Milan, Italy
July 6 - August 3, 2008
Italian Cinema, Culture, & Society
"If you don't take this trip now, when will you take it?"
Please join me on an amazing trip this summer to Milan, Italy as we investigate several different genres of Italian film that have deeply affected America cinema and film-making. We will learn about and will experience Renaissance Art, Fashion, Architecture, Media, the Performing Arts and Italian Cinema, by visiting the numerous museums, cathedrals, shopping milieu, and cultural highlights of the Lombardy region! Additionally, we will take day-trips to exciting places such as Venice, Lake Maggiore, and Genoa! You do not need to know or speak Italian, all lectures will be conducted in English.
A special thanks to Dr. Gianpietro Mazzoleni from the University of Milan who is helping me to organize this trip!
Please contact me with any questions you may have about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
For more information about how to register for this class, please go to the Global Education website.
Please click here to view the hotel at which we'll stay while in Milan! It is a quick walk and Metro ride to the University of Milan and very close to some tasty cafes and exciting nightlife (click here to see)!
Faculty Director: Catherine Wright, PhD
Communication Department, George Mason University
Contact information: cwright5@gmu.edu
Course Description:
During this four-week (90 contact-hours) faculty-led course, students will travel to Milan, Italy and will immerse themselves in Italian culture and society. They will experience how it interrelates to culture and society as they have experienced it in the United States. Students will attend lectures given by Italian faculty on specific topics and will then visit appropriate sights in Italy. To complete the experience, students will supplement in-class course work with tours to several other Italian cities. Students will learn about and will experience Intercultural Communication, Renaissance Art, Fashion, Architecture, Media, and the Performing Arts. Assessment will be determined by daily journal entries, in-class discussions, exams, and a primary and secondary final project focusing on the student’s particular area of study.
Course Objective/Rationale:
The objective of this six-credit course is to provide students with both lecture and experiential learning outside of the American cultural experience to broaden students’ understanding by immersing them in Intercultural Communication and appreciation of unique cultural experiences including Renaissance Art, Fashion, Architecture, Media, the Performing Arts and Italian Cinema, all of which will be used as a basis for discovery.
Required Textbook(s) and Materials:
The Cambridge Companion to Modern Italian Culture, edited by Zygmunt G. Baranski and Rebecca J. West. (ISBN-13: 978-0-521-55982-9)
Delizia! : The Epic History of the Italians and their Food, John Dickie (ISBN-13: 9780743277990)
The Betrothed, by Alessandro Manzoni. (ISBN-10: 014044274X or ISBN-13: 978-0140442748)
Winepassport: Italy: The Handy Guide to Italian Wines, Julie Tucker, Jennifer Elias, Ray Johnson (Editor). (ISBN-13: 9780972187664)
Leonardo’s The Last Supper, Federico Castelli Gattinara, (ISBN-13: 9780764159312)
Italian/English dictionary of your choice
Paper (loose-leaf, plain, etc)
pens, pencils
Flash/thumb/Key drive for computer work
Required Clothing:
We will visit many different places outside of class at which shorts, t-shirts, and sleeveless shirts will be unacceptable. There is no dress code for class; however, you must be aware of the day’s itinerary so that you dress appropriately for any and all excursions we undertake. Dressing inappropriately and being denied admission means that to fulfill the course requirements you will have to return on your own time, pay for your own entrance fees, and make up the work.
Places where you are expected to dress neatly and conservatively include, but are not limited to:
The Welcome and Farewell dinners
Any and all churches or places of worship
Any and all places of business we visit off campus/outside of lecture
If you have any questions, please ask. I will not be the “fashion police;” however, I do not wish for anyone in our party to be denied entrance due to their improper attire.
Recommended Materials:
Digital Camera
Digital Video Camera
Laptop Computer
Tour/Guide books of Milan and the Lombardy Region, Venice, and Genoa/Ligurian Coast
Student Learning Objectives:
Students will become aware of the importance of fundamental principles of communication as they immerse themselves in an intercultural environment.
Students will gain insight about the influence of culture in communication and how to cope with cultural differences when interacting with others.
Students will develop analytical skills and critical thinking skills through the viewing and discussion of Italian cinema from the 20th century.
Students will develop analytical skills and critical thinking skills through the viewing and discussion of Italian Renaissance Art.
Students will develop analytical skills and critical thinking skills by immersing themselves in experiential learning situations where they are able to put the lecture material into practical knowledge.
Students will gain critical writing and research skills by engaging in experiential learning situations and developing a final project/paper for the class.
Students will receive reinforcement for effective written communication.
Students will observe, record, and evaluate various intercultural situations and will compare and contrast those experiences to their worldview.
Students will engage in observation of unique Renaissance Art, fashion, media, the performing arts, and architecture in one of Italy's most modern cities as well as through tours outside of Milan.
Participation:
Students are expected to participate in all lectures, tours, film studies, and activities as noted in syllabus and/or as provided by your GMU Faculty Director or the University of Milan Faculty Director. Please do not come late to any event as it is disruptive and discourteous. If you are absent or tardy for any reason, you are responsible for the material covered and any announcements made while you were gone. Please ask one of your classmates for this information.
06/02/08