italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
Re "writing 'Italianism'" (i.e. the study of a textually constructed
Italy comparable to Said's study of a textually constructed Orient),
I've often thought that Grand Tour studies generally started that
discussion. Certainly, key stereotypes of Italians began to emerge with
travel writing by non-Italians (and by Italians from one region of the
peninsula traveling to another region), as well as by images of Italy in
paintings and prints. And let's not forget the theatre -- Shakespeare's
Italians among them -- and opera!
On 7/19/2010 9:55 AM, Andrea Malaguti wrote:
> italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
>
> I could add "Pomodoro!" by David Gentilcore, a recently published
> history of the Italian tomato, and Pier Paolo Pasolini's "La ricotta"
> and Marco Ferreri's "La grande abbuffata."
>
> I have a problem with all this, though. I read Gian Paolo Biasin's
> "The Flavors of Modernity" and a good deal of Piero Camporesi's books,
> and found them exceptional. (My thanks to Manuela Gieri for a crucial
> suggestion on food in film: I will get a hold of that book ASAP.)
>
> It is not really comforting, at least in my opinion, that almost all
> scholarly discussion on Italian studies keeps focusing only on food,
> (reborn) fascism, racism, and/or general backwardness. as if all
> Italians spent their time eating, fancying a new dictator, bashing
> immigrants, and indulging into the prejudices of their grandparents.
> Are we back to Edward Banfield?
>
> I am informed enough about the lamentable state of Italy today. Yet,
> last week in New York Pier Luigi Bersani, current secretary of the
> Italian Democratic Party (PD), clearly said: "Esiste anche un'altra
> Italia." I assume he alluded to the democratic side of Italy, the one
> that keeps protesting against political corruption and organized crime
> and wants to preserve some integrity. It still exists. When shall we
> talk about it? (Curiously, the past representatives of such side of
> Italy were not at all keen on eating: Alcide De Gasperi was very
> moderate even at the dinner table, Indro Montanelli almost had no
> appetite, Marco Pannella, still living, is well known for his hunger
> strikes...)
>
> Then: CUI PRODEST? Why should we indulge in the fetish of Italy as an
> open-sky restaurant? ("Eat, Pray, Love") Why should Italy satisfy the
> need of exoticism for those who, for such purpose, cannot use neither
> the Far East, since China owns the 25% of the US national debt, nor
> the Middle East? Edward Said efficiently addressed the disparaging
> habit of exoticism in his "Orientalisms." When shall we find the
> courage to write "Italianisms"?
>
> Thank you for your consideration
> Andrea Malaguti
>
> Quoting "Oldcorn, Anthony" <[log in to unmask]>:
>
>> italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
>>
>> It might be interesting to take a look at the program "University
>> Masters in Gastronomy and Tourism" offered by the Universita' degli
>> Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche in Pollenzo, Piedmont (sponsored by
>> Carlo Petrini and Slow Food). The program looks like a bit of a
>> grab bag, but some areas might prove more relevant and helpful than
>> others. The online description is in English:
>>
>> http://www.unisg.it/download/guide/Guida_Master_IGT.pdf
>>
>> I can't recall whether John Dickie's book Delizia. The Epic Story of
>> Italians and Their Food (Sceptre, 2008) has already been mentioned
>> (Italian trans. Con gusto. Storia degli italiani a tavola, Bari,
>> Laterza).
>>
>> Then there are the works of the late Piero Camporesi
>> (www.disitlec.unibo.it/NR/rdonlyres/.../PieroCamporesi_Biografia.pdf).
>>
>> Nobody seems to have picked up on the music part of the original
>> request. Let me get the ball(s) rolling (so to speak) by mentioning
>> Gerard Corbiau's Farinelli, the romanticized story of Carlo Broschi,
>> the greatest castrato of the 18th-century circuit. His onscreen
>> singing voice was obtained by combining the voice of a female
>> soprano and that of a countertenor.
>>
>> Tony Oldcorn
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Messaggio originale-----
>> Da: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies per conto
>> di Lidia Ciccone
>> Inviato: dom 7/18/2010 10:54
>> A: [log in to unmask]
>> Oggetto: Re: [I-S] Italian Culture through food and movies
>>
>> italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
>>
>> Hello all,
>>
>> thanks for all your suggestions. Here there's a summary of the movies
>> suggested. Most of them, to my knowledge, do not have english subtitles
>> that are necessary (at least if I would like to show the entire movie)
>> for students who do not speak or understand any italian. The course is
>> designed to expose Freshman students to italian culture (and I thought
>> of food as a fundamental "cultural marker":
>> Grazie mille,
>>
>> Lidia Ciccone
>>
>> Big Night
>> Pranzo di Ferragosto
>> GodFather
>> Il Gattopardo
>> Miseria e Nobilta' (and many more of Toto' movies)
>> La Cena
>> Un Americano a Roma
>> La Storia di Ragazzi e Ragazze (Pupi Avati)
>> Pasolini's Decameron
>> C'eravamo tanto amati, La Terrazza (Ettore Scola)
>>
>> A very useful book is:
>>
>> Dalla fame all'abbondanza. Gli italiani e il cibo nel cinema italiano
>> dal dopoguerra ad oggi, di Viviana Lapertosa (Lindau, 2002)
>>
>>
>> Quoting Leslie Zarker-Morgan <[log in to unmask]>:
>>
>>> italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian
>>> studies
>>>
>>> Could Lidia, the original requester perhaps summarize what the final
>>> program is? It would be interesting to see the list!
>>> Leslie
>>>
>>> Dr. L. Zarker Morgan
>>> Professor of Italian and French
>>> Chair, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
>>> Coordinator, Italian Studies Minor
>>> Coordinator, Medieval Studies Minor
>>>
>>> Loyola University Maryland
>>> 4501 North Charles Street
>>> Baltimore, MD 21210-2699 USA
>>>
>>> tel. 410-617-2926
>>> fax. 410-617-2859
>>> email: [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>> homepage: http://evergreen.loyola.edu/lmorgan/www
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
>>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alex Bamji
>>> Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2010 3:15 AM
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: Re: [I-S] Italian Culture through food and movies
>>>
>>> italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian
>>> studies
>>>
>>> Hi Lidia,
>>>
>>> Pranzo di ferragosto might be good (it's a wonderful film).
>>> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1277728/
>>>
>>> Alex
>>>
>>> Dr Alexandra Bamji
>>> Lecturer in Early Modern History
>>> School of History
>>> University of Leeds
>>> Leeds LS2 9JT
>>> t: 0113 34 33602
>>> e: [log in to unmask]
>>> ________________________________________
>>> From: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
>>> [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lidia Ciccone
>>> [[log in to unmask]]
>>> Sent: 17 July 2010 21:00
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: [I-S] Italian Culture through food and movies
>>>
>>> italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian
>>> studies
>>>
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I am thinking of offering a course on Italian Culture through
>>> movies,
>>> food and music this Fall. I was wondering if anyone had any
>>> suggestions/advice regarding movies in which food and/or music gives
>>> an
>>> expression of Italian culture (or of a particular region within the
>>> italian peninsula). The movies should have english subtitles since
>>> the
>>> course is addressed to Freshmen who did not study any italian.
>>>
>>> Please feel free to e-mail me off-list if this seems off-topic!
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Lidia Ciccone
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> "Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine" L. Byron
>>> Lidia Ciccone
>>> Department of Modern Languages and Classics
>>> BB Comer 215
>>> University of Alabama
>>> Tuscaloosa, AL
>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> "Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine" L. Byron
>>
>> Lidia Ciccone
>> Full Time Temporary Instructor
>> Department of Modern Languages and Classics
>> BB Comer 215
>> University of Alabama
>> Tuscaloosa, AL
>>
>> **********************************************************************
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>>
>>
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>>
>
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--
Arnold Anthony Schmidt, Ph.D.
Professor of English
California State University
http://www.csustan.edu/ENGLISH/schmidt/schmidt.htm
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