Modern Italy                                                                                                                    510:360

Verbrugghe                                                                                                              Armitage 106

Spring, 2006                                                                                                 MW 1:20-2:40 P.M.

 

Syllabus

 

Required Readings Available at the Bookstore:

            The Risorgimento and the Unification of Italy, Beales and Bingini ISBN 0582369586 = Beales

            Italy: From Revolution to Republic, 1700 to the Present, Spencer di Scala ISBN 0-8133-3469-1 = di Scala

            Levi, Christ Stopped at Eboli ISBN 0-0374503168

            Di Lampedusa, The Leopard ISBN 0-0679731210

 

Films to Be Discussed:

The Leopard (Gattopardo), directed by Luchino Visconti

A Special Day (Una Giornata Particolare), directed by Ettore Scola

Christ Stopped at Eboli (Cristo si é fermato a Eboli), directed by Francesco Rosi

La Dolce Vita, directed by Federico Fellini

Bread and Chocolate (Pane e Cioccolata), directed by Franco Brusati

 

Reference Works that may be of help and interest:

Dictionary of Modern Italian History, ed. Frank J. Coppa, REF DG545.D53 1985

Modern Italian History: an annotated Bibliography, ed. Frank J. Coppa, REF DG545 C67 1990

Italy in the Twentieth Century, Charles F. Delzell, REF DG566.D44

International Historical Statistics: Europe 1750–1988, R.D. Mitchell, REF HA1107.MS1992

 

Basis for the Determination of Final Grade:

            A number grade will be given for the two papers and their class presentations, for a mid–term examination, and a final examination. The first paper and class presentation will be worth 15% of the final grade, the second paper and class presentation will be worth 30% of the final grade, the mid–term examination will be worth 20% of the final grade, and the final examination will be worth 35% of the final grade. The resulting number grade will have the following letter grade correspondence:

                                100 - 90   = A

                                  89 - 80   = B

                                  79 - 70   = C

                                  69 - 60   = D

                                  59 -   0   = F

 

Our Papers

            I have created a mailing list for our course, Modern_Italy_2006@rams.rutgers.edu . We, each of us upon registration for this class, are automatically subscribed to this list. Class communications, announcements, discussions, etc., can be carried on this list. Most important, you will post your papers to the list, so all of us will have had a chance to read each other’s paper before each of us will present for discussion his or her paper to the class. Length, subject matter, etc. of each paper are given on the last pages of this syllabus

 

Office Hours

            I will be available for consultation or questions every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, between 7:30 and 9:00 A.M. in my office, Armitage 313. If these times are inconvenient, we can arrange another mutually agreed upon time. My office phone number is 225–6075. The easiest way to get in contact with me, however, is to send an e- message to me at Verbrugg@Crab.Rutgers.Edu; please put “Modern Italy” in the heading to alert me. My personal home page, which contains links to view this syllabus as well as links to sample essay questions, and other materials of interest, has this address: http://crab.rutgers.edu/~verbrugg.

 

Class Attendance:

            I expect people to attend class, to make their presentations at their scheduled times, to be present courteously for others when they make their presentations, and to sit for examinations as scheduled. There are no make-up examinations, no make-up papers, and no make-up presentations. This policy is easily vitiated, if you are going to have to miss taking an examination or making your presentation when scheduled because of absolutely unavoidable circumstances. Courtesy and I, however, demand that you notify me beforehand or in an unforeseen and unforeseeable situation as soon as possible afterwards (NOT just the next time you happen to be in class) either in person, by phone, or by e-mail so that arrangements can be made to make up the examination or the presentation you unavoidably missed.

            I expect the reading assignments to be done for the class day they are assigned. A good rule of thumb is that for every hour of class, two hours of preparation are necessary. Although no grade is given per se for class attendance or participation, I expect everyone to attend and participate in class. Such attendance and participation should show good results on the examinations.

 

Schedule of meetings, assignments, and examinations:

 

Jan. 18             Introduction to the Class – Geography, Outline of Modern Italian History

 

Jan. 23             Introduction to the Class – Geography, Outline of Modern Italian History (cont’d)

                        Italy since 1945

                        Beales 1-13

 

                        Jan. 24            Last Day to DROP course without $5.00 fee and without a grade of "W".

 

Jan. 25             Italy since 1945 (cont’d)

Ancient and Medieval History of Italy, its effect on modern Italy

 

Jan. 30             Early Modern Italian history – Spanguolismo and Illuminismo (Enlightenment)

                        The French Revolution and Italy

                        di Scala 1-40, Beales 14-31, 181-207

 

Feb. 1              Italy after Napoleon

Risorgimento and Unification – Time Table

                        di Scala 41-129, Beales 32-101, 208-253

 

Feb. 6              Risorgimento and Unification (cont'd)

Beales 102-149, 254-287

 

Feb. 8              Risorgimento and Unification (cont'd)

Discussion of Di Lampedusa, The Leopard and the film The Leopard, (Gattopardo), directed by Luchino Visconti, starring Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale, Alan Delon

                        Beales 150-177

 

Feb. 13            Pre-World War I politics - Italy United 1870–1893, Transformismo

                        di Scala 130-175

 

            Feb. 15            First Paper to be posted by 12:01 P.M.

                        NO CLASS

 

Feb. 20, 22,     Discussions and Presentations

27       

 

Mar. 1             Pre-World War I politics (cont'd), World War I

                        di Scala 179-210

 

Mar. 6             Mid–Term Examination

 

Mar. 8             Fascism

                        di Scala 211-254

"Renzo De Felice and the Historiography of Italian Fascism," Borden W. Painter, Jr., American Historical Review 95 (1990) pp. 391-405

 

                        Week of Mar. 13 to 17          Spring Break

 

Mar. 20           Fascism (cont'd)

                        Discussion of Levi, Christ Stopped at Eboli, the film Christ Stopped at Eboli (Cristo si é fermato a Eboli), directed by Francesco Rosi, starring Gian Maria Volonte, and A Special Day (Una Giornata Particolare), directed by Ettore Scola, starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni

 

                        Mar. 20           Last Day to DROP course with a "W" grade upon payment of a $5.00 fee without having to petition the Scholastic Standing Committee.

 

Mar. 22           Italy in World War II

                        di Scala 253-273

 

Mar. 27           Post World War II settlement

The Economic Boom and its Aftermath

                        di Scala 277-345

 

Mar. 29           Italy Since 1945: media and culture

                        Discussion La Dolce Vita, directed by Federico Fellini, starring Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg, Anouk Aimée

 

Apr. 3              Italy Since 1945: media and culture (cont'd)

                        Discussion Bread and Chocolate (Pane e cioccolata), directed by Franco Brusati. starring Nino Manfredi and Anna Karina

 

Apr. 5              Italy Since 1945: The Political Situation

 

Apr. 10            Italy Since 1945: The Political Situation (cont'd)

 

            Apr. 12            Second Paper to be posted by 12:01 P.M.

                        NO CLASS

 

                        Passover begins at Sundown April 12

                        Apr. 14            Good Friday

 

Apr. 17, 19,     Discussions and Presentations

24, 26 

 

May 1              Modern Italy – an overview

 

            Monday, May 8 at 2:00 P.M.

            Final Examination