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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Alessia Martini is originally from Carrara, Italy. She received her Ph.D. in Italian Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before coming to Sewanee, she taught Italian as a foreign language at different levels in Italy, India, and the United States. In addition to teaching Italian language and culture at all levels, Dr. Martini’s teaching at Sewanee includes courses in Italian modern and contemporary literature, Italian and Italian American cinema, Futurism, mafia, fascism, and migration.
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.
dacolber@sewanee.edu
Gailor Hall 232, Ext. 1945
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On Wednesday, March 26, the Sewanee chapter of Gamma Kappa Alpha National Italian Honor Society inducted its first three members: Zoe Bain, C’25; Ben Csaszar, C’25; and Rosa Sackett, C’25. Gamma Kappa Alpha recognizes the top students in Italian studies nationwide.
Students worked hard practicing their songs in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin, Russian, and Spanish. There was food from around the world and prizes for best solo, small group, and whole class acts. Read more to find out who won and hear a bit of their songs.
The French House & Italian House will combine to host a Bocce/Pétanque Contest and Ice Cream Social on the lawn of the French House
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.
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
Read more to find out when the Italian Table, Italian tutoring, yoga, and video gaming take place.
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.
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.
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.
