Glass (1985)
Assessment methods and Criteria
· Attending Students:
May take a midterm test after Unit 1. If passed, Unit 1 will be excluded from the final oral exam. The midterm consists of two open-ended written questions and contributes to the final grade.
· Non-Attending Students & Others:
Final oral examination covering all required materials.
May take a midterm test after Unit 1. If passed, Unit 1 will be excluded from the final oral exam. The midterm consists of two open-ended written questions and contributes to the final grade.
· Non-Attending Students & Others:
Final oral examination covering all required materials.
L-LIN/11 - ANGLO - AMERICAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Scarpino Cinzia
Professor(s)