Course Description

This course is taught in English. The materials, also in English, consist of feature films and documentaries; and an anthology of relevant writings by some of the most significant authors of the respective era.

The course will follow a timeline beginning with the invention of the modern form of the state, the Republic, in Ancient Rome, starting in 500 before the Common Era (BCE). We will then explore the deep marks left in the collective psyche of Italians by the Dark Ages (600-1200 CE); and the conceptual breakthrough that made the Renaissance possible (1300-1500 CE.)

In the following centuries, the systematic program of colonization of America, Africa and Asia by the major European powers, forces the Italian ruling and intellectual classes to confront the issue of the crisis of Italian identity, manifested in the lack of territorial unity; of a common language and a backward economy. Concepts such as the nation-state and, eventually, imperialism and nationalism, i.e. the political doctrines that were triumphing in the rest of Europe (1600-1800 CE) were alien to the consciousness of Italians until the 19th century. A newly found Italian identity led to the political unification of the country, and eventually to the catastrophes of Fascism and WWII (1800-1900 CE.)

The greatest artistic achievements of some of Italy's greatest spirits, Dante, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Machiavelli, Marco Polo and Verdi, among others, will be discussed together with their ideals of beauty and harmony and their role in the shaping of Italian culture.

We will analyze the most important values and traditions that have been manifested in the life of Italians, including the relevance of religion, family, honor and solidarity in adversity.  We will also encounter the semi-pacifist concept of life of Italians, and the symbolic everyday meaning of family togetherness.

1. ATTENDANCE is required at all meetings.  Requests for exceptions must be supported by concrete proof.
    

2. The course requires knowledge of user-based technology. I cannot provide instruction on the use of basic technology skills such as downloading, uploading, recording videos or soundfiles, word processing and the like. I will help you in case of unexpected bugs here and there but for the bulk of operations you must know how to troubleshoot. THERE ARE TUTORIAL VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE THAT SHOW HOW TO SOLVE ANY KIND OF PROBLEMS.
    

3. THERE ARE NO TEXTBOOKS. Most materials will be available at no cost, or for a minimal fee.

Basic Rules

1. The course homepage contains the course's official record.
    
2. All assignments and eventual quizzes must be emailed by 11.59PM of the due date, EASTERN STANDARD TIME.
    
3. LATE work will not be accepted, even if it is late by one minute. (Please, don't try this stunt.)
    
4. Meeting a deadline also counts as "attendance."
    
5. There are no extensions, no exceptions and no "extra credit." Requests for exceptions due to emergencies and other similar circumstances must be supported by concrete proof.
    
6. Partial or incomplete assignments will not be graded.
    
7. I will post one assignment at a time.
    
8. No cheating. One strike and your are out. This means F in the course. Scroll down for college policy.
    
9. Mistakes in email subject, file names, and assignment format will result in a penalty.
    
10. Additional instructions will be provided as needed during the session.

 Academic Integrity 
  (i.e. no cheating, no lying)

 "The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both. The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for policy implementation can be found at www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/policies. If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member must report the violation."

Here are the basic rules of email.

1. YOU MUST USE YOUR BROOKLYN COLLEGE EMAIL ADDRESS
    

2. When you compose a new message, or respond to a message start with a greeting. "Hello" is sufficient. Do not "hey" me. (Follow these rules with other instructors as well.)
    

3. Every single message must have your signature. Set up the automatic signature option below your reply.
    

4. If the conversation goes back and forth, skip the greetings. You can go straight to the point.
    

5. DO NOT RECYCLE THE SUBJECT OF OLD MESSAGES. If you want to talk about something new, compose a NEW message with ta descriptive subject. (Suggested subject: "New problem / question.")
    

6. I require complete grammatical sentences, with upper case where needed and proper punctuation. Impossible to do it with your phone? Wait until you get to a computer.
    

7. If you run into problems with the website, either a bug or a mistake on my part, please let me know as soon as possible.

I will not accept Macintosh .pages or .pdf

Do not 'share' documents from google docs or any other archival/sharing system. I will not open them.

All your assignments must be emailed as attachments.

I will only accept assignments in the following formats: .doc  .docx  .rtf

I will not accept Macintosh .pages or .pdf

Do not 'share' documents from google docs or any other archival/sharing system. I will not open them.

All your assignments must be emailed as attachments.

I will also be available via Skype by appointment.
When you ask for an appointment, clearly state the agenda (what you want to talk about) and the preferred time and date of the appointment. List at least two options for date/time.

• Put your cellphone away from your body, in a purse or bag. If you have it on you and feel the vibration, you won't be able to resist and will reach for it. In that case, I will ask you to leave the class for the reminder of the session.
   
• Do not be late. I will administer a quiz immediately at the beginning of each session. If you are late, you will miss the opportunity to take the quiz. I will not grant additional time to late comers.
   
• You must come to class with your assignments done, ready to participate, answer and ask questions and engage with your classmates.
   
• NO ITEMS ON THE DESKS OTHER THAN A NOTEBOOK. Bags, phones, computers, scarves etc. must be put away.
   
• NO FOOD AND NO DRINKS AT ANYTIME AT YOUR DESK. If you have a bottle of water or whatever, put it on the floor.

COURSE ASSESSMENT  (aka HOW TO GET AN "A")

• QUIZZES: Each quiz will be very tightly connected to the assignments and will test both your vocabulary retention and the ability to produce language. THERE ARE NO MAKE UPS.
  IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THERE WILL BE NO QUIZZES. I WILL DECIDE AS WE GO ALONG.
   
• ASSIGNMENTS: 
  Some tasks will be marked <busy work>. I will only check that you did them, but will not grade them.
  Other tasks will be marked <for grade>.
  NO CREDIT (a.k.a "F")  FOR LATE ASSIGNMENTS.
   
• VIDEOS will be grades separately from the writing assignments.
   

• Participation is a challenge in the online environment. It requires that you follow my instructions RELIGIOUSLY.
   

• QUALITY performance in your assignments and ACTIVE  PARTICIPATION are crucial components of your work.

PART 1:

The legends of Romolus and Remus; Horatio Coclites; Mutius Scevola.

Ancient Rome 1  https://youtu.be/F_hxwWmqyQ0

Ancient Rome 2  https://youtu.be/LTjH9rozzg4

The Roman Empire

  
• Julius Caesar  https://youtu.be/mQQh115qAME   
• Quo Vadis   On youtube $2.99     https://youtu.be/Q-noLDS8SGo

Individual research on the growth of Christianity in Rome

The Middle Ages

• FROM THE ANCIENT WORLD TO THE RENAISSANCE https://youtu.be/7HFncw-9LZ4 (25 min.)  
   
• THE NAME OF THE ROSE   (1986)  $2.99 Youtube   https://youtu.be/-_zRHBL7RUY

• DECAMERON
    http://bcmedia.brooklyn.cuny.edu/modlang/fgc/pasolini.dec.sottotitoli.JAN18.wmv  

Readings from Boccaccio's Decameron (short stories.)

Excerpts from Eco's The Name of the Rose.

Assignments

THESE ARE SAMPLES OF ASSIGNMENTS I GAVE IN THE PAST.

DO NOT WORK ON THEM. WAIT FOR MY INSTRUCTIONS

JULIUS CAESAR

QUESTION 1: Synthesize the major issues discussed in the dialogue between BRUTUS and   CASSIUS. Do they have different agendas? What do they reveal about them?

Write well and be clear.

QUESTION 2: Pick a character OTHER THAN BRUTUS and CASSIUS, and write about your   EMOTIONAL response to him/her. Did you like h/h?

Did you hate h/h? What did you like/hate about h/h?   (Same half   page, well written.)\

QUO VADIS

QUESTION 1: Isn't Nero a fascinating character? (Repulsive maybe, but some traits of   his megalomaniacal malignant narcissism can be   found even today...)

Can you get over your disgust and find in yourself the fascination and   curiosity for pathological, psychopathic personalities?

QUESTION 2: Christianity back in those days was an explicit form of communism (not of   the Marxist kind.) In Western societies in general, are those   ideals being pursued (not only by Christians, of course) or are   they just vague dreams nobody really believes in anymore?

THE NAME OF THE ROSE

QUESTION 1: Is it too far-fetched to say that in this movie we see the never-ending   conflict between those who pursue knowledge, at whatever the cost; and those   who want to control and limit the pursuit of "truth", if that   "truth" risks disproving their believes and thwart them   from their objectives?

For example: in 1610 Galileo published the treatise Sidereus Nuncius, providing   scientific proof that the Earth is NOT at the center of the Universe.   Moreover, the sun is at the center of the SOLAR SYSTEM and the Earth rotates   around it.

Galileo was arrested by the Catholic inquisition and forced to swear he   was wrong (abjure/recant.) He spent the last 10 years of his life under house   arrest.

Too far in the past?   What about climate-change deniers?

Or, on the other side of the equation: what about people who, in the name   of morality, object to genetic engineering that has the potential of   defeating deadly diseases, but could also create custom-made children?

Is there an unlimited "right" to research, or are there   boundaries? And what are those boundaries? And whose right is it to decide   what those boundaries are?

HINT: take the position you feel most comfortable with and think   about all the arguments you could use to defend it, until you come up   with a question or a doubt that forces you to rethink at least some aspect of   your original position.

PART  2:
  from the Renaissance
  to the "Modern Era"
   

• The Renaissance   
• The  Counter-Reformation   
• The Modern Era

FILMS:

• Gutenberg   
• The Agony and the cstasy   
• The Profession of Arms   
• Farinelli

READING:

• From Michelangelo's        Poetry   
• From Leonardo's meditations on the Laws of the Universe

THE RENAISSANCE:

LEONARDO (documentary)
Episode 1   https://youtu.be/KPXR39r_N4A  
Episode 2 - Dangerous Liaisons

THE   COUNTER-REFORMATION:  
Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Press    
youtube https://youtu.be/qexDBgWM2X8    and   https://youtu.be/0ojyCDRc8uc
THE BETROTHED
CONFORTORIO
GOSTANZA DA LIBBIANO
FARINELLI

PART 3:
  From the Risorgimento
  to WWII
 
   

ONLINE VIDEO LECTURES: 

• The Risorgimento   
• World War I   
• Fascism and Mussolini   
• World War II

FILMS:

• The Leopard   
• 1900   
• LAGRANDE GUERRA parte 1
  LA GRANDE GUERRA parte 2   
• Paisa'