Italian American Literature and Film
 
Prof. Fabio Girelli-Carasi

LECTURE 3

LECTURE 
Part 1

The Great Migrations 1

African Americans and how they share in the nation's history of migrations

 

ONE WAY TICKET
CLICK   MOMA INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT

THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS
CLICK  audio

We will return to the importance of the African American experience in the re-definition of the "discourse" of equality and integration when we will read THE GODFATHER.  The Civil Rights Movement is at the core of the progressive interpretation -- and partially the success -- of Puzo's book.

QUESTIONS: THE GREAT MIGRATION OF AFRICAN AMERICANS FROM THE SOUTH

  • When did the Great Migration of African American from the South take place?
  • What were the main reasons of the Great Migration?
  • Why can we compare it to other mass migrations from foreign countries?

 

  LECTURE
 Part 2

 THE GREAT MIGRATIONS

  Irish, Jewish, Italians 

 

Irish Jews Italian questions

  • What is the main reason of the mass immigration of Irish people.

  • With reference to the Jewish immigration to America, what were the pogroms, where and when did they take place?

  • What was the advantage that Irish and Jews respectively had when they immigrated?

  • What was the professional background of the majority of Italian migrants?

 

 LECTURE
 Part 3

LOMBROSO

Where RACIST "scientific" theories come from

ARE YOU LEFT-HANDED?
You MAY be a criminal.

 

 

LOMBROSO the "father of criminology"

  • What are the BASIC ideas of Lombroso's theories?
  • How can we connect THE APE CARTOON to  LOMBROSO'S theories?
  • Are today's studies into DNA and the brain going to bring us back to the same point?
    Are you sufficiently informed about genetic theories to take a position and sustain an argument?

WHAT IS PHRENOLOGY?

   LECTURE  
   Part 4  

Let Leonardo DiCaprio tell you in DJANGO (clip from one of the most morally revolting films ever made)

 

This is what in those days passed as "SCIENCE"

Phrenology questions

  • What is the concept of SUBMISSIVNESS?

  • Apparently the "dimples" are in everybody's skull. However, according to this demented theory,
    they appear in different areas in different "races."  What does their location (allegedly) indicate?

  • In white people, the location of the dimples happens in what area?

 LECTURE
 Part 5

NATIVISM

Start with the document that interests you the most, then read the others.

NATIVISM

links open in a new window

BEN FRANKLIN didn't like those Germans   
 
THE "KNOW-NOTHINGS" didn't like those Irish This is a conservative website with current news.
THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT didn't like the Chinese folks
 

RECOMMENDED:  PBS Documentary

 Aired May 29, 2018

THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT

A Special Presentation of American Experience
Film Description

Examine the origin, history and impact of the 1882 law that made it illegal for Chinese workers to come to America and for Chinese nationals already here ever to become U.S. citizens. The first in a long line of acts targeting the Chinese for exclusion, it remained in force for more than 60 years.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/chinese-exclusion-act/


 
ANTI SEMITISM IN AMERICA didn't like those Jews
 
THE ANTI-COMMUNIST "PALMER RAIDS" didn't like anarchists (especially Italians)
 
And today?  
MCCARTHY'S WITCH HUNT didn't like communists (especially Jewish)  

NATIVISM QUESTIONS

  • Which document did you open first? Is there a particular reason?

  • Based on this information ONLY, what is your LEAST favorite chapter of American history?

 

   ... AND TO CONCLUDE   (dulcis in fundo)

LECTURE
PART 6

New Orleans 1891

 

 

QUESTIONS ON NEW ORLEANS 1891

  • What kind of connection exists between the FIRST ANTI-ITALIAN CARTOON you saw (published in the New Orleans'
    periodical The Mascot) and these events?

  • What kind of atmosphere did Italian live in, in New Orleans?

  • The cartoon and events are not DIRECTLY connected, of course. But is one predictive of the other?

 

ASSIGNMENT

File name: last-name.june18  (doc, docx, rtf)

Email subject: assignment june 18

TASK 1:  lecture part 1.

Answer the questions.

ALSO ANSWER: Did you buy SON OF ITALY?

TASK 2:  lecture part 1.

Choose ONE painting from the One-Way Ticket exhibit.

Copy it (screenshot?) and insert it in your assignment (resize if necessary). Explain the reason of your choice.

What does it say about education and society that (probably) you didn't know about this mass migration?

TASK 3: answer.

Have you heard of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice?

Have you heard of the Legacy Museum?

(Some issues are so important, it is up to the conscience of individuals to become educated about them.)

TASK 4: lecture part 2

Answer the questions.
TASK 5: lecture part 3

Answer the questions.
TASK 6: lecture part 4

Answer the questions.
TASK 7: lecture part 5

Choose one of the topics, read, and clearly speak about the aspect that most affected you.

DO NOT WRITE a summary of the content (I know it already.)

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR REACTION WAS and WHICH OF THE MANY ASPECTS, EVEN SMALL ONES, STRUCK YOU MORE DEEPLY.

TASK 7: lecture part 6

Answer the questions.

(We will return to New Orleans 1891 later in the course.)