R5B, Section 101: Session D (July 5- August 12, 2016): The Making and Unmaking of Rome

TuWTh 3-5:30 | 235 Dwinelle | Instructor: Leslie Elwell

Units: 4

All Reading & Composition courses must be taken for a letter grade in order to fulfill this requirement for the Bachelor’s Degree. This course satisfies the second half or the “B” portion of the Reading and Composition requirement.

This summer, we’ll take a virtual tour of Italy’s capital as seen through the eyes of natives and foreigners alike. Drawing on fiction, film, poetry, and other cultural artifacts, we’ll approach the Eternal City not only as the static setting against which stories and histories unfold, but as a dynamic protagonist in its own right. “Rome” will therefore serve as a lens through which to consider broader questions related to Italian history, cultural identity, and our conceptualization of the city itself, as both a geographical reality and a space constructed by the imagination.

Since this is a Reading and Composition course, our primary goal is to develop and hone our skills as active readers and analytical writers. To this end, students will be expected to thoroughly read all assigned texts, attend class regularly, participate in class discussion, and complete a variety of written assignments.

Readings and viewings may include:
Augias. The Secrets of Rome
Selections from Stendhal, Goethe, James
Wharton, “Roman Fever”
Wyler, Roman Holiday
Du Bellay, “The Antiquities of Rome”
Lord Byron, “The Coliseum”
Auden, “The Fall of Rome”
Fellini, Roma
Moravia, Roman Tales, selections
Pasolini, Stories from the City of God, selections
Lakhous, Clash of Civilizations over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio
Scego, “Exmatriates”
Sorrentino, The Great Beauty