S1113 Migrant Cultures in the United States and Italy

Whereas the United States is a nation that is founded on immigrants, Italy has only recently shifted from being a country of emigration to one of immigration. The migratory waves to Italy of the last 30 years have changed its society in a significant way. In the multicultural societies of both countries, people have multiple allegiances (religious, ethnic, national, political to name a few) that they differently inhabit, express, and perform. Adopting comparative and interdisciplinary perspectives, this course examines the cultural and linguistic practices of immigrant groups in both countries, focusing on how these are used to express multiple allegiances and identities. The course focuses on everyday linguistic and cultural practices and artistic productions (from language choice, to food and garb to music, cinema and literature). We examine interactions between immigrant and non-immigrants in the Italian and American context to see how American-ness, Italian-ness and distinctiveness are manifested and performed, and how writers, filmmakers and musicians use language to portray inter-group relations to express their multiple consciousnesses and shape their artistic productions.

Outcomes: After completing this course, students should be able to:
· Identify the various components of the culture concept and how this concept applies to Italian and American societies
· Analyze contemporary anthropological views on ethnicity and nationalism, economic power and politics, and social characteristics (e.g., family, gender, etc.), as these views pertain to Italian and American culture and history.
· Demonstrate an understanding of the complex history of multicultural America and Italy in light of their migration histories.
· Appreciate insights about American and Italian culture from a foreign perspective of the USA, Italy and Europe.
· Situate American and Italian culture and society in the context of a globalized world and with respect to major global issues.