Pop music and the history of modern Italy

Teacher(s)

Caruso Annalisa;

Language

Italian

Prerequisites

Reading: B2+ level in Italian 
Writing: A2 level in Italian 
Speaking: A2 level in Italian 

Main themes

The history of Italian culture and society is presented and analysed through popular music, i.e. from nineteenth-century opera to contemporary rap. Students will be confronted with the tensions that run through both the birth of the new Italian state, founded in 1861, and the subsequent stages of its history: colonialism and nationalism, fascism, the post-war period, the economic miracle, social struggles, the Southern question, as well as the questioning of traditional social structures and the importance of the Church. 

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	Identify key moments in the history of modern Italy
2	Analyse the lyrics of important songs and arias
3	Understand the grand narratives that shape the Italian imagination and cultural memory.
This learning unit contributes to the development and command of the following skills and learning outcomes of the ELAL programmes: 1.6; 2.6; 4.3; 6.2; 6.4; 6.5; 6.6

Content

Students will be led to analyze the evolution of Italian pop music from the post-war period to the present day, understand the link between music and historical events in Italy, study musical texts to analyze social, cultural and political issues, delve deeper into technological transformations in musical production and distribution.

Teaching methods

Interactive frontal lessons, guided listening and analysis of musical texts

Evaluation methods

The student will be assessed as follows:

• June session: Oral examination on the course content.
• September session: Oral examination on the course content.

Faculty or entity

> ELAL