Florence:The City its Image

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This seminar class focuses on the history of the city of Florence, from its ancient foundation through its contemporary position as an international tourist mecca. We will focus on the structure and appearance of the city, on its buildings and urban spaces, on their political, cultural, religious, ideological, and other meanings and impact; we will also examine how ancient ideas about city life and urban practices and policies shaped the development of Florence. Florence is a place, but over the centuries it has also acquired a mythical role as the epicenter of the Renaissance and as a sort of living museum. Therefore, though the history of the city and its people will be our main focus, we will also discuss the image of Florence, the perception of the city by outsiders, and its broader role in European and western culture. The course aims thus to allow for a close analysis of specific themes and topics and of how they developed over a significant span of time. The course also has a methodological aim: to introduce students to the advanced use of primary sources and to further their understanding of historical thinking and analysis. Both class discussion and writing assignments will push students to hone their critical reading, writing, and analytical skills. In particular, we will try to understand how to read textual, visual, and other sources with an awareness of historical context and with attention to the specifics of genre, authorship, and audience.