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Transnational Stories in Italy

Module Code: IT331
Module Name: Transnational Stories in Italy
Module Coordinator: Professor Jennifer Burns
Term 1
Module Credits: 15

Module Description

The module aims to enhance students' understanding of how mobility and immigration have shaped identities in Italy in recent decades. Students will develop a detailed knowledge of Italy’s history as a former colonial power and explore the impact of postcoloniality on national cultures. These questions will be explored in relation to Italy’s identity as a destination country in global migratory flows through an analysis of a selection of contemporary novels and short stories. The topics discussed will include the impact of displacement on subjectivity; the problematic notion of home; the memory of Italy’s colonial past; agency, intersectionality and voice; language and translation. The analysis of the texts will be informed by theories of personal, cultural, and national identity construction and students will develop an awareness of how terms such as transnationalism, postcolonialism, hybridity and multiculturalism can be applied to the Italian case.

This module will be open to all students across the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, including those who are not taking Italian language.

Core Texts

  • Shirin Ramzanali Fazel, Lontano da Mogadiscio (2017, 6th edition)
  • Amara Lakhous, Divorzio all’islamica a viale Marconi (2010)
  • Gabriella Ghermandi, Regina di fiori e di perle (2011)
Plus selected short stories from Jhumpa Lahiri, Racconti romani (2022) and Igiaba Scego, Future: Il domani narrato dalle voci di oggi (2019)

English translations of the core texts can be found in the Library via the Talis Aspire reading list. The anthology edited by Igiaba Scego is not available in English translation but we will look only at a small selection of short stories from it towards the end of the module and copies of those stories will be provided.

Assessment for 2024-25

1250 word policy document (30%)
2500 word essay (70%)

Professor Jennifer Burns

j dot e dot burns at warwick dot ac dot uk

Moodle

Additional materials/links

BBC Reith lectures: Kwame Anthony Appiah on 'Mistaken Identities': Colour, Creed, Country

Podcast: The Italian Files: Italian Colonialism: Horror in the Sun.