SOC 310 – Diversity in Italy

Formerly called HUM 399/SOC 299 – Diversity in Italy

Course Description
In both popular media and even academia, strong stereotypes remain about Italy. These biased views are often shared by students coming to Italy for their study abroad period. The main feature that these stereotypes eliminate is Italy’s diversity, in all spheres of social life. The aim of this course is to introduce students to this diversity through movies, readings, and activities aimed at making the students aware of the stereotypes themselves. The course will look at differences in gender roles, religion, and ethnicity, as well as the diversity introduced by migrants. Students will learn to recognize their own stereotypes, find out the rich diversity behind generalizations, and then appreciate that richness.
Each topic will include a site visit and related activities, such as a visit to a women’s center, the local Synagogue and Mosque, or the stalls run by migrants at the main food market.

Objectives and Outcomes
By the end of this course, successful students are expected to be able to:
Be aware of what stereotypes are, and how they function, and be able to recognize them.
Understand the basic theoretical tools of intercultural communication and apply them to specific cases.
Apply these theoretical tools to their own experiences.

Course descriptions may be subject to occasional minor modifications at the discretion of the instructor.

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