Italian

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale program. The course is intended for advanced level students only. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. This course discusses the conceptual grounds of the Universal claim in Roman culture, which are connected to political-military elements as well as to cultural and juridical patterns. The course examines elements of continuity and change in representations and auto-representations of the roman universal cosmic order within historiographical debate and will be able to critically assess the relevance of the theme in the actual organizational and political patterns. Students learn to apply a comparative approach to ancient sources and connect the roman idea of a Universal empire with other contemporary Universal empires, like e.g. Alexander the Great's empire or the Chinese Han dynasty’s Empire, as well as a diachronic approach, by considering how the notion of universal imperial rule has shaped the idea of international order after the end of Antiquity, from the Middle Ages to the present days. The course explores the reception of the historical experience of ancient Rome as a universal model, examining some aspects in which the influence of this historical experience was particularly significant.

The course focuses on the main connections between migration and learning processes, especially as they concern second generation immigrants; multicultural family models, with special attention to international adoption; developmental processes of children and adolescents with foreign origins (or internationally adopted); contemporary debates on multiculturalism and interculturalism. The course highlights: tools and strategies useful in planning training courses on intercultural education in extra-school contexts; the categorization processes related to the formation of stereotypes and prejudices; strategies for overcoming ethnic conflicts; historical, social, and cultural factors that lead to racist attitudes and behaviors. The first part of the course explores the main concepts and knowledge connected to multicultural societies. It aims to promote understanding and reflection on new possible approaches for active citizenship. The topics covered in the course are the following: globalization; multicultural societies and intercultural approach; stereotypes, prejudices, and the vocational approach; racism and cultural relativism; migration in the literature, the German and Italian case: a comparison; diversity, differences, valorization of differences; assimilation, segregation and integration; intercultural education: construction and evaluation of outside-school learning paths, conflict management. The topics are explained and discussed through traditional lectures and then the students are expected to develop the topics in which they are particularly interested through workgroups geared to the production of a multimedia presentation to be discussed and defended in class with the instructor and the other participants. students. The presentation is part of the final assessment. The second part of the course is tailored on the specific topics of this course and focuses on the pedagogical analysis of migration in the German and Italian cases.

This course is intended to develop the linguistic skills of students who have completed the first year of Italian. It reviews basic grammar structures with emphasis on exceptions; it enriches vocabulary, reading comprehension, and argumentative skills on different kinds of texts, improving comprehension and conversation through the discussion of contemporary issues proposed by the instructor. Students approach longer and more complex argumentative texts of which they are asked to identify the main points. They comment on articles or reports on contemporary issues in which authors express points of view and opinions. In oral tests and group discussions, students are asked to take a critical stance on given texts, debating pros and cons of different points of view. They also research various aspects of Italian daily life, interviewing Italian people and reporting back to the class. They can understand discussions on concrete and abstract topics and follow conversations between native speakers. All four abilities (writing, speaking, listening, reading) are developed, also with the support of authentic audiovisual materials such as Italian movies, short videos, tv programs, and songs. The course uses a communication-based approach: students engage in daily role-plays, group activities, games, and class discussions. Out of class activities are designed to take advantage of the opportunities for interaction and language practice, as well as immersion in Italian culture, that the city provides.

The aim of this course is to help students review and learn advanced structures of Italian grammar and vocabulary and to explore contemporary aspects of Italian culture. The course is strongly focused on communication: students learn the language they need to interact with Italian speakers in real-life situations. Students can understand a wide range of complex, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. They can express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for words expressions. They use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes, and they produce clear, well-structured, detailed texts on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors, and cohesive devices. Readings, homework, and in- and out-of-class activities are designed to help students expand their knowledge of Italian language and grammar. At this level, students are considered proficient users who can handle a wide range of elaborate ideas, and communicate fluently and spontaneously on personal, work-related and academic topics. They can demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of Italian culture within the broader framework of global perspectives in a multicultural world. All four abilities (writing, speaking, listening, reading) are developed, also with the support of authentic audiovisual materials such as Italian movies, short videos, tv programs, and songs. The course uses a communication-based approach: students engage in daily role-plays, group activities, games, and class discussions. Out of class activities are designed to take advantage of the opportunities for interaction and language practice, as well as immersion in Italian culture, that the city provides.

This course guides students through the history of Italian film, from its beginnings to the present day, using films shot in the Eternal City which has captured the minds of filmmakers for over a century. The course reviews the main currents and genres, from silent film to the “white telephone” films, from Neorealism to the Commedia all’italiana, from the great directors such as Roberto Rossellini, Mario Monicelli, Ettore Scola, Nanni Moretti, Cristina Comencini, and Paolo Sorrentino. Students watch these self-representations of Italians and their capital city to deepen their understanding of Italy and Italians, how they presented themselves to the world, what they were really like, and what they aspired to be. The lens of cinema allows students to understand the shifting cultural identity of Italy over the years, on both the local and global stage. Students experience the “Hollywood on the Tiber” first-hand by visiting the famous places where the films assigned to the course were made. Students participate on a special excursion to Rome’s world-famous Cinecittà studio, where some of the most famous films have been made by both national and international directors like Federico Fellini, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Sergio Leone, William Wyler, and Wes Anderson.