Spring 2020

Section 1: M-F 9-10 | Dwinelle 106 | Instructor: Language Coordinator: Giuliana Perco

Section 2: MW 10-12, F 10-11 | MW: Kroeber 238 F: Hearst Gym 245 | Instructor: Language Coordinator: Giuliana Perco

Units: 5

Course conducted entirely in Italian.

Italian Studies 1 is for beginners and focuses on developing basic language skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) in Italian.

The course is taught in Italian. Italian, not English, will be spoken in class at all times; students will be exposed to authentic Italian material from films, songs, websites, and will have the opportunity to practice their listening and speaking skills on a daily basis. At the end of the semester, students will be able to use Italian to talk about themselves, their family, friends, and interests, as well as to describe present and past events in Italian and to converse with peers about their everyday life.

Course Requirements:
Five hours per week.
Weekly quizzes, a midterm, an oral exam, final project and a final.
Regular daily attendance is required.

Required texts:
Sentieri, 2nd edition, Julia M. Cozzarelli, Vista Higher Learning Publishing, 2015. Purchase textbook here: https://vistahigherlearning.com/school/ucberkeley
Webster’s New World Italian Dictionary Concise edition ISBN 9780139536397

Recommended texts:
English Grammar for Students of Italian, 3rd edition- S. Adorni, K Primorac. Olivia and Hill. ISBN 9780934034401

M-F 10-11 | Dwinelle 134 | Instructor: Annamaria Bellezza

Units: 5

Equivalent of Italian Studies 1 and 2 combined.

For native speakers of any Romance language and for students with college level 4 proficiency (or higher) in a Romance language (exceptions made with departmental consent).

This course is designed with the needs and strengths of native or proficient speakers of any Romance language in mind, so that the similarities between the languages can be used to promote specific learning paths. This is an intensive Italian language course, which combines two semesters in one, covering all the materials usually covered in Elementary Italian 1 and 2. The course provides an accelerated introduction to Italian, allowing students who successfully complete it to enroll in Intermediate Italian 3, gaining faster access to upper division courses. The general objectives are to provide students with the basic tools for oral and written communication in Italian, but also to offer them the opportunity to learn about Italian culture, to reflect on intercultural differences and similarities, and to become more aware ‘multilingual subjects’ in our plurilingual society.

Workload: This course meets 5 times per week and regular and continued attendance is mandatory. Due to the intensive nature of this course, students should plan to study one to two hours a day and be committed to a fast-paced learning environment.

Required Texts:

Sentieri, 2nd edition, Julia Cozzarelli. 2015. ISBN 978-1-62680-803-4 NB: including access to the “Supersite Plus” Purchase textbook here: https://vistahigherlearning.com/school/ucberkeley

M-F 10-11 | Dwinelle 106 | Instructor: Mara Mauri Jacobsen

Units: 5

Course conducted entirely in Italian.

This course is for students who have already a basic knowledge of Italian and want to continue the study of the language.

The course is taught in Italian. Italian, not English, will be spoken in class at all times, students will be exposed to authentic Italian material from films, songs, websites, and will have the opportunity to practice their listening and speaking skills on a daily basis. At the end of the semester, students will be able to use Italian to talk about their life, to describe present, past and future events, to give suggestions, to discuss their choices and opportunities. Students will be able to understand short dialogues, conversations, and clips from mainstream Italian films and to express their ideas both orally and in writing on a variety of topics.

Course Requirements: Five hours per week. Weekly quizzes, midterm, oral exam, final project and a final exam. Regular daily attendance is required.

Required texts:
Sentieri, 2nd edition, Julia M. Cozzarelli, Vista Higher Learning Publishing, 2015. Purchase textbook here: https://vistahigherlearning.com/school/ucberkeley

Webster’s New World Italian Dictionary Concise edition ISBN 9780139536397

Recommended texts:

English Grammar for Students of Italian, 3rd edition- S. Adorni, K Primorac. Olivia and Hill. ISBN 9780934034401

MWF 11-12 | Barrows 80 | Instructor: Language Coordinator: Giuliana Perco

Units: 5

Prerequisites: Italian 1 or placement exam. http://italian.berkeley.edu/undergraduate-program/language-study-and-placement/

MWF 9-10 | Dwinelle 250 | Instructor: Mara Mauri-Jacobsen

Units: 4

Course conducted entirely in Italian

In this course students will review and expand the grammar structures learned in the previous year. They will also be exposed to more examples of Italian culture through authentic materials such as short stories, newspaper articles, films, and plays. Students will continue to build on the skills acquired in Italian 2, striving for a higher level of sophistication and fluency in writing, reading, listening and speaking. Conducted in Italian.

Course Requirements:  3 hours per week. Weekly written assignments, a midterm, an oral presentation, and a final exam

Required texts:

Caleidoscopio, Daniela Bartalesi-Graf and Colleen Ryan, Pearson, 2015. ISBN-13: 978-0-205-25568-9

Webster’s New World Italian Dictionary Concise edition ISBN 9780139536397

Recommended texts:

English Grammar for Students of Italian, 3rd edition- S. Adorni, K Primorac. Olivia and Hill. ISBN 9780934034401

Webster’s New World Italian Dictionary Concise edition ISBN 9780139536397

Prerequisite:  Italian 2 at UCB or placement test.

Course cannot be repeated without prior consent from the language coordinator.

MWF 12-1 | Dwinelle 33 | Instructor: Annamaria Bellezza

Units: 4

In this course students will hone their language skills by reviewing and deepening their knowledge of vocabulary and grammar structures learned in the previous three semesters. they will learn to appreciate Italian culture through authentic materials such as articles, interviews, shorts stories, excerpts from novels, films, and plays. Students will continue to build on the work done in Italian 3, striving for a higher level of sophistication and fluency in writing, reading, and speaking. Readings will be more complex and will cover a wider range of topics. Conducted in Italian.

Course Requirements:  3 hours per week. Weekly written assignments, 3 short essays, a midterm, an oral presentation, and a final exam

Required texts:

Caleidoscopio, Daniela Bartalesi-Graf and Colleen Ryan, Pearson, 2015. ISBN-13: 978-0-205-25568-9

Recommended texts:

Webster’s New World Italian Dictionary Concise edition ISBN 9780139536397

Prerequisite:  Italian 3 at UCB or placement test.

Course cannot be repeated without prior consent from the language coordinator.

MWF 8-9 | Dwinelle 187 | Instructor: Matthew Mason

Units: 4

This course invites critical thinking about voyages of homecoming in literary texts. We will begin by discussing how narratives of departure and return structure our everyday lives and notions of identity and place. As we read texts that foreground the homecoming of people and objects, we will focus on how home, family, elders, and memory are grounded or uprooted by journeys to and from origins. We will inquire how literary closure and endings are structured by patterns of return, and account for homecomings that forge new origins or leave them behind. Beginning with the genre of the `romance epic’ we will read selections of Homer’s Odyssey and compare it with its partner poem, the Iliad. We will then read passages from romances that follow in the wake of the Odyssey and respond to its themes: journeys of loss and discovery, such as the Argonautica and the Aeneid, medieval travel narratives like Il Milione, even passages from James Joyce’s modern prose epic, Ulysses. Along the way we will read from Dante Alighieri’s Inferno and Purgatorio, novellas by Giovanni Boccaccio, excerpts from a cycle of Renaissance poems about the knight Orlando, and a novel by Italo Calvino, Il cavaliere inesistente. Finally, we will watch clips of films by Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni that capture voyages and returns on the screen.

This course is primarily designed to prepare student for critical thinking, reading, and writing at a college level. Assignments include three argumentative essays that increase in length with drafts, smaller written assignments that prepare us for discussion, and careful reflections on the readings as journal entries.

All readings are in English and provided in a digital format.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

TuTh 8-9:30 | Wheeler 126 | Instructor: Kristen Keach

Units: 4

Venice, Florence, and Rome are three cities widely known and revered throughout the world. Why have these cities flourished over the centuries? What is it about Venice, Florence, and Rome that has inspired poets, artists, and philosophers? Come travel through time to explore three of Italy’s most renowned, beautiful, and lively cities as we discuss art, culture, and literature beginning in the Early Modern Period and transitioning to present day. Enjoy traversing the animated canals of Venice, visiting the artistic mecca of Florence, and discovering the monumental capital of Rome as we analyze and examine these cities through a cultural, historical, and literary context. Each text will call into question the cultural identity of these cities and ask how are these places represented throughout literature? What is problematic about a representation of the city from an outsider’s perspective compared to a native’s eyes? Most importantly, why is it significant to understand the city from multiple points of view and how do these various constructs influence our understanding of Venice, Florence, and Rome? During this course we will read texts by a wide variety of authors including William Shakespeare, Veronica Franco, Niccolò Machiavelli, E.M. Forster, and Amara Lakhous.

By the end of the semester, we will have a better understanding of these cities’ history, art, society, and literature. In this writing-intensive course, you will use your critical reflections on the texts as starting points for developing three papers. To achieve this goal, we will work with a series of brainstorming assignments, drafts, in-class workshops, peer reviews, and revisions. In addition, you will also complete shorter weekly reading responses and assignments devoted to specific elements of essay writing.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list

MWF 8-9 | Dwinelle 83 | Instructor: Rachel Cook

Units: 4

What do you experience when you walk through a city? And how do writers grapple with the thrills, disappointments, and contradictions of urban life? In this course, we’ll read different accounts of walking in urban settings to understand how the pedestrian gives and finds meaning in cities. We’ll ask questions like: how does the practice of walking help us make sense of ourselves and the space around us? how can physical experiences make and produce places? how does walking shape our experience of the metropolis? Readings will include texts by Italo Calvino, Giorgio Bassani, Anna Maria Ortese, Elena Ferrante, Teju Cole, and others.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list

TuTh 8-9:30 | Dwinelle 83 | Instructor: Nicole Trigg

Units: 4

Our course is interested in the rudimentary question: how do we relate to one another? Among many answers, family is prominent. In this class, we read literature and film drawn from contemporary Italian and U.S. American cultural production for representations and complications of family and family structure. Informed by intersectional feminist scholarship, we read representations of family across differences of gender, race, class, and citizenship. Students participate as active learners and pursue research agendas of their choosing, informed by our close readings of fiction and film. 

Readings selected from: Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Natalia Ginzburg’s The Dry Heart, Nanni Balestrini’s Sandokan, Michela Murgia’s Accabadora, Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend. Films may include: Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Mamma Roma, Michelangelo Antonioni’s Red Desert, Ettore Scola’s Ugly, Dirty and Bad, Luca Guadagnino’s I Am Love, Emmanuele Crialese’s Terraferma, Barry Jenkin’s If Beale Street Could Talk In addition, we will read selections from relevant critical and theoretical texts. 

This writing-intensive course fulfills the second half of the Reading and Composition requirement. We will hone our skills in close reading, critical thinking and research, peer review, and clear, effective writing to craft compelling literary essays. Assignments will include weekly writing exercises, several papers of varying length, and one more substantial research paper. All readings are in English and students from all majors are welcome.

Prerequisite: R&C-A or equivalent.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

TuTh 8-9:30 | Wheeler 24 | Instructor: Zachary Bekowies

Units: 4

Fascism is a hot topic these days, but what exactly does it mean? It certainly evokes a variety of powerful images – hate, authoritarianism, intolerance, populism, white supremacy – to name but a few. Despite the ubiquity of the word itself, however, few people know that its origins can be traced to interwar Italy and the Italian word fascio, referring to the Ancient Roman fasces, and that Benito Mussolini’s two-decade-long regime (1922-1943) was, in fact, the world’s first fascist dictatorship. From bloody colonial wars to attempts at crafting a race of new, perfected, ‘modern’ Italians to his pervasive cult of personality, Mussolini’s power and image were virtually inescapable throughout the fascist Ventennio– he truly was the face of fascism.

So what does ‘fascism’ mean, then? Is it a descriptor for a specific historical regime or can it be applied more broadly? In this course we’ll seek to probe this and other related questions, such as: what characterizes fascism? What makes something ‘fascist?’ Can we (or, should we) speak of different types of ‘fascisms?’ What was life like under Italian fascism? How did an Italian fascist think? Or, put differently, how did fascism represent itself? What did it seek to accomplish? And did it succeed? We shall find that, for most of these questions, the answers are far from straightforward.

Focusing on (though not exclusively) the Italian case, we will delve into and analyze works by such figures as Giorgio Bassani, Emilio Gentile, Roger Griffin, Marla Stone, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Benito Mussolini himself. Our approach will lead us to engage with a wide range of texts and materials, including films and novels about life under fascism, fascist doctrine, propaganda, speeches, and scholarly essays on fascism as a political, cultural, and social system. By the semester’s conclusion, students will have a solid understanding of the complexities surrounding the term, both in its historically-contextualized use and in its more contemporary applications.

Evaluation in the form of two lengthy papers (+revisions) and numerous smaller writing exercises will provide students with the opportunities to think both critically and comparatively about the materials discussed in class and to present their own original syntheses. Students will be particularly encouraged to draw from their own observations of the contemporary political climate and the return of the ‘strongman,’ as well as from other authoritarian contexts, whether historical or present, with which they might be familiar.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

MWF 8-9 | Dwinelle 228 | Instructor: Emily Rabiner

Units: 4

In the popular imagination, Italy is the land of fashion and Vespas, pasta and wine, sunshine and romance. Yet it has also been the site of tales of terror, ranging from 18th-century Gothic novels to contemporary horror films. In this course, we will analyze literary texts and films that feature labyrinthine catacombs, mad scientists, ancient Roman vampires, Renaissance ghosts, ballerina-witches, and more. Through the study of such materials, we will seek to reconcile this darkness with Italy’s sunny side and to understand what these macabre depictions might reveal about Italy’s complex past.

This course fulfills the second half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and its primary purpose is to prepare you for college-level work through the development of critical reading, writing, and research skills. In addition to producing polished, final drafts of essays, you will write preliminary drafts and numerous close readings, and you will participate in regular in-class writing workshops. After completing this course, you should have an analytical toolkit that allows you to analyze primary and secondary texts, draft research-based essays in clear and elegant academic prose, and provide your peers with constructive feedback on written assignments.

One of our major goals in this class is to reflect on who we are as writers, how we present our ideas, and how we can gain a sense of pride in both the writing process and the product. To that end, all activities – formal and exploratory writing, active reading, peer feedback, classroom discussion, etc. – are designed to encourage awareness and reflection in the cultivation of our academic voices.

Required Texts to be purchased (available at campus bookstore or online):

Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014) ISBN 9780198704447

Ann Radcliffe, A Sicilian Romance (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008) ISBN 9780199537396

Additional texts and course reader information to be announced.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

MWF 9-10 | Dwinelle 263 | Instructor: Danielle Callegari

Units: 4

From the incessant chewing of Dante’s Count Ugolino on his arch-nemesis’ head in Inferno to Dacia Maraini’s twentieth-century poem “Devour me too,” the most famous Italian authors have persistently turned to food in their writing. If a gastronomic theme seems like an obvious choice to attract readers, the truth is that representations of food often contain complex and profound messages that go far beyond taste. Departing from a variety of texts and films that span from the classical to the contemporary, we’ll work to understand how food is used in literature to express everything from religious faith to political strategy to social values. Our goal will be to interpret and interrogate the sources, in an effort to understand how Italian authors have used the universal familiarity and direct intimacy of food to communicate with their audiences, and to determine how we can use similar tactics to become stronger and more effective communicators ourselves.

Required Texts:

All texts and materials will be provided in digital format.

Course Objectives and Requirements:

This course fulfills the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement. Our primary goal is to develop and hone our skills as active, critical 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 all written assignments and revisions. 

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

MWF 12-1 | Dwinelle 262 | Instructor: Emily Rabiner

Units: 4

In the popular imagination, Italy is the land of fashion and Vespas, pasta and wine, sunshine and romance. Yet it has also been the site of tales of terror, ranging from 18th-century Gothic novels to contemporary horror films. In this course, we will analyze literary texts and films that feature labyrinthine catacombs, mad scientists, ancient Roman vampires, Renaissance ghosts, ballerina-witches, and more. Through the study of such materials, we will seek to reconcile this darkness with Italy’s sunny side and to understand what these macabre depictions might reveal about Italy’s complex past.

This course fulfills the second half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and its primary purpose is to prepare you for college-level work through the development of critical reading, writing, and research skills. In addition to producing polished, final drafts of essays, you will write preliminary drafts and numerous close readings, and you will participate in regular in-class writing workshops. After completing this course, you should have an analytical toolkit that allows you to analyze primary and secondary texts, draft research-based essays in clear and elegant academic prose, and provide your peers with constructive feedback on written assignments.

One of our major goals in this class is to reflect on who we are as writers, how we present our ideas, and how we can gain a sense of pride in both the writing process and the product. To that end, all activities – formal and exploratory writing, active reading, peer feedback, classroom discussion, etc. – are designed to encourage awareness and reflection in the cultivation of our academic voices.

Required Texts to be purchased (available at campus bookstore or online):

Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014) ISBN 9780198704447

Ann Radcliffe, A Sicilian Romance (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008) ISBN 9780199537396

Additional texts and course reader information to be announced.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

TuTh 8-9:30 | Wheeler 124 | Instructor: Stanley Levers

Units: 4

What is allegory? Most of us know it as an age-old device used in religious texts, literary works, and childhood stories: in the Old Testament’s Song of Songs, the love between Solomon and his bride is an allegory for God’s love; in Orwell’s Animal Farm the different animals are allegories for competing human political forms; in Aesop’s fable, the Tortoise and the Hare are allegories for Patience and Haste, respectively. But allegories can be found elsewhere in human life: other people can “represent” things to us, psychologically; an event can “represent” a turning point in the history of a country. And places themselves can be allegories: in this course we will consider Rome, the “Eternal City,” as an allegory over the centuries. We will look at what Rome has represented to different people, how its allegorical significance has been conveyed over time. We will consider a variety of texts and films, from Virgil’s Aeneid to Morante’s History to the twentieth-century representations of Rome by Italian directors like Rossellini, Pasolini, and Sorrentino. Along the way we will explore how Rome-as-allegory might be a template for other cities as allegories, and consider broader theoretical questions about how allegory is employed. At every turn, the course will stress the techniques of academic writing: how to structure an essay, revise a draft, and edit paragraphs and sentences.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

TuTh 11-12:30 | Wheeler 104 | Instructor: Stanley Levers

Units: 4

Existentialism: that twentieth-century intellectual and artistic mode that many associate with ennui-filled French philosophers in black turtlenecks, or with disaffected German salesmen waking up as giant bugs. Existentialism marks the shift from modern to postmodern in Europe, the Anglo-American world, and elsewhere, the first wave of disorientation as previous forms of life (religious beliefs, philosophical frameworks, political ideals) were suddenly experienced as vacuous in the wake of two devastating world wars. Many might be unaware of the forms of existentialism that arose in Italy: overshadowed by the likes of Kafka, Sartre, and Camus, Italian authors and filmmakers nonetheless brought their own fascinating take on the existential crisis. In this class we will read books by authors like Pirandello, Svevo, Moravia, and Vittorini, and look at films by directors such as De Sica and Antonioni. We will investigate what existentialism means in general, and what special aspects are found in its Italian manifestations. At every turn, the course will stress the techniques of academic writing: how to structure an essay, revise a draft, and edit paragraphs and sentences.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

MW 1-2 | Moffitt 102 | Instructor: Danielle Callegari

Units: 3 Satisfies L&S Arts & Literature or Philosophy & Values breadth requirement.

An austere ancient authority, a smitten teenage lover, a prophet, an embezzler, a national icon, an unapologetic heretic, a mercenary, and the only truly great poet to have ever lived: Dante has been called many things in the seven hundred years since he began writing, and he continues to attract the interest of a wildly diverse group of readers and commentators. In his medieval masterpiece, the Divine Comedy, Dante irreversibly transformed literary language and perhaps even the way in which our current consciousness perceives the universe. Yet, Dante was also a product of his time, and his work is a reflection and response to the rich and diverse culture of Italian peninsula in the late Middle Ages. Our goal will be to bring Dante’s world to life, reconstructing the diverse and complicated space and the people and objects that influenced Dante, and that continue to make him accessible to modern readers.

Preparation & Expectations:
Students should feel comfortable reading and analyzing poetry independently and to have a strong writing style and composition skills. A knowledge of Italian is not required but students who have experience in Italian are encouraged to engage with the original text. Attendance is mandatory and energetic participation is strongly encouraged

Students should be prepared to read approximately 6-7 cantos and their accompanying notes each week, as well as studying 2-3 selections from further primary and critical sources. In addition to preparing all required readings in advance of lecture and participating enthusiastically in class, students will be asked to prepare a comment or question each week based on the topics discussed in lecture to facilitate debate in Friday discussion sessions. There will be three written exams during the course in addition to a final paper.

Required Texts:
The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri. Edited and translated by Robert Durling. Introduction and Notes by Robert Durling and Ronald Martinez. 3 vols. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996-2013. [Paperback and e-book versions available]

All further required primary and critical materials will be made available electronically on the class bCourses site.

Taught in English with readings in English. No knowledge of Italian language is required for this course, but students who have experience in Italian are encouraged to engage with the original text.

TuTh 12:30-2 | Dwinelle 229 | Instructor: Diego Pirillo

Units: 4 Satisfies L&S Arts & Literature breadth requirement.

TuTh 2-3:30 | Barrows 151 | Instructor: Laura Ruberto

Units: 4 Satisfies L&S Arts & Literature breadth requirement.

This course takes a look at some of the dramatic, ironic, and comedic films about Italian ethnic identity. Studying films from the silent era to the present, we will consider how filmmakers represent an Italian identity outside of Italy. Our approach to these films will be on the interplay between cinematic style/formal structure and narrative/representation. Our study will mostly focus on examples from Italy and the United States (given the wealth of examples from those two national cinematic traditions) but we will also consider film from other parts of the Italian diaspora (e.g., Argentina, Switzerland). Films we will consider include: The Black Hand, Emigrantes, Rocco and His Brothers, Wild is the Wind, A View from the Bridge, Mafioso, The Godfather, Bread and Chocolate, True Love, Big Night, Mean Streets, Goodfellas, My Cousin Vinny, Do the Right Thing, Lamerica, Nuovomondo (Golden Door), My Name is Tanino, and The True Legend of Tony Vilar.

Required Reading: All required reading materials will be provided in digital format. All readings are in English. No knowledge of Italian is required.

TuTh 9:30-11 | Dwinelle 6331 | Instructor: Giuliana Perco

Units: 4 Satisfies L&S International Studies breadth requirement.

Taught in Italian.
Required of majors and minors.

The purpose of this course is to help students at an advanced level of competence in Italian strengthen and refine their writing skills, by expanding their vocabulary, and experimenting with more complex grammatical structures. Emphasis is given on refining writing skills through a process of writing, reviewing and re-writing.
You will be exposed to texts from a variety of different genres and writing styles (newspaper and magazine articles, essays, personal narratives, etc.) focusing on relevant topics in Italian culture and society. Grammar will be reviewed in the context of the texts and genres analyzed.

This course is writing intensive. You will write several different types of texts of different length and purpose: letters, film reviews, personal narratives, argumentative texts, etc. You will also review your peers’ work and have your own work read and commented by your peers. Re-writing will be required for most of the texts you’ll create for this class. At the end of the semester you will have created a portfolio of about 20-30 pages in Italian.

The course is entirely and exclusively taught in Italian.

Prerequisites: Italian Studies 4 at UCB or proficiency placement.

Please contact Dr. Giuliana Perco if you have questions regarding placement in this course: gperco@berkeley.edu.

MWF 1-2 | Dwinelle B-4 | Instructor: Annamaria Bellezza

Units: 4 Satisfies L&S Arts & Literature breadth requirement.

In this course we analyze, interpret, adapt, and perform a variety of Italian texts, both dramatic and comedic. Students will gain a deeper appreciation for the power of the spoken word, and a deeper understanding of the creative process and the inner life of a character from page to stage, while learning about the socio-political dimensions of these texts. Emphasis on oral expression, pronunciation, enunciation, and memorization will further students’ self-confidence in speaking. A unique collaborative experience, a journey of self-discovery, and a reflection on the ambiguities of life.

TuTh 11-12:30 | Dwinelle 6331 | Instructor: Mia Fuller

Units: 4 Satisfies L&S Historical Studies breadth requirement.

Introduction to the historical development of Italian culture from the Middle Ages to the present, with an emphasis on critical analysis of literary and visual texts in relation to the politics and societies of the Italian peninsula, and an ultimate goal of advancing students’ Italian linguistic and critical skills. A modular course co-taught by Italian Studies faculty members with different disciplinary backgrounds, Italian Studies 105 provides continuity within the diversity of approaches adopted and objects of study under examination. The city serves as the prism through which we will view cultural objects and historical moments in the history of the Italian peninsula, including the rise of city states and political theory in early modern Florence; the importance of the papacy and the flowering of the visual arts in Renaissance and Baroque Rome and Venice; the beginnings of revolution and the southern question as viewed from Naples; and the colonial period as viewed from Asmara, capital of modern Italy’s former colony (1890-1941), Eritrea.

Three faculty members teach this course. One of them is the lead faculty member (Professor Mia Fuller), who teaches the first and last weeks of the class as well the first and the last last of the three-week modules, and attends classes during the semester to ensure continuity and consistency. The other two are Professors Diego Pirillo and Barbara Spackman. The sequence and topics of the four modules are as follows: 

Weeks 2 – 4 (Fuller): 14th-16th centuries, Florence and Siena

Weeks 5 – 7 (Pirillo): 15th-18th centuries, Venice

Weeks 8 – 10 (Spackman): 19th-21st centuries, Naples and the Southern Question

Weeks 11 – 13 (Fuller): 19th-21st centuries, colonial and postcolonial Italian cities

The course is taught exclusively in Italian, with primary and secondary readings in Italian and English. Short written assignments (300 words) in Italian will be due weekly, and discussion in class will be lively. The final assignment will be a long paper (2500 words) also written in Italian. 

Course goals 

• You will gain an overview of eight centuries of Italian culture in its physical, historical and political contexts;

• You will be exposed to different disciplinary approaches, including anthropology, urban studies, intellectual history, literary study, and the history of art;

• You will advance your writing, speaking, and reading skills in Italian;

• You will develop a final paper project in collaboration with a faculty member, and write a research paper in Italian by the end of the semester.

Prerequisites 

Italian 101 and consent of instructor.

Tu 1-4 | Dwinelle 4125A | Instructor: Deborah Blocker

Units: 4

This seminar comparatively investigates the major learned academies of early modern France, Italy and Spain (1500-1800), focusing specifically on their contributions to the development and study of vernacular languages, as well as as on their efforts to define and disseminate new understandings of what we now call “literature”.

Early modern academies were institutions assembling a group of individuals desirous to engage in practices of learning, outside of a university setting.  Some of these sodalities were heavily institutionalized, others were informal.  Some were large, public and mostly subservient to political or religious power.  Others were small, private and subversive.  Their discussions focused on anything from music to physics or theology. But, in many of them, inquiries on language, rhetoric and poetics (i.e. “literary theory”) constituted a central preoccupation.  Given these interests, and the fact that many of these institutions received princely protection, learned academies also played an important in the development of the early modern state — and in that of representations of nationhood more generally.  Yet, academic networks, discourses and ideas also spread rapidly across borders, especially in the south of Europe, contributing to the rapid internationalization of new understandings of both language and literature.

In this seminar, we will investigate the social, political and institutional history several of the most important of these academic institutions by reading both primary and secondary sources, with the aim of better understanding both their social practices and their intellectual productions.  In the process, students will be introduced to the study of rare books and manuscripts produced within these institutions.  In particular, we will ask how examining the materiality of these academic productions could help us better understand why and how linguistics and literary criticism began to emerge in the early modern period.  We will also discuss the question of the extent to which the discursive practices and scholarly paradigms originally developed within early modern academies might continue to shape linguistic, literary and cultural studies to this day.

This seminar is designed for graduate students in the Romance Languages and Literatures (RLL) doctoral program.  It is however also suitable for students in the D. E. in Renaissance and Early Modern Studies (REMS), especially those interested in social history, the history of the book and manuscript studies, literary history, the history of science and the history of ideas.

Texts to be determined.

Additional Information: 

Knowledge of at least one Romance language (French, Italian or Spanish) is preferable but not compulsory. English will be the main language of the secondary readings, but students in the RLL track will be expected to work through a variety of both primary and secondary sources in French, Italian and Spanish. Specific reading arrangements can be made for students not enrolled in the RLL track. If you are not sure whether this seminar would work well for you or would like to discuss special reading arrangements and/or the possibility of auditing the class, please contact the instructor at dblocker@berkeley.edu.

Th 2-5 | Dwinelle 6331 | Instructor: Diego Pirillo

Units: 2 or 4

Between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, European scholars envisioned themselves in-habiting an ‘imagined community’, a “Republic of Letters”, that transcended political and religious divisions and was bound together by the common desire to advance and spread knowledge. Modern scholars have variously described the “Republic of Letters” as the age of generalists and polymaths, who mastered ancient languages no less than mathematics and astronomy (Anthony Grafton), or rather as the “the age of eloquence,” when the recovery of ancient rhetoric promoted by Petrarch and Erasmus transformed and unified European culture (Marc Fumaroli). More recently, the new interest in social networks and digital humanities has led scholars to call for “a new Republic of Letters” and to investigate the impact of information technology on the study of texts and cultural memory, areas traditionally dominated by humanist scholars (Jerome McGann).

In our seminar we will explore the “Republic of Letters” from its emergence during the Renaissance to its consolidation and crisis throughout the Counter-Reformation and the Enlightenment. In addition to a rich selection of texts from the Italian canon (including Aldo Manuzio, Galilei, Sarpi, Matteo Ricci, Elisabetta Caminer, Cesare Beccaria, Pietro Verri) we will also read a series of European authors who visited Italy or had a special influence on its intellectual life (Erasmus, Montaigne, Milton, Pierre Bayle, Diderot and D’Alembert). By reading early modern texts we will also investigate the different means of communication through which knowledge travelled across time and space, examining how books interacted and coexisted with letters and journals within the same ‘information order’. Finally, the selected sources will also lead us to ex-plore and question different methodologies (digital humanities, global history, newspaper and media studies, urban history, women’s studies, history of science) that are used today in early modern studies. Several classes will be held at the Bancroft Library to introduce students to the study of early printed books and to the rich collections available on the Berkeley campus.

M 2-5 | Dwinelle 6331 | Instructor: Laura Ruberto

Units: 2 or 4

Colloquium is required of first year students who take it for a grade.

Colloquium is optional for post-first-year students, who take it S/U.

Introduction to important aspects of the professional field of Italian Studies. The course will alternate between two types of events. First, attendance at and active participation in departmental colloquia offered by visiting speakers, by UCB faculty, and by department graduate students presenting their dissertation prospectuses. Second, workshops on a variety of topics fundamental to the effective practice of professional scholarship in Italian Studies.

Course Requirements: Students are expected to attend and participate regularly at all events. There are no writing requirements.

Required Books: none

Th 5-8 | Dwinelle 219 | Instructor: Mia Fuller

Units: 2

May be taken for 2 or 4 units

The IS 302 practicum is a continuation of IS 375 and provides further training in the teaching of Italian as a foreign language. It is required to all GSIs teaching an Italian language course. Each semester the practicum focuses on concrete didactic issues (i.e. teaching with technology in Spring and Fall 2016; teaching students with learning disabilities in Fall 2015). Its purpose is to support and help GSIs to develop a repertoire of teaching techniques and to meet a variety of teaching situations.

Prerequisites: GSI status in the Department of Italian Studies.

F 2-5 | Dwinelle 6331 | Instructor: Giuliana Perco

Units: 2-4

Required of Italian Studies department GSIs teaching R5A or R5B.

May be taken for 2 or 4 units

Course may be repeated for credit. Three hours of classroom teaching per week with regular faculty supervision; attendance at faculty lectures where appropriate; routine meetings to discuss and evaluate teaching methods, including lecturing, discussion, classroom activities, grading and testing, design of syllabi and course materials. Must be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Prerequisites: GSI status in the Department of Italian Studies.

Day/Time TBD | Dwinelle 6315 | Instructor: Mia Fuller

Units: 2 or 4