Reading and composition course based on works by Italians and foreigners about Italy and its culture and by Italians about their distinctive experiences of other cultures as tourists and emigrants. Works studied will be primarily chosen from among fiction and non fiction narratives, both originally in English and translated into it. R5A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition Requirement and R5B satisfies the second half.

“Home” is a familiar concept to all of us, but its definition is imprecise. It can refer to a physical place, but also an idea or even a feeling. For some, the home provides security, intimacy, and comfort, while for others it is a space of duty, hostility, or confinement. For others still, the singularity of “home” can be disorienting and destabilizing. In other words, “home” can affirm one’s sense of self, but it can also call it into question. In this course, we’ll explore the concept of the home through themes of family, domesticity, heritage, and homeland. Through works by Natalia Ginzburg, Elena Ferrante, Elio Vittorini, Igiaba Scego, Gaston Bachelard, Sara Ahmed, and others, we’ll examine questions of gender, space, migration, identity, and belonging to understand how Italian authors “write home.”

Requisites

• Satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing Requirement.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills