Advanced Italian II: Advanced Written Expression - Writing for Social Justice

ITAL 50 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

As a course in the Mindich Program in Engaged Scholarship, Italian 50 explores writing as a form of civic engagement through the lens of social justice in contemporary Italy. The course approaches advanced language learning not only as the development of linguistic proficiency, but also as an opportunity to examine how language shapes public discourse, represents different experiences and perspectives, and can contribute to conversations about social and civic life.

Through sustained practice in a range of literary, academic, creative, and public-facing genres, you will develop greater confidence, precision, and stylistic awareness in written Italian. Guided attention to stylistics, pragmatics, grammar, register, and rhetorical choices will help you consider not only what you communicate, but how, why, and for whom you write. Writing thus becomes a way to engage critically and thoughtfully with different audiences, perspectives, and communities.

Drawing on literature, film, journalism, podcasts, and other authentic Italian-language texts and media, we will investigate questions of social justice in Italy, including LGBTQ+ activism and civil rights movements, prison education, and representations of gender and sexism in Italian literature, culture, and society. As we encounter different voices and forms of cultural expression, you will be encouraged to examine assumptions, consider multiple and sometimes conflicting perspectives, and reflect on how language both responds to and participates in social and cultural change.

Writing assignments—including reviews, social media and other public-facing writing, descriptive and creative work, and argumentative essays—will invite you to experiment with genre, register, voice, and audience while strengthening your academic Italian. In keeping with the goals of engaged scholarship, the course asks you to connect linguistic and cultural inquiry with questions that matter beyond the classroom and to consider how writing can create opportunities for dialogue, participation, and civic engagement.

Ultimately, Italian 50 aims to help you develop a distinctive and flexible voice in Italian while becoming a more attentive reader, writer, and participant in conversations about contemporary Italian society.

Course Notes

Conducted in Italian. Appropriate for concentrators electing the Italian Studies or Romance Studies track. May not be taken Pass/Fail, but may be taken Sat/Unsat by GSAS students. Not open to auditors.

Recommended Prep

A score between 721-750 on the SAT II or on the Harvard Placement Test; Italian 40; or permission of course head.