02609 - Contemporary Italian Literature (A-F)

Course contents

Literature and visual art from second half of the 20th century to nowadays.

 

The duration of the course is ten weeks (60 hours of lesson). The aim of the course is an introduction to the italian narrative from the second half of the 20th century to nowadays. During the course we will increase the knowledge of individual authors developing a comparative reading of the texts in the programme. The course will focus on the techniques that imaginative writers use to articulate local and global dimensions and on the relationships between novel and new media.

Readings/Bibliography

The students have to read the following books:

I modulo:

Giancarlo De Cataldo, Romanzo criminale, Einaudi, 2002

R. Saviano, Gomorra, Mondadori, 2006

M. Carlotto, Igort, Alligatore. Dimmi che non vuoi morire, Coconino Press 2011

 

II modulo:

E. Vittorini, Conversazione in Sicilia, edizione illustrata, Bompiani, 1953, ora Bompiani, 2007 (o Mondadori, 2012)

I. Calvino, Gli amori difficili, Einaudi, 1970; ora Mondadori, 2017

G. Celati, Verso la foce, Feltrinelli, 1989

The students have to read the following critical essays:

Roberto Rossi ed Elena Zagaglia, Il graphic novel, in Stefano Calabrese (a cura di), Narrare al tempo della globalizzazione, Carocci, 2016 (cap. 7)

Giuliana Benvenuti, Il brand Gomorra, Il Mulino, 2017

Andrea Pinotti e Antonio Somaini, Cultura visuale. Immagini sguardi media dispositivi, Einaudi, 2016 (solo il I capitolo, pp. 3-66)

Teaching methods

Lessons, class discussion, active participation in class, videos, power points, movies.

Assessment methods

The written test consists - only for non-italian students - in a paper (8-10 pages) about one or more arguments of the course. The paper must be previuosly approved by the teacher and must be send with an e-mail atttachment at least 10 days before the oral test.

The oral test consists in an oral interview which has the aim of evaluating the critical and methodological ability of the students. The students will be invited to discuss the tests on the course programme. The student must demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the bibliography in the course programme. Those students who are able to demonstrate a wide and systematic understanding of the issues covered during the lessons, are able to use these critically and who master the field-specific language of the discipline will be given a mark of excellence.
Those students who demonstrate a mnemonic knowledge of the subject with a more superficial analytical ability and ability to synthesize, a correct command of the language but not always appropriate, will be given a ‘fair' mark. A superficial knowledge and understanding of the material, a scarce analytical and expressive ability that is not always appropriate will be rewarded with a pass mark or just above a pass mark.

Teaching tools

In addition to lectures, held by the teacher, audiovisual tools will be used to support the teaching. Students will also be invited to bring a significant contribution to enreach the issues upon which the course focuses.

Office hours

See the website of Giuliana Benvenuti

See the website of Filippo Milani