Italian Culture for Foreign Students Ii
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
Through this course, students who have already passed the "Italian Culture for Foreign Students I" exam will be provided with a more extensive knowledge of cultural developments in Italy during the 20th and 21st century.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students are expected to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the peculiarities of Italian culture, being able to autonomously read, understand and interpret texts included in the syllabus.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
The course is divided into two didactic units.
Didactic Unit I studies the literary representation of Naples, particularly in the post-World War II period, highlighting the long-term contrast between an idyllic, stereotypical, and touristic image on one side, and a harsh economic and social reality of poverty and violence on the other. Readings will include the memorable essay by Domenico Rea, Le due Napoli, which opens a counter-tradition of deliberate demystification, as well as Rea's atypical but now classic stories (Spaccanapoli, 1947) and Annamaria Ortese's (Il mare non bagna Napoli, 1953).
Didactic Unit II analyzes the history and characteristics of emigration from Italy and towards Italy, focusing on a series of female voices: a novel that addresses the theme of Italian emigration to America in the early twentieth century (Vita, 2003, by M. Mazzucco) and a collection of stories centered on the theme of the integration of foreigners into the Italian peninsula (Pecore nere, 2005).
Didactic Unit I studies the literary representation of Naples, particularly in the post-World War II period, highlighting the long-term contrast between an idyllic, stereotypical, and touristic image on one side, and a harsh economic and social reality of poverty and violence on the other. Readings will include the memorable essay by Domenico Rea, Le due Napoli, which opens a counter-tradition of deliberate demystification, as well as Rea's atypical but now classic stories (Spaccanapoli, 1947) and Annamaria Ortese's (Il mare non bagna Napoli, 1953).
Didactic Unit II analyzes the history and characteristics of emigration from Italy and towards Italy, focusing on a series of female voices: a novel that addresses the theme of Italian emigration to America in the early twentieth century (Vita, 2003, by M. Mazzucco) and a collection of stories centered on the theme of the integration of foreigners into the Italian peninsula (Pecore nere, 2005).
Prerequisites for admission
Students must have an excellent knowledge of the Italian language (expected level B2 / C1) and a good awareness of the main characteristics of Italian history and culture.
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons. Combination of historiographical, sociological and literary investigation.
Teaching Resources
Unit 1. "Le due Napoli": Myth and Anti-Myth of the Capital of the South
For attending students:
They will prepare their notes taken during lessons and the following texts:
D. Rea, Le due Napoli, Dante & Descartes, Naples, or in D. Rea, Opere, edited with an introductory essay by F. Durante and a writing by R. Guarini, Mondadori, Milan, pp. 1333-1351;
D. Rea, Spaccanapoli, Bompiani, Milan (stories: La Segnorina, L'Americano, I capricci della febbre, Mazza e panelle);
A. Ortese, Il mare non bagna Napoli, Adelphi, Milan (stories: Un paio di occhiali, Oro a Forcella, La città involontaria).
Critical bibliography:
A. Carbone, "L'avantesto di Le due Napoli" and "Spaccanapoli," in L'indomabile furore. Sondaggi su Domenico Rea, Liguori, Naples, pp. 15-40;
L. Clerici, "Il mare non bagna Napoli" by Anna Maria Ortese, in Letteratura italiana, directed by A. Asor Rosa, vol. 16, Il secondo Novecento. Le opere 1938-1961, Einaudi / La Biblioteca di Repubblica - L'Espresso, 2007, pp. 381-400.
For non-attending students:
In addition to the texts and bibliography listed above, they will prepare the following studies, which will be made available on Ariel at the beginning of the course:
A. Di Consoli, Le due Napoli, in Le due Napoli di Domenico Rea, Unicopli, Milan, pp. 68-80;
S. Contarini, "Tra cecità e visione. Come leggere Il mare non bagna Napoli di Anna Maria Ortese," in Chroniques italiennes (web edition), no. 5 (January 2004), Spécial concours 2003-2004 (http://chroniquesitaliennes.univ-paris3.fr/PDF/Web5/Contarini.pdf).
Unit 2. Emigration and Immigration in Italy
For attending students:
They will prepare their notes taken during lessons and the following texts:
M. Mazzucco, Vita, Einaudi, Turin;
G. Kuruvilla, I. Mubiayi, I. Scego, L. Wadia, Pecore nere, Laterza, Rome-Bari.
Critical bibliography:
P. Audenino, M. Tirabassi, Migrazioni italiane. Storia e storie dall'Ancien régime a oggi, Bruno Mondadori, Milan, pp. 21-38, 67-77.
For non-attending students:
In addition to the texts and bibliography listed above, they will prepare the following studies, which will be made available on Ariel at the beginning of the course:
F. Baldasso, New York come archivio della rimozione: "Vita" di Melania Mazzucco e l'epopea dell'emigrazione italiana, in «Scritture migranti», 3, 2009, pp. 1-15; M. Sheikholislami, La ricer-ca dell'identità nell'antologia "Pecore Nere", in «Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies» (Teheran), 2018, pp. 87-99.
For attending students:
They will prepare their notes taken during lessons and the following texts:
D. Rea, Le due Napoli, Dante & Descartes, Naples, or in D. Rea, Opere, edited with an introductory essay by F. Durante and a writing by R. Guarini, Mondadori, Milan, pp. 1333-1351;
D. Rea, Spaccanapoli, Bompiani, Milan (stories: La Segnorina, L'Americano, I capricci della febbre, Mazza e panelle);
A. Ortese, Il mare non bagna Napoli, Adelphi, Milan (stories: Un paio di occhiali, Oro a Forcella, La città involontaria).
Critical bibliography:
A. Carbone, "L'avantesto di Le due Napoli" and "Spaccanapoli," in L'indomabile furore. Sondaggi su Domenico Rea, Liguori, Naples, pp. 15-40;
L. Clerici, "Il mare non bagna Napoli" by Anna Maria Ortese, in Letteratura italiana, directed by A. Asor Rosa, vol. 16, Il secondo Novecento. Le opere 1938-1961, Einaudi / La Biblioteca di Repubblica - L'Espresso, 2007, pp. 381-400.
For non-attending students:
In addition to the texts and bibliography listed above, they will prepare the following studies, which will be made available on Ariel at the beginning of the course:
A. Di Consoli, Le due Napoli, in Le due Napoli di Domenico Rea, Unicopli, Milan, pp. 68-80;
S. Contarini, "Tra cecità e visione. Come leggere Il mare non bagna Napoli di Anna Maria Ortese," in Chroniques italiennes (web edition), no. 5 (January 2004), Spécial concours 2003-2004 (http://chroniquesitaliennes.univ-paris3.fr/PDF/Web5/Contarini.pdf).
Unit 2. Emigration and Immigration in Italy
For attending students:
They will prepare their notes taken during lessons and the following texts:
M. Mazzucco, Vita, Einaudi, Turin;
G. Kuruvilla, I. Mubiayi, I. Scego, L. Wadia, Pecore nere, Laterza, Rome-Bari.
Critical bibliography:
P. Audenino, M. Tirabassi, Migrazioni italiane. Storia e storie dall'Ancien régime a oggi, Bruno Mondadori, Milan, pp. 21-38, 67-77.
For non-attending students:
In addition to the texts and bibliography listed above, they will prepare the following studies, which will be made available on Ariel at the beginning of the course:
F. Baldasso, New York come archivio della rimozione: "Vita" di Melania Mazzucco e l'epopea dell'emigrazione italiana, in «Scritture migranti», 3, 2009, pp. 1-15; M. Sheikholislami, La ricer-ca dell'identità nell'antologia "Pecore Nere", in «Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies» (Teheran), 2018, pp. 87-99.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral interview on the topics covered in the program, aimed at assessing knowledge of the main themes discussed and, in particular, the acquisition of fundamental notions related to Italy's cultural and literary identity. Attending classes is highly recommended for better exam preparation. The program already includes updates for students who may not be able to attend.
There are no intermediate tests or exams with partial syllabi: students must present all the didactic units during the exam, without exceptions. Students must register through the appropriate links on the university's website; only in this way will the exams be properly recorded.
There are no intermediate tests or exams with partial syllabi: students must present all the didactic units during the exam, without exceptions. Students must register through the appropriate links on the university's website; only in this way will the exams be properly recorded.
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professors:
Novelli Mauro Giacomo, Turchetta Giovanni
Professor(s)