What does it mean to be Italian in 2020? How do young adults, the aging, members of the LGBTQ community, second-generation Italians and immigrants negotiate and construct their identities in Italy today? More specifically, what are the personal histories of these individuals and groups in a nation where ideologies of an imagined homogeneity persist, yet day-to-day, lived experiences shore up visions of a “modern,” multifaceted Italy?
Building on these questions, this course will examine the increasing presence, participation, and visibility of traditionally marginalized persons in Italy. Following a historical introduction that gives context to the Unification and subsequent nation-building projects in Italy, the course draws on an archive of interdisciplinary texts of multiple mediums (visual, auditory, etc.) to illustrate conventions, trends, and exceptions of be(com)ing Italian in 2020.
FILMS
WORK & THE ECONOMY
Human Capital (Paolo Virzì, 2014)
31 August
see the English language trailer here
​
​
​
​
I Can Quit Whenever I Want (Sydney Sibilia, 2013)
7 September
see the English language trailer here
​
​
​
Quo vado? (Gennaro Nunziante, 2016)
​
14 September
see the English language trailer here
​
ORGANIZED CRIME & OUTLAWS
Gomorra (Matteo Garrone, 2008)
​
21 September
see the English language trailer here
​
Piranhas (Claudio Giovannesi, 2019)
​
28 September
see the English language trailer here
​
MIGRANTS & SECOND-GENERATION ITALIANS
Terraferma (Emanuele Crialese, 2011)
​
5 October
see the trailer here
​
​
The Unknown Woman (Giuseppe Tornatore, 2006)
​
19 October
see the English language trailer here
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Bangla (Phaim Bhuiyan, 2019)
​
26 October
see the trailer here
​
QUEER IDENTITIES
Call Me by Your Name (Luca Guadagnino, 2017)
​
2 November
see the English language trailer here
​
​
Io e lei (Me, Myself and Her, Maria Sole Tognazzi, 2015)
​
9 November
see the English language trailer here
​
Season 2 of "SKAM Italia" (TIMvision, 2018)
​
16 November
see the English language trailer here
​
​
​
​
​