30125 - Comparative Literatures (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course aims to strengthen in students the awareness of the specificity of literary language, both as an expression of collective and individual imaginary and as a lens for interpreting reality. This awareness is acquired primarily through the knowledge of the methodologies of literary inquiry, and the ability to use them in the reading of individual works. The course promotes as well a notion of literature as a transnational phenomenon, and thus the ability to compare different languages, traditions and socio-cultural contexts. Students will especially be able (i) to explore rhetorical techniques and themes in a cross-cultural manner, and to grasp analogies and discontinuities on both the historical and geographical levels; (ii) to compare literary language with other forms of expression such as visual arts, cinema, theater, and music; (iii) to identify different domains of cultural production, such as “high” literature, popular literature etc. The course also aims to stimulate critical independent thought on literary and, more broadly, cultural phenomena.

Course contents

TOPIC 

THE PHOTO-TEXT: THEORY AND PRACTICE OF A HYBRID GENRE

What is called the “photo-text” constitutes a hybrid genre not only because it combines two different media—literature and photography—within a single support, generally a book. It is also hybrid because its roots lie in diverse traditions and histories—literature, photography, and 20th-century art—and because the photography-text combination has been employed in very different genres, forms, and projects: fiction, autobiography, the essay, and social investigation, or has sometimes straddled the line between one textual category and another. Through a selection of works spanning from the 1930s to the 2000s, the course aims to highlight these diverse traditions and explore the multiple identities of the phototext, as well as its growing relevance in contemporary culture.

 Timing of the course: first semester (Novembrer-December 2024).

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

LITERARY TEXTS

André Breton, Nadja (1928), Einaudi

Elio Vittorini, Conversazione in Sicilia (1941, 1953), Bompiani

John Berger, Jean Mohr, Un uomo fortunato (1967), Il Saggiatore

Sophie Calle, Storie vere (1994, 2023), Contrasto

Annie Ernaux, Marc Marie, L’uso della foto (2005), L’orma

 

CRITICAL TEXTS

Roland Barthes, La camera chiara, Einaudi

Giuseppe Carrara, Storie a vista, Carocci (only the first part, pp. 7-214)

Silvia Bordini, Photobook, Immagine di un’immagine, Postmedia

Walter Benjamin, Piccola storia della fotografia, Skira

 

Teaching methods

This 30 hours course is based on the reading, analysis and discussion of literary and non-literary texts. During classes, students will be invited to take an active part in the course, by formulating questions and giving their own insights.
Further downloadable materials in support of the lessons such as digital images, power point presentations and readings will be uploaded on the Moodle Unibo Virtuale during the course.

Assessment methods

The abilities acquired during the course will be evaluated through an oral test aimed at ascertaining a deep knowledge of all the topics covered during the course. The oral test consists in an interview aimed at evaluating the students' critical and methodological skills. Students will be invited to discuss the texts in the reading list and comment on them. Therefore students must demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the recommended reading list.

Students who are able to demonstrate a wide and systematic understanding of the issues covered during the course, to tackle them critically, and who master the critical jargon of the discipline will be given a mark of excellence. Students who demonstrate a mere mnemonic knowledge of the subject together with a more superficial analytical ability to synthesize, a correct command of the critical jargon but not always appropriate, will be given a ‘fair' mark. A superficial knowledge and understanding of the course topics, a scarce analytical and expressive ability will be rewarded with a pass mark or just above a pass mark. Students who demonstrate gaps in their knowledge of the main topics, inappropriate language skills, lack of familiarity with the syllabus reading list will not be given a pass mark.

Office hours

See the website of Donata Meneghelli