Italian Studies (IST)

IST 115 Italy Through Art (3 credits)

Taught in English. Conducted in Rome, this course introduces students to the visual language of art, while providing an enriching cultural experience. The eternal city is an expansive, open-air museum where ancient and modern meet. Students will learn about Rome's artistic heritage while living amidst ancient ruins, baroque basilicas and contemporary monuments. As we view art objects first-hand, we will explore the making and meaning of Italian art, by addressing methodological issues including form and function, style, materials and technique. We begin with a consideration of ancient Rome, through direct experience with monuments that have survived centuries. Next, we explore the early developments of Christianity by visiting Roman basilicas and churches. Our excursion to Tuscany focuses on Renaissance humanism and Medici patronage. Upon return to Rome we examine Baroque masterpieces adorning Roman piazzas and churches. We conclude with art and architecture of the period after 1870, when Rome became the capital of Italy. The course is complemented by guest lectures and site visits to Roman museums, churches and palaces, as well as excursions to Assisi, Florence, Pompeii and Sorrento. Counts toward the major and minor in art history, the Italian Studies major, the major and minor in Classical Studies, and the minor in Medieval, Renaissance, Reformation Studies.

Attributes: Art History Course, CCC: F&P Arts, Design & Creative, CCC: Mission: Global Citizenship, Classical Studies Course, GEP: Art/Literature, Medieval, Ren & Reform Studies, Undergraduate

IST 150 Ital Cinema-Neoreal to Present (3 credits)

This course investigates major Italian films as both aesthetic and cultural objects. It offers an introduction to Italian cinema from the 1940's to the Present, and also to Italian social and cultural history of that time. It introduces major directors, movements, and genres in Italian cinema, focusing on movies that not only are influential masterpieces, but also offer incisive interpretations of their cultural and social milieus, including regional, ethnic and religious diversity; gender diversity; social tensions and class issues. Visconti, De Sica, Fellini, Scola, Bellocchio, Giordana are among the directors we study.

Attributes: First-Year Seminar, GEP: Art/Literature, Undergraduate

IST 170 Special Topics (3 credits)

Topics will vary according to the semester in which the class is offered.

Attributes: Undergraduate

IST 270 Special Topics (3 credits)

Topics will vary according to the semester in which the class is offered.

Attributes: Undergraduate

IST 318 Italian Journeys (3 credits)

This interdisciplinary course investigates Italy’s dual role as the home of legendary explorers and the destination for travelers over the centuries. Students will learn about the history of travel from and to Italy, the changing nature of travelers, their means of travel and their motivations. We will encounter medieval pilgrims, Renaissance mapmakers and eighteenth-century aristocrats as well as unwilling and accidental travelers. As we interpret the figure of the traveler, students will be encouraged to be voyagers themselves, reflecting critically on their own cultural assumptions, as well as issues of identity and power in the contact between cultures. Experiential learning units may include guest lectures and trips to local museums. Counts toward: Italian Studies Major; Italian major & minor; Museum Studies Minor; Medieval Renaissance Reformation Studies Minor; Global Literatures Major; Art History Major and Minor

Attributes: GEP: Diversity Course, GEP: Art/Literature, Undergraduate

IST 350 Mangia! Flavors of Italy (3 credits)

The expression "Mangia, mangia!" is commonly associated with American stereotypes of Italians. But is the perceived Italian love of food the same in the United States and in Italy? Is it an issue of quantity or quality? Of socio-economics, politics, or education? Is it global, local or both? In this interdisciplinary course, we will explore the role of food in Italian culture and in the shaping of Italian identity, in Italy and abroad. We will trace its evolution through a variety of texts: literature, works of art, music, and film, as well as family recipes. Guest lectures made by Italian chefs in Philadelphia, food tastings, and a visit to the Italian Market, will enrich the course.

IST 360 Italian Identities (3 credits)

In this course, taught in English, we will explore the complex nature of Italian Identities, focusing on race, sex and gender roles, religion, food, art and science. Does not count toward a minor in Italian. Counts towards a major in Italian Studies and it may count toward the major in Italian, with permission of the Chair of Modern and Classical Languages.

Attributes: GEP: Art/Literature, Undergraduate

IST 370 Topics in Italian Studies (3 credits)

The purpose of this course is to explore specific topics within the Italian-Speaking World. Topics will vary according to the semester in which the class is offered; check the semester listing for current topic. Classes are taught in English.

Attributes: GEP: Art/Literature, Undergraduate

IST 375 Shadow State: Mafia in Italy (3 credits)

This course explores the nature of organized crime in Italy, its origins, its economic aspects, its connection with politics, its reality beyond stereotypes, and finally, the way it is portrayed in Italian Arts and literature. No pre-requisites required. Does not count toward a minor in Italian. May count toward the major, with permission of the Chair of Modern and Classical Languages.

Attributes: GEP: Art/Literature, Undergraduate

IST 420 Italian Cinema and the Sacred (3 credits)

Italian culture has been widely influenced by the sacred and many intellectuals have used the Bible as source of inspiration. In this course, we will analyze how Italian filmmakers have approached the dimension of the sacred and how they have depicted it in their movies. We will explore a range of directors from 1940's Neorealism to the present in order to understand how the relationship with the sacred has evolved over time. Throughout our analyses, we will engage in dialogue with selected Italian writers in order to see how they have approached the sacred. The course also considers the role of Jesuits in Italian society through the study of a film set in a Jesuit monastery in contemporary Venice.

Attributes: GEP: Art/Literature, Undergraduate

IST 460 The Art of Dante's Inferno (3 credits)

This course offers an interdisciplinary exploration of Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, pairing close readings of the poem with its artistic, musical, and cinematic afterlives across seven centuries. Primary sources include architectural projects such as Terragni’s Danteum, visual interpretations by Botticelli, Doré and Rodin, and musical settings by Puccini. By situating Inferno within the cultural frameworks of the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Romantic, Modern, and Postmodern eras, students will examine Dante’s historical context and his enduring influence on global culture. Central to our study is Dante’s moral philosophy—his ethics of punishment, the law of contrapasso, and his treatment of the “Seven Deadly Sins.” These frameworks illuminate the medieval worldview and also open space for reflection on contemporary debates about justice, morality, and power. Considering how artists across time have interpreted and responded to Dante’s vision enables students to confront enduring questions of judgment, retribution, and redemption, and to connect the poem’s ethics with the complexities of modern society. Guest lectures and site visits (to the Maguire Museum of Art and the Rodin Museum) will complement our exploration of one of the greatest works of world literature and its expansive legacy.

Attributes: CCC: Mission: Global Citizenship, CCC: Literature, GEP: Ethics Intensive, GEP: Art/Literature, Undergraduate