HS 316 - History of Modern Italy

(3.00 cr.)

Explores the history of Italy from unification in 1861 to the present day. The central topic examined is identity. National identity has been a contested issue for Italy since it became a state, and it is perhaps even more so in today's age of multiculturalism. As we seek to understand what it means to be Italian, we pay special attention to the place of gender, class, and race. Topics covered include industrialization, the economic and cultural gap between the North and the South (the "Southern Question"), the rise of fascism, the colonization of Libya and East Africa, WWII and the economic "miracle" that followed it, the cultural revolution of the 1970s, and the dramatic increase in immigration since the 1990s. Films and literature supplement the readings.

Prerequisite: One HS 100-level course.
Sessions Typically Offered: Summer
Years Typically Offered: Varies

Interdisciplinary Studies: II