Investigation of major topics, genres, and authors in Italian literature and culture of the 20th century.

In dialogue with post-colonial theory, indigenous studies and global history, this seminar interrogates literary and philosophical texts in light of the current debate on the decolonization of knowledge and education. After tracing the Renaissance discourse about conquest and empire triggered by Columbus and the Iberian globalization, we’ll focus on the controversy around slavery and the dispossession of Indigenous people, considering how the Republic of Letters enabled and was at the same time produced by the violence of Euro-American colonialism. Readings will include both early modern authors (such as Columbus, Ariosto, Montaigne, Vico) as well as classics from critical theory (such as Arendt, Fanon, Said, Trouillot, Greenblatt, Subrahmanyam).

Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor.

Credit Restrictions

Students taking this course for 2 units do not write a final paper and may enroll in the course on a <satisfactory/unsatisfactory> basis.

Repeat Rules