Italy has historically exported people abroad, mainly to the Americas. It was only in the mid 1980s that Italy became a net importer of people, attracting in particular immigrants from Albania, the former Yugoslavia and northern Africa. This module aims to analyse convergences and divergences between the experiences of early Italian emigrants in the United States in the first part of the twentieth century and those of the new wave of immigrants arriving in Italy from the 1990s onwards. The course aims to investigate the social, political and historical factors informing the migrations and to analyse the ways in which these are represented in texts (both written and film) produced by and about the migrants. Students will compare and contrast depictions of migrants and the experience of migration by Italian-Americans and migrants into Italy, exploring convergences and divergences between the texts and exploring whether Italy’s past experiences of emigration inform the ways in which migrants in contemporary Italy are received. The course further aims to assess the impact of Italian colonialism in Africa during the Fascist period on contemporary representations of immigration.

·         Contextualize contemporary immigration into Italy against Italy’s history of emigration and colonialism

·         Compare representations of migration in the American and Italian popular imagination

·         Chart the evolution of the depiction of Italians in America

·         Assess the importance of Italy as a ‘bridge’ or ‘crossroads’ between Africa and Europe in terms of migration

·         Evaluate the importance of language in the migrant experience

·         Sensitively analyse accounts of migration, paying close attention to artistic and stylistic form, including filmic technique

·         Analyse the extent to which Italy’s past emigrations inform the reception of immigrants in contemporary Italy

·         Assess the relevance of concepts of ‘otherness’ to migrant writing

·         Develop a greater understanding of the ways in which the Italian language is used by the immigrant community

Teaching and learning sessions comprise a mixture of lectures and seminars. Lectures will enable students to develop a framework of knowledge of the key areas outlined in the learning outcomes, particularly (although not exclusively) those listed in the ‘knowledge and understanding’ category.

Seminar sessions will be based around class discussion, articulated both in small groups and plenary sessions, in which students will be able to develop and explore ideas formulated during independent study of set texts and additional research of the key ideas outlined in lectures. This will facilitate their capacity to develop independent research skills and the ability to work effectively in small and large groups, as outlined in the learning outcomes. Seminar discussion will enable students to develop their ability to fulfil the learning outcomes listed in the ‘knowledge and understanding’ and ‘intellectual skills’ categories.

Knowledge and Understanding:

·         Contextualize contemporary immigration into Italy against Italy’s history of emigration and colonialism

·         Compare representations of migration in the American and Italian popular imagination

·         Chart the evolution of the depiction of Italians in America

·         Assess the importance of Italy as a ‘bridge’ or ‘crossroads’ between Africa and Europe in terms of migration

·         Evaluate the importance of language in the migrant experience

Intellectual Skills:

·         Sensitively analyse accounts of migration, paying close attention to artistic and stylistic form, including filmic technique

·         Analyse the extent to which Italy’s past emigrations inform the reception of immigrants in contemporary Italy

·         Assess the relevance of concepts of ‘otherness’ to migrant writing

Discipline Specific (including practical) Skills:

·         Formulate thoughtful and well-articulated arguments which effectively integrate original thinking with the pertinent use of critical material

·         Develop a greater understanding of the ways in which the Italian language is used by the immigrant community

Transferable Skills:

·         Produce high quality written and oral presentations, using IT skills where relevant

·         Develop independent research skills

·         Enhance his/her ability to work effectively in small and large groups

Students will be given the opportunity to develop their ability to formulate thoughtful and well-articulated arguments which integrate original thinking and the pertinent use of critical material (as specified in the learning outcomes) through the production of an assessed essay and a final exam.

Students will produce one written assessment of 2,000 words by the end of the Semester, comprising 50% of the final mark for the course.

One exam, lasting 1.5 hours, comprising 50% of the final mark, will assess the extent to which students are able to fulfil the learning outcomes specified in the ‘knowledge and understanding’ and ‘intellectual skills’ categories, and their ability to integrate their independent research into the formulation of thoughtful and well-articulated arguments, as specified in the learning outcomes.

Part 1: Italian migration to America in the early twentieth century

Introduction to concepts of migration, orientalism and otherness

The history of Italian migration to America

Early perceptions of and depictions of Italians in America

Early textual representations of Italian migrants in America: Marie Hall Ets, Rosa Life of an Immigrant

The second wave of representing Italian migrants in America: Coppola’s The Godfather

Part 2: Contemporary immigration into Italy

The socio-political factors driving immigration into Italy

The response of the Left and popular culture to immigration

Italyas a ‘crossroads’ between Africa and Europe

Textual depictions of migration to Italy: Fortunato & Methnani, Immigrato, Khouma & Pivetta, Io, Venditore di elefanti

Part 3: Italy between emigration and immigration

Assessing the extent to which past emigration informs concepts of immigrants: Amelio, Lamerica

Set texts:

Ets, Marie Hall, Rosa: The Life of an Italian Immigrant (Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1999)

Coppla, Francis Ford, The Godfather (film)

Mario Fortunato & Salah Methnani, Immigrato (Milan: Bompiani, 2006)

Khouma, Pap, and Orest Pivetta, Io, venditore di elefanti (Garganti, 1990)

Amelio, Gianni, Lamerica (film)

Extra critical resources:

Andall, Jacqui and Derek Duncan, eds. Italian Colonialism: Legacy and Memory (Bern: Peter Lang, 2005)

Barolini, Helen, ed., , The Dream Book: An Anthology of Writing by Italian American Women (Syracuse University Press, 2000)

Ben Ghiat, Ruth, and Mia Fuller, eds. Italian Colonialism (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005)

Gardaphe, Fred, Italian Signs, American Streets: The Evolution of Italian American Narrative (Durham & London: Duke University Press, 1996)

Green, Rose Basile, The Italian American Novel: A Document of the Interaction of Two Cultures (Rutherford: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1974)

Grillo, Ralph, and Jeff Pratt, eds., The Politics of Recognizing Difference: Multiculturalism Italian Style (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2002)

Jacobson, Matthew Frye, Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race (Cambridge, Mass. Harvard UP, 1998)

Krase, Jerome, and Judith N Desena, eds., Italians in a Multicultural Society, Forum Italicum Special Supplement, 1994

 (Parati, Graziella, Mediterranean Crossroads: Migration Literature in Italy (London: Associated University Presses, 1999)

---Migration Italy: The Art of Talking Back in a Destination Culture (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2005)

Parrino, M., ed., Italian American Autobiographies (Providence, RI: Italian American Publications, 1993)

Pretelli, Matteo and Anna Ferro, Gli italiani negli Stati Uniti nel XX secolo (Rome: Centro Studi Emigrazione Roma, 2005)

Stella, Gian Paolo, L’orda: Quando gli Albanesi eravamo noi (Milan: BUR, 2006)

Said, Edward, Orientalism (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1995)

Schneider, Jane, ed., Italy’s Southern Question: Orientalism in One Country (New York: Berg, 1998)