Unit information: Naples: Culture, Identity and Nation in 2023/24

Unit name	Naples: Culture, Identity and Nation
Unit code	ITAL30045
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. Glynn
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	None
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one	None
School/department	Department of Italian
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Unit Information

The Unification of Italy saw the decline of Naples from prestigious capital of the Kingdom of Sicily to a thorn in the side of the new Italian government, a position it occupies once again in the new millennium. This unit explores the fortunes of Naples within the modern Italian state, as conveyed in cultural production. It opens with a survey of a range of cultural forms and practices specific to Naples and of key contributions to discourses relating to relating to Neapolitan identity. It then proceeds to address the literary and cinematic representation of Naples at three key moments in time: at the foundation of the state; in the immediate post-war period and in the contemporary context. It explores the ways in which the city has been represented as alternately the quintessence of Italian identity and its vilified other; it raises issues relating to the feminization of the city in the cultural imaginary; the relationship between city and state in the decline of its industrial heritage; and the emergence and growth of the Camorra in the wake of that decline.

In addition to introducing students to the cultural production of Naples from the post-unification period to the present, this unit aims to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the role occupied by Naples in discourses relating to the Italian nation. It further aims to enhance students’ critical skills by introducing them to appropriate critical frames for the interrogation of contradictory and often contentious cultural texts. Finally, the unit seeks to further develop students’ critical and communicative skills through close analysis of a diverse range of texts and through the completion of oral presentations and written assignments.

Aims:

• To introduce students to a significant body of knowledge of a complexity appropriate to final year level. The content matter will normally include one or more of the following: literature; social, cultural or political history; linguistics; cultural studies; film, television or other media.

• To facilitate students’ engagement with a body of literature, including secondary literature, texts, including in non-print media, primary sources and ideas as a basis for their own analysis and development. Normally many or most of these sources will be in a language other than English and will enhance the development of their linguistic skills.

• To develop further skills of synthesis, analysis and independent research, building on the skills acquired in units at level I.

• To equip students with the skills to undertake postgraduate study in a relevant field.

This unit carries a formative piece of assessment;

1 x 2-page essay plan

Your learning on this unit

By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

1. develop an understanding of the role occupied by the city of Naples in discourses relating to the Italian nation;
2. select and synthesise relevant material from a significant body of sources (usually in Italian) to establish a conceptual framework interpreting those discourses;
3. formulate sophisticated critical arguments in writing;
4. apply clear communication skills orally.

How you will learn

Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous sessions and asynchronous activities, including seminars, lectures, and collaborative as well as self-directed learning opportunities supported by tutor consultation

How you will be assessed

1 x 3,000 word essay (70%),(ILOs 1-3);

1 x 15-minute individual presentation (30%) (ILOs 1-4);

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ITAL30045).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.