Italian
Intellectual and professional training for undergraduates interested in Italian and comparative European studies.
The Italian section of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers students the opportunity to study the language from an elementary level up to advanced composition and grammar. Not only will you have a profound understanding of the language, culture, and literature, but also the importance of cultural differences in how to see the world. With research and study abroad opportunities, you’ll gain valuable, hands-on experience.
CLASSES YOU MIGHT TAKE
Advanced Italian I
This is ideal for students specializing in international studies, medicine, psychology, and cognitive science. You’ll analyze authentic texts and audiovisual materials on topics including the history of the Sicilian mafia, mental health and the deinstitutionalization movement in Italy, Europe and Italy in the 1960s-1980s, the role of curiosity and amazement in scientific discovery and art, and intercultural differences around hilarity.
Italian Journeys: Medieval and Early Modern
What did life actually look like at Italian courts of the 1400 ‘s and 1500’s? We’ll reconstruct life at a Renaissance court through Italian history, literature, music and art of this period. The course will concentrate on historical, literary, and visual representations including modern film and television.
Italian Journeys: An Other Story
What does it mean to be “other,” and how can reading about experiences of otherness affect our understanding of historical moments? In this interdisciplinary survey of contemporary Italian literature, you’ll read through the lens of “the other” in order to highlight both the milieu of lived experiences (often lived by the authors themselves) outside of sociocultural ideals, and the role they play within modern Italian canon.
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