Topics in Italian Culture and Literature (349-0-20)

Instructors

Diego Lazzarich

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-410: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

War has played a central role in Italian culture and intellectual history across different historical periods. Italian unification, World War I, Fascism, colonial expansion, World War II, and the Cold War were all accompanied by specific war cultures with distinct political and cultural values. What role did music play in disseminating these values? How did it contribute to fostering mass participation in the war effort? What is the ideological link between song lyrics and political thought? This course aims to analyze war discourses produced in Italy between the 19th and 20th centuries and the political role of music in engaging and mobilizing the masses. To answer these questions, we will study the political thought of these eras to provide a theoretical framework necessary for interpreting war songs within their specific context. Through this lens, we will analyze song lyrics not just as artistic expressions, but as vehicles of precise political ideas. Propaganda images will also be considered to complement the analysis of the political message. By listening to musical pieces and analyzing their lyrics as primary sources, students will learn about the cultural construction of war and its impact on - and re-signification by - the masses.

Class Materials (Required)

All course materials will be provided on Canvas.

Class Notes

Course will be taught in Italian and English.

Class Attributes

Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline