Unit information: Italian Memories of the 2nd World War in 2012/13

Unit name	Italian Memories of the 2nd World War
Unit code	ITAL20016
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Professor. Burdett
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Students must have an appropriate level of linguistic competence in Italian
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Italian
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit uses literary texts and film to explore the way in which various memories of the War have been formed in Italy, addressing issues such as testimony, the relation of memory to ethics and identity, and the relationship between memory and historiography.

Aims:

• To introduce students to a significant body of knowledge of a complexity appropriate to second year level. The content matter will normally include one or more of the following: literature; social, cultural or political history; linguistics; cultural studies; film, television or other media.

• To facilitate students’ engagement with a body of literature, including secondary literature, texts, including in non-print media, primary sources and ideas as a basis for their own analysis and development. Normally many or most of these sources will be in a language other than English and will enhance the development of their linguistic skills.

• To develop further skills of synthesis, analysis and independent research, building on the skills acquired in units at level C.

• Some options may prepare students for the experience of the Year Abroad.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Successful students will:

• be knowledgeable about a significant cultural, historical or linguistic subject related to the language they are studying;

• be skilled in the selection and synthesis of relevant material;

• be able to evaluate and analyse relevant material from a significant body of source materials, usually in a foreign language, at a high level;

• be able to respond to questions or problems by presenting their independent judgements in an appropriate style and at an high level of complexity;

• be able to transfer these skills to other working environments, including study at a foreign university and on work placements during the year abroad.

Teaching Information

Normally one lecture hour and one seminar hour per week across one teaching block (22 contact hours), often with student presentations. In units with a smaller number of students the lecture hour may be replaced by a second seminar or a workshop. Units involving film may require students to view films outside the timetabled contact hours.

Assessment Information

One of the following:

a) A written assignment of 2000 words and a two hour exam (50% each)

b) A written assignment of 2000 words (25%) and a three hour exam (75%)

c) Two written assignments of 2000 words (50% each)

d) One written assignment of 4000 words

e) One oral presentation (25%) and one written assignment of 2500 words (75%)

Reading and References

Set texts

(to be studied in the following order):

Roberto Rossellini, Roma città aperta, 1945 (film)

Italo Calvino, Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno (Einaudi, 2002)

Bernardo Bertolucci, Strategia del ragno, 1970 (film)

Laudomia Bonanni, La rappresagli (Textus, 2003)

Rosetta Loy, La parola ebreo (Einuadi, 1997)

Roberto Benigni, La vita è bella, 1998 (film)

Recommended reading:

Peitsch, H., Burdett, C. and C. Gorrara (eds), 'European Memories of the Second World War' (pbk), Berghahn Books, 1999.

Preparatory reading:

Paul Ginsborg, ‘Italy at War’ and ‘Resistance and Liberation’ in A History of Contemporary Italy (Penguin, 1990).

Christopher Duggan, ‘Italy in the Cold War Years and the Legacy of Fascism’ in Italy and the Cold War, eds. C. Duggan and C. Wagstaff (Berg, 1995).

Graham Bartram (ed.), Reconstructing the Past (Keele University Press, 1996).