Italian Landscapes: History, Culture, Literature, and Identity

What is paesaggio, and how similar/different is it from its English equivalent, Landscape? In this course we will study the concept and its relevance for the construction of an Italian identity. In particular, we will discuss the relations between paesaggio and environment, emotions, history, and literature. Through the reading of essays from a variety of scholarly approaches (anthropological, sociological, historical, literary), personal reflection, and group analysis, we will analyze the creation and the changing nature of the meaning and importance of paesaggio. Our focus will be Italy and its regions, with a comparative approach that will include Vermont and Middlebury. 3 hrs. sem