Italian Studies 522 - Literatures of Fascist Italy

The course offers an overview of Italian literary culture during the years of the fascist regime with particular emphasis on low-brow, best-selling genres. Examples of colonial, didactic, sentimental, `erotic?, and propaganda literature will presented as tools of political propaganda and social indoctrination, alongside examples of fascist cinema, architecture, and visual arts. Against the backdrop of the historical situation in Italy and in Europe during the Ventennio, the close analysis `between the lines? of these works will show how the regime was able to harness the power of mass communication to control Italian society. Students are encouraged to elaborate parallels between Italian fascism propaganda techniques and other instances of mass communication placed at the service of political objectives around the world, from television to the recent rise of social media.

Pre Req: ITALIAN 240 or 246