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.
Professor Dolasinski
dole. a. shin. ski
I hold a PhD in Italian Studies and a minor in Gender Studies. My teaching and research interests center on twentieth and twenty-first century Italian culture, literature, and media. I am particularly interested in the topics of migration, aging, masculinity, and global hip-hop in Italy.
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In my free time I like to listen to podcasts on crime and browse online advice forums. My favorite American author is David Sedaris. I am a super fan of "The Office." I have a strong dependence on coffee and am a proud aunt to the world's cutest pug.
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