| Unit name | Destination Italy: Cultural Responses to Migration |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ITAL20032 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| 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 |
Why is this unit important?
The significance of migration as a global phenomenon continues to grow and generate heated debate. In Italy, the transition to net inward migration, especially since the 1990s, has raised important questions about who is Italian and what constitutes Italianness. It has compelled the country to confront repressed national histories of, on the one hand, poverty and mass emigration and, on the other, racism and colonial oppression. By studying cultural representations of migration – from media reports, through documentary and feature film, to literary texts by migrant and second-generation writers – you will encounter a range of perspectives on migration and gain important insights into contemporary Italian society. You will gain an understanding of how responses to migration are conditioned by past and present concerns, and how migration in turn is contributing to new understandings of Italianness.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Building on Year 1 studies, this unit allows you to consolidate your intercultural expertise through the comparative study of a wide range of cultural products addressing migration and its consequences. You will develop close reading skills by conducting rigorous textual analysis and unite that with analysis of cultural and historical interpretation. By studying films and literary works in the original, students of Italian will develop your language skills (with the help of translations/subtitles). You will extend your knowledge of contemporary Italy, thereby better enabling you to navigate Italian society during your Year Abroad.
An overview of content
The unit introduces you to cultural representations of migration, from the 1990s to the present, in three distinct media: news reports addressing migration in general and individual moments of ‘crisis’; cinematic texts addressing the encounter between Italians and migrants; and literary texts by migrants and ‘new’ Italians, which ‘talk back’ to dominant Italian understandings of Italy, migrants and migration.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
Having taken this unit, you will have developed a broad range of skills. You will have a good command of the context and backdrop to migration to Italy, and a solid grasp of relevant theories and terminology relating to migration and postcolonial Italy. You will be able to apply your knowledge to the literary and cinematic works studied but also to current debates around migration and the legacies of colonialism. You will become more confident, reflective and effective communicators, through participation in seminar discussion, class presentations and written assignments.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of interactive lectures; tutor- and student-led seminars; and self-directed reading and questions to consider out of class. In-class activities will increase your familiarity with the subject-matter, thereby allowing to you grow in confidence and knowledge of the topics. Group presentations will allow you to develop your collaborative and presentation skills, while seminar discussions will enable you to develop your critical analysis and understanding of the diverse ways in which Italian culture has responded to migration to Italy.
Tasks students are expected to complete include:
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
A formative book or film review, relating the selected text to media representations of migration (750 words) (not required for credit).
Written feedback will address:
This submission provides you with an opportunity to test your understanding of the task in advance of the longer written assessment and gain feedback on it.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
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. ITAL20032).
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.
