Italy possesses incomparable artistic and historical patrimonies. Studying Italian is a gateway to the world of great and lasting achievements in the arts and sciences, to centuries of history and culture that paved the way for future civilizations.

Why Italian at Sewanee?

The Italian Studies program offers the opportunity to study Italian language and culture as well as courses in Italian literature, art, and cinema.

Language classes are taught in a full-immersion classroom, where you will work toward gaining proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, while learning about the rich complexity of Italian culture. At Sewanee, your Italian studies will be excellent preparation for studying abroad or traveling in Italy, an experience steeped in food, fashion, design, and art.

You will also have access to the Italian House, an immersive housing option on campus. Every semester, the Italian House offers a variety of extra-curricular activities, from movie screenings to cooking classes, open to all students of Italian at Sewanee

A Sampling of Courses

Introduction to Italian Literature
Italian Studies

This course serves as a bridge from language and culture courses to literary studies. Students read Italian poetry from the 13th century to the present, with discussions focusing on the comprehension of complex grammatical structures, tools for literary analysis, and historical-cultural analysis of Italian poetic works. Taught in Italian.

ITAL 301
Italian Americans in Cinema and Literature
Italian Studies

This course analyzes the experience of migration and assimilation of Italian Americans in films and novels. Coursework explores the representation of Italian American identities with regards to race and ethnicity, family and gender roles, labor and political activism, and the glamorization of crime. This course is taught in English.

ITAL 309
Italian Culture and Society
Italian Studies

This course examines themes of Italian culture and society (such as art, architecture, music, food, folklore, and migration) through texts from various media. Taught in Italian.

ITAL 305
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Representation of Italian Landscapes

By Creative Projects from Students in Italian Studies 301

During the Easter semester of 2021, students in Italian Studies 301 are studying the representation of natural and urban landscapes in 20th century Italian literature. They read a variety of poems that Italian authors have dedicated to their cities. As a creative project, students were asked to write a poem about their hometown, expressing their feelings for the city and describing a few locations that are particularly meaningful for them. Students could choose between a more traditional style of poetry (like Umberto Saba and Alda Merini did in “Trieste” and “Per Milano”) or to create a visual poem (tavola parolibera) following the example of the Futurist artists we studied, like Fortunato Depero.

 

 

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Italian Studies

Programs of Study

Requirements for the Minor in Italian Studies

Meet Some Professors

Alessia Martini
almartin@sewanee.edu

Alessia Martini is originally from Italy. Before moving to the US, she taught Italian as a foreign language at different levels, both in Italy and abroad. She received her Ph.D. in Italian Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prof. Martini specializes in 19th and 20th-century Italian literature and culture, Italian cinema and visual arts, and Italian American studies, with a particular focus on theories of space and place. Her dissertation explores the representation of American modern metropolises in Italian travelogues and visual art of the Fascist period.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Italian Studies
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Sewanee's First Italian Studies Major: Szonja Szurop

Ciao! My name is Szonja Szurop, and I'm a senior student from Budapest, Hungary. Starting as an Art history major at The University of the South, Italian arts always formed a central part of my coursework. However, as I took more classes in the Italian department, I realized that I loved the culture and wanted to dive into it more than my concentration could cover. I especially enjoyed enhancing my language fluency which, thanks to the small class sizes and passionate faculty, went through an unbelievable advancement here at Sewanee. Eventually, I pursued a semester-long study abroad in Rome that gave me the final push toward the idea of creating my own major. Without the immense support of my Sewanee Italian professor, I could have never succeeded with my petition, though. I'm grateful that I had the chance to become the first Italian Studies major at the University because this program allowed me to learn what I'm so enthusiastic about on an advanced level and prepared me better for my post-graduate career.

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Contact

David Colbert
chair of the Department of Spanish & Italian Studies

dacolber@sewanee.edu
Gailor Hall 232, Ext. 1945

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News & Events

Bocce/Pétanque Contest

5:30 PM
French House Lawn

The French House & Italian House will combine to host a Bocce/Pétanque Contest and Ice Cream Social on the lawn of the French House

Sing Italian Karaoke!

6:45 PM
Italian House

If you'd like to sing, please sign-up. If you don't feel like singing, come listen to Italian music and have fun with us! 
 

Dr. Martini Speaks at DEI Conference

Dr. Martini presented an essay titled "Italian Immigration in the American South: Incorporating DEI Goals in the Italian American Studies Curriculum" at the 2023 Decentering Pedagogy and Research Conference: Diversity, Transformation and Italian Studies. The presentation focused on the redesign of her course ITAL 309: Italian Americans in Cinema and Literature done by Dr. Martini in collaboration with the Roberson Project on Slavery, Race and Reconciliation thanks to a DEI grant received by the university in 2022.

Dr. Martini Writes about Italian Diaspora in North America

Alessia Martini (Italian) had an article "Scolpito nella pietra: testimonianze scultoree della comunità italiana di Barre, Vermont" published in a special issue of the journal Italian Canadiana (36.1/ 2022). It focuses on ethnic identity among the Italian diasporic community in Canada and the United States in the twentieth century

Italian Table, Tutoring Schedule, and Yoga

Read more to find out when the Italian Table,  Italian tutoring, yoga, and video gaming take place.

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Connecting the Dots

Language Houses
Themed Residence Halls

To create an immersive learning experience, Sewanee has several language houses (French, German, Russian, Spanish, and Italian) that simulate real-world language and cultural encounters. The head resident is a native speaker, and students speak their house language while “at home". Events throughout the year showcase educational and recreational aspects of the language house and the culture it represents.

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International & Global Studies, Major & Minor
45 professors, 14 departments

International & global studies at Sewanee stretches far beyond the gates. Involving faculty members from departments across the College, the program spans disciplinary and thematic boundaries. The rapid pace and complex nature of our world require dexterity to navigate. At Sewanee, you will study the ever-changing political, economic, and cultural issues that characterize our world today. Here, experiencing the real world begins in the classroom.

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Study Abroad
Engaged citizens solving global problems

At Sewanee, we pledge to offer each student an opportunity to study abroad. And at Sewanee, we keep our promises. Travel, learn, and cultivate your knowledge by communicating across cultures and acquiring a sensitivity to other ways of life. Apply social scientific methodologies to various frameworks. Learn to formulate solutions to global problems and apply those theories at home in a local context.

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