This course will introduce students to a number of social, cultural, and political trends and issues in contemporary Italy. Through investigations of news media, social media, literature, television, film, and scholarly works, we will begin exploring the Italian contemporary cultural discourse surrounding the topics of Feminism, the Italian #MeToo movement, Italian Black Lives Matter, Citizenship and Immigration, LGBTQIA+ rights and representations, fashion, food and globalized notions of “Made in Italy,” criminality Italian style, Populism and politics. Research based cultural studies and media studies approaches to these topics will give us insight into the various ways that cultural production and political discourse shape notions of national identity and social belonging in the Italian context. All readings and screenings will be in English or have English subtitles; no prior knowledge of Italian or Italy is required. This course is a First-Year Seminar.

Fulfills Cross Cultural Analysis.