02609 - Contemporary Italian Literature (G-N)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student: has a non-abstract and non-manualistic awareness of the main lines of development of Italian literary culture from National Unity to the present day; knows how to apply appropriate methods of analysis to the literary text in prose and verse, distinguishing its relations with different linguistic, artistic and cultural traditions; is able to read the literary text as an open form, in dialogue with the ideological and social horizon of his time, against the background of the wider European context.

Course contents

Course title: The vanishing of working class and intellectuals (II)

This Italian contemporary literature class offers an insight into one of the most important cultural transformations in late 20th-early 21st century Italy, i.e. the relationship between work and its literary representation. Most notably, in 60s social figures such as workers and intellectuals had a recognized role in Italian society of the time, holding a variably antagonist, contesting, potentially progressist function. Over the years, these figures have been marginalized and mostly silenced by cultural transformations in Italy. Since the 80s, the country gave up to consumerism and started heavy reactionary politics. During the so-called Second Republic era (1994-nowadays), the country’s atmosphere has been growing more and more hostile towards culture in general and has been opposing any struggle for both civil and working rights. Intellectuals and workers (especially when these two figures crossed each other) started confronting such state of affairs. Relevantly, this transformation and consequent growing precariousness in both jobs market and intellectual scene have been tracked down by literature in many peculiar ways. This class aims to highlight the variety of this literary production.

 

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Readings/Bibliography

Literary texts:

Students will fully read in italian three of the following books (one from each part):

Testi letterari:

PART I - Fifties and Sixties:

a) Ottiero Ottieri, Donnarumma all'assalto (1959) nuova edizione, Milano, Utopia, 2023

b) Lucio Mastronardi, Il maestro di Vigevano (1962) Torino, Einaudi

c) Luciano Bianciardi, La vita agra (1962), Milano, Feltrinelli

d) Goffredo Parise, Il padrone (1965), Milano, Adelphi

PART II - Seventies:

a) Nanni Balestrini, Vogliamo tutto (1971), Roma, DeriveApprodi

b) Gavino Ledda, Padre padrone. L'educazione di un pastore, Milano, Feltrinelli 1975

c) Tommaso Di Ciaula, Tuta blu (1978), Edizioni Alegre, 2022

d) Rossana Rossanda, La ragazza del secolo scorso, Torino, Einaudi, 2020

PART III - Nineties and XXI Century:

a) Alberto Prunetti, Amianto. Una storia operaria, nuova edizione, Feltrinelli, 2023

b) Antonio Pascale, Ritorno alla città distratta, Torino, Einaudi 2009

c) Michela Murgia, Il mondo deve sapere, Torino, Einaudi, 2018

d) Alessandro Leogrande, Fumo sulla città, prefazione di N. Lagioia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2022

 

Critical essays:

Given the great breadth and variety of the bibliographies on all the authors in the program, precise indications regarding critical texts or essays to accompany the reading will be provided by the professor in class and, when possible, essays will be uploaded onto "Virtual".

 

Students who cannot attend the course will also read: Fabbrica di carta. I libri che raccontano l'Italia industriale, a cura di G. Bigatti e G. Lupo, Bari, Laterza, 2013.

Most of the books in this bibliography are available at Libreria Ubik – via Irnerio 27, or can also be found in the FICLIT Library, the BDU Library, the BUB Library: please check the National OPAC website (www.sbn.it) or the Polo Bolognese OPAC website (https://sol.unibo.it).

Teaching methods

The professor will hold 30 lectures of 2 hours each. Discussion will be encouraged immediately after.

Timetable:

Tuesday 3,00 - 5, 00 P.M. (Aula Cruciani, Palazzo Marescotti)

Wednesday 11,00 A.M - 1.00 P.M (Aula Cruciani, Palazzo Marescotti)

Friday 1,00 P.M. - 3.00 P.M. (Aula Cruciani, Palazzo Marescotti)

Lessons begins on II semester

Assessment methods

The written test consists in a paper (5-7 standard pages, approximately 10.000/14.000 keystrokes, characters including spaces) about one or more arguments of the course. The paper must be previuosly approved by the teacher and must be send with an e-mail atttachment at least 10 days before the oral test.
The oral test consists in an oral interview which has the aim of evaluating the critical and methodological ability of the students. The students will be invited to discuss the tests on the course programme. The student must demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the bibliography in the course programme. Those students who are able to demonstrate a wide and systematic understanding of the issues covered during the lessons, are able to use these critically and who master the field-specific language of the discipline will be given a mark of excellence.
Those students who demonstrate a mnemonic knowledge of the subject with a more superficial analytical ability and ability to synthesize, a correct command of the language but not always appropriate, will be given a ‘fair' mark. A superficial knowledge and understanding of the material, a scarce analytical and expressive ability that is not always appropriate will be rewarded with a pass mark or just above a pass mark.

 

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Video projector, PC, overhead projector, eventually slides and notes from the lessons.

Office hours

See the website of Luigi Weber