02609 - Contemporary Italian Literature (A-F)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student: has a non-abstract and non-manualistic awareness of the main lines of development of Italian literary culture from National Unity to the present day; knows how to apply appropriate methods of analysis to the literary text in prose and verse, distinguishing its relations with different linguistic, artistic and cultural traditions; is able to read the literary text as an open form, in dialogue with the ideological and social horizon of his time, against the background of the wider European context.

Course contents

Hybrid forms between literature and other media


The course explores the relationship between narrative and intermediality in contemporary Italian literature, particularly from the second half of the twentieth century to the present day. The analysis of literary production during this period shows how literary tradition is revisited, reconfigured and transfigured in texts that engage with a cultural production increasingly dominated by visual culture. The course therefore explores works that focus on the intersection between literature and other media (in particular, photography, painting and cinema) from an interdisciplinary and intercultural perspective.



The topics addressed during the course are: 1) literature and the visual arts 2) the gaze in literature 3) literature and intermediality 4) film adaptations 5) visual culture in postmodernity.

 

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Readings/Bibliography

The students have to read the following books:

 

Literary works:

• E. Vittorini, Conversazione in Sicilia, Bompiani 1941 (ora Bompiani 2025) o edizione illustrata Bompiani 1953 (ora Bompiani, 2007)
• D. Buzzati, Poema a fumetti, Mondadori 1969 (o qualsiasi edizione successiva)
• L. Sciascia, Todo modo, Einaudi 1974 (ora Adelphi, 1995 e successive ristampe)
• I. Calvino, Le città invisibili, Einaudi, 1972 (ora Mondadori, 2022)
• G. Celati, Verso la foce, Feltrinelli, 1989 (o edizioni successive)
• M. Mazzucco, Il museo del mondo, Einaudi 2014 (o nuova edizione 2017)
  

Critical essays:

• M. Cometa, La scrittura delle immagini, Milano, Raffaello Cortina, 2012 [only Chapter 1]
• G. Carrara, Storie a vista. Retorica e poetiche del fototesto, Mimesis 2020 [only Part 1]
• Forme ibride, a cura di Giuliana Benvenuti, Torino, Einaudi, 2025 [selected chapters]
  
• All teaching materials uploaded onto the VIRTUAL platform

 

Non-attending students add:

• Forme ibride, a cura di Giuliana Benvenuti, Torino, Einaudi, 2025 [integralmente]

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 attachment at least a week before the oral test.

The oral test consists in an oral interview to evaluating the critical and methodological ability of the students. The studentwill be invited to discuss the scheduled books. The student must demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the bibliography.

Students that have to take 6 CFU exam will arrange only the program of Modulo I or Modulo II and critical essays.

Assessment consists in an examination aiming to assess the knowledge and critical skills acquired by the candidate during the course.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

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 Filippo Milani