Italian Studies 497M - ST-Literatures/Fascist Italy

Course offered in Italian in two sections at 400 and 500 levels, with different course requirements for graduate and undergraduate students. The course will present an overview of the many aspects of Italian literary culture during and around the years of the fascist regime: from the hi-brow poetry of Eugenio Montale and Umberto Saba to the cultural debate on pro-fascist and antifascist periodicals, to the ?bestsellers? of the time such as the novels of fascist propaganda, those meant for ?educating? the large public of female readers, the so called ?erotic? literature and many other aspects of Italian culture under the regime. Strong emphasis will be placed on the social and historic circumstances of which each text examined was an expression, thus providing an accurate account of the many aspects of fascism in Italy in relation with the larger European context. Two formal assignments, midterm, presentations and final paper. Course taught in Italian.

Pre Req: ITALIAN 240 or 246