HUM 350Italian Culture and Civilization

Instructor: Prof. Vincenzo Sellerie-mail: vselleri@york.cuny.edu

Prof. Vincenzo Selleri teaches Italian, Italian Cinema and Italian culture and Civilization in CUNY, SUNY and St John’s University.His main fields of interest include Modern Italian Jewish History, Italian Literature and Italian Cinema.

Course Description:What is Italy? Does an original Italian culture exist? How is the National Italian identity perceived abroad and by Italian Citizens? The course will try to answer these and other questions through the study of the unification of Italy, exploring and comparing regional identities, tracking the evolution of the standard Italian language, learning about the great literary and cinematic works that have influenced the Art of western civilizations. Topics will include fine arts, music, cinema, regional folklore and traditions, fashion, and gastronomy.

Required Textbooks: • None. All the reading material is available on

Blackboard under copyright law.

Recommended Textbooks: • Charles Killinger. Culture And Customs Of Italy,

Greenwood, 2005.• Charles L. Killinger, The history of Italy. Greenwood

2002.• Mario B. Mignone. Italy Today. Peter Lang. 2008

Course Objectives:

By the end of the semester, each student shall:• Shape and define a sincere but not

stereotypical picture of modern Italy• Provide a unified image of Italy but also

define its regional differences and varieties • Compare and contrast the representation of

Italy through its own history• Write short and long papers on the topics• Develop oral presentation skills • Use the Internet as resources for research on

all aspects of the course;• Use and cite bibliographies and other

research tools appropriate to the discipline;• To have knowledge of the most important

terminology and realia of the history and culture of Italy.

• To understand the current Italian society.• To be able to develop a vision on the new

developments in the Italian society.• To independently become acquainted with

some specific Italian cultural concepts.• To be able to control and collect information

through appropriate sources.• To realize the importance of a historical

framework.• To be able to structure and integrate gained

knowledge.• To be able to refer to history during the first

introduction to literature.

Attendance:

This is an ON-LINE course!Attendence will be evaluated in the form of your ACTIVE participation to the discussion forums included in every weekly module!Your posts will be evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively as explained in the rubrics.Please read the rubrics carefully before submitting your posts.

Assignments:

The students are responsible for studying the assigned material each week and to participate in the discussion forums before taking the weekly quizzes.

CULTURAL EVENT:

During the semester the students will have the opportunity of attending to the cultural events sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages at York College. News and updates regarding the events will be posted on Black Board.

Grading

The final grade will be calculated as follows: • Quizzes (12) _______________20%• Final Essay

_______________10% • Midterm _______________20%• Final exam

_______________20%• Discussion Board/participation

_______________30%

COURSE OUTLINE

• Week 1 • Introduction:• Italian Culture and Stereotypes• Quiz 1• Week 2 • The Unification of Italy• Different Italians. The South and the North of Italy. • Quiz 2

• Week 3 • The Italian national anthem.• The Italian flag. The emblem of the Italian Republic. • National Italian identity and the issue of language• Quiz 3

• Week 4 • Regions and Cities: National and regional traditions : Calabria• Quiz 4

• Week 5 • Regions and Cities: National and regional traditions : Puglia • Quiz 5

• Week 6 • Commedia dell’arte and the masks• Essay #1• Quiz 6

• Week 7

• mid-term exam

• Week 8• Calvino and the Italian fairytalesQuiz 7

• Week 9• Primo Levi and Italian Shoa Quiz 8

• Week 10 • The great scientists: Galieo Galilei Quiz 9

• Week 11 • The Italian Organized Crime• Essay #2 Quiz 10

• Week 12 -13• Migration, Immigration and Emigration• Cultural Report Quiz 11

• Week 14• Review• Final Exam

VOCAB

• Icebreaker: mandatory introductory test and presentation forum. Accessible from the side bar

• Weekly module: contains the weekly lesson• Assignments: Discussion Board and Quiz• Discussion Board: participative blog linked in the

weekly module or accessible from the side bar (content area). It’s graded!

• Quiz: weekly homework, linked in the weekly module. It’s graded!