Race After Fascism: Italian Literary Perspectives

(4 Credits)

After World War II, much of Europe wondered: what was to be done about the idea of "race" following its role in genocidal, fascistic, and colonial violence? This question was theoretically urgent in the Italian context, since ideas of race had played a major role in fascist ideology. In practice, though, Italy left much of its racist past unaddressed in most public discussions. In this seminar, we will analyze the books, films, and music that actually discussed ideas of race in Italy in a new and radical way, from 1946 to the present day. Students will sharpen their critical thinking skills through active learning in structured class discussions. They will also improve their communication and presentation skills in multiple modalities: through speaking, writing, nd other media. This course will be taught in English; no prior knowledge of any other language is necessary.