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. Students will go onto to examine the way the representations of migrants have changed since the first wave of immigrant voices emerged, exploring the way migrants speak back to the increasingly harsh processes of migration that pass through Libya, and analysing depictions of the new routes into Italy from the East. Students will also analyse the migration of texts, and the ways that Italian-American depictions of Italians in film and television have travelled back to Italy to influence the behaviour of mobsters.

• 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
• Evaluate change and continuity in the representation of migrant voices from the first wave onwards
• 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 take a workshop format, blending elements of lecture-style teaching with seminars. Lecture-format elements 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-format elements 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. Students will be able to access individual session to help them to prepare for their participation in the student conference.

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 1990s Italy
• Assess the relevance of concepts of ‘otherness’ to migrant writing
• Evaluate change and continuity in the representation of migrant voices from the first wave onwards

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

Essay: 100%

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 and Pascal D’Angelo, Son of Italy

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

Part 2: 1990s immigration into Italy

The socio-political factors driving immigration into Italy

The response of the Left and popular culture to immigration

Italy as a ‘crossroads’ between Africa and Europe

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

Filmic textual depictions of migration to Italy: Amelio’s Lamerica

Part 3: The changing face of migration into Italy

New Voices: Segre and Yimer’s Come un uomo sulla terra

New routes into Italy: Geda’s Nel mare ci sono I coccodrilli

Migrating texts: The Godfather and Garrone’s Gomorrah

** Erasmus students taking this course for 1 semester only will not cover all of this content**

Set texts:

D’Angelo, Pascal, Son of Italy (New York: Macmillan 1924)

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

Coppla, Francis Ford, The Godfather (film, 1972)

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

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

Amelio, Gianno, Lamerica (film, 1994)

Segre, Andrea and Dagmawi Yimer, Come un uomo sulla terra (film, 2008)

Geda, Fabio, Nel marie ci sono I coccodrilli (Milan: Baldini &Castoldi, 2010)

Garrone, Matteo, Gomorrah (film, 2008)