Quaderno Culturale

Queens College Italian Program Newsletter | Numero 2 | Department of European Languages and Literatures | Spring 2013

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An introduction to Numero due IN THIS ISSUE Il secondo numero di Quaderno Culturale, bollettino del This second issue of Quaderno Culturale, the news- Programma di Italiano del Dipartimento di lingue e letter of the Italian Program of the Department of Queens College’s 2 letterature europee, contiene informazioni sui corsi di European Languages and Literatures, provides Italian Program italiano offerti dal Queens College, interviste a docenti e information about Italian classes offered by Queens a studenti, un resoconto dal congresso ACTFL ed un Highlights of College, interviews with faculty and students, a 3 articolo su una festa italoamericana. Dell’offerta report from the ACTFL conference, and an article Spring 2013 course offerings didattica della primavera 2013 vengono evidenziati il on an Italian American event. We highlight three corso sulla letteratura italoamericana del prof. Spring 2013 classes: Italian American Literature Tamburri, quello sulla cultura dialettale in Italia a cura Eventi italiani a (Prof. Anthony J. Tamburri), ’s Dialect Culture New York 4 del prof. Haller e quello realizzato dalla prof.ssa (Prof. Hermann Haller), and Pirandello’s Theatre Corradi sul teatro di Pirandello. Il professore dal vivo (Prof. Morena Corradi). For the section Professori incontrato da Quaderno Culturale è Eugenia Paulicelli, dal vivo, we interview Prof. Eugenia Paulicelli, Career Quest 5 responsabile del Programma di Italiano. La prof.ssa director of the Italian Program. Prof. Paulicelli Paulicelli ripercorre le tappe della sua formazione Professori traces her cultural education and academic career Dal Vivo: culturale e della sua carriera accademica, iniziate in 6 from Italy to the United States. She also talks Eugenia Italia e sviluppatesi negli Stati Uniti, ci parla dei suoi about her research interests and updates us on her Paulicelli interessi di ricerca e del suo prossimo libro. In Career forthcoming book. In Career Quest, Xhesika Shanja Quest, Xhesika Shanja racconta a Quaderno Culturale explains ways in which a science major student can le ragioni per cui uno studente di materie scientifiche Congresso 9 possa trovare stimolante frequentare corsi di lingua e di find Italian language and civilization classes re- ACTFL cultura italiane. warding. Our report from the ACTFL conference focuses on Manhattan Del più recente congresso ACTFL si riportano gli monuments 1, 2, presentations about designing language courses 8, 11 interventi sulla lezione di lingua in prospettiva honoring 12 interculturale, in particolare gli approcci metodologici e from an intercultural perspective, with particular great Italians la selezione dei contenuti della moderna Didattica delle emphasis on the methodological approaches and content selection of Romance Language education- lingue romanze. Il numero presenta inoltre un articolo su un evento italoamericano molto speciale: la Festa del alists. This issue also contains an article about a Giglio, che dal 1903 viene ogni luglio organizzata a very special Italian-American event: the Festa del Williamsburg, Brooklyn, dalla comunità nolana. In Giglio, which the nolana community has organized queste pagine, infine, appaiono le foto dei monumenti di each July in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, since 1903. Manhattan dedicati ad alcuni grandi italiani: Colombo, Finally, we are sharing pictures of Manhattan mon- Dante, Garibaldi e Verdi. Le statue esistono grazie a uments honoring great Italians: Columbus, Dante, Carlo Barsotti, fondatore del più vecchio e prestigioso Garibaldi, and Verdi. These statues exist thanks to giornale scritto in italiano negli Stati Uniti: Il Progresso Carlo Barsotti, the founder of Il Progresso Italoamer- Italoamericano. Barsotti riuscì tra fine Ottocento e icano, the oldest and most revered Italian-language primo Novecento a raccogliere i fondi necessari alla journal in the United States. In the late nineteenth realizzazione delle sculture e si diede un gran daffare and early twentieth centuries, Mr. Barsotti not per farle collocare in punti assai prestigiosi di only raised the funds necessary to commission Manhattan. these sculptures but also arranged to have them Verdi in Buona lettura! placed in prestigious locations around Manhattan. Buona lettura! Page 2 Quaderno Culturale

THE QUEENS COLLEGE ITALIAN PROGRAM Luisanna Sardu ([email protected])

This semester, the Italian Program writing-intensive courses taught in The courses are Problematics in Ital- at Queens College offers 14 under- English not only allow undergradu- ian/American Culture; Italian Ameri- graduate courses at all levels, from ates to fulfill the college’s Reading cans and Ethnic Relations: Interdisci- elementary to advanced, and in dif- Literatures (RL) and European Tra- plinary Approaches to the Study of ferent subjects: literature, cinema, ditions (ET) requirements, but also and history. familiarize students with Italian liter- Inter-culturalism; Italian American Literature; Italian/American Cinema: Each academic year, approximately ature (in translation), history, and 100 students enroll in our elemen- cinema. Production and Representation tary/intermediate language courses. Since the best way to achieve flu- (http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/ While beginners alternate exercises ency in a foreign language is to calandra/education/courses/italian- and practice in grammar, reading, “breathe” its culture, the Italian Pro- and conversation, second-year stu- gram encourages everyone to partic- american-studies-courses). dents sharpen their skills by engag- ipate in study abroad programs in The first MA graduate course in Ital- ing with a variety of topics, such as Italy. The Universities of Perugia, food, fashion, and television. Speak- Siena, and Chieti-Pescara can be a ian-American Studies, ITAST 703: ing, writing, and reading proficien- student’s destination for a summer, Italian American Literature, is offered cy are strengthened by students’ a semester, or a year. this Spring semester. curiosity and interest in Italian cul- The MA Program in Italian presents (See facing page for details) ture. graduate-level courses for students “The Italian program at who want to specialize in Italian. Queens College is not Every semester, students can regis- ter for two master’s courses (700- limited to courses taught level). This semester, the program in Italian.” also offers an MA-level track in Ital- ian American Studies as part of the To maximize their language experi- MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies) ence, Queens College students can After earning their MA in Italian, major or minor in Italian. Required many graduates have been able to and elective 200- and 300-level effectively pursue an elementary or courses give students the opportuni- high school teaching career and/or ty to expand their knowledge. Ad- an academic career as PhD students. vanced grammar, translation, busi- In Fall 2012, four graduate courses ness, literature, and culture across in Italian American Studies were ap- periods and gender are just a few of proved by Queens College and the the topics covered in our courses. CUNY Board of Trustees and consti- The Italian program at Queens Col- tute an option in at least two MA lege is not limited to courses taught programs at Queens College: the MALS Colombo in in Italian. Each semester, three and the MA in Italian. Queens College Italian Program Newsletter | Numero 2 | Department of European Languages Page 3

THE QUEENS COLLEGE ITALIAN PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR SPRING 2013 COURSE OFFERINGS:

ITAST 703: Italian 704: Italian 361: Italian American Literature Italy’s Dialect Culture Pirandello’s Theater by Anthony Julian Tamburri by Prof. Hermann Haller by Prof. Morena Corradi (3 hr.; 3 cr.) (3 hr., 3 cr.) (3 hr.; 3 cr)

Italian American Literature is one of the Italy’s Dialect Culture fulfills one of the two Pirandello’s Theater fulfills one of the three required courses for the Italian- linguistic requirements for the MS Degree. 300-level requirements of the Italian American Professional Certificate and for a This course is dedicated to a broad discus- Major. The plays of Pirandello have “specialization” in Italian/American Studies sion of the “other Italy,” i.e., that represent- greatly influenced European theater and within the MALS program; it is an elective ed by Italy’s linguistic and cultural expres- have been widely staged to this day. for the “minor” for the MA in Italian. sions in dialect. It studies the forms and uses This course focuses on the main works This course examines the literary contribu- of the numerous regional languages, from and phases of his theater, which famously tions of Italian Americans from the early Neapolitan and Sicilian to Milanese, Vene- addresses crucial issues of modernity twentieth century to the present. Migration, tian and Piedmontese, and discusses their such as identity, relativity, and alienation. settlement patterns, linguistic hybridity, transformation through time and their rela- By studying major plays such as Liolà and ethnical/racial consciousness, conflicts be- tions with the Standard language from post- Sei personaggi in cerca d’autore, this course tween marginal and mainstream cultures, unification Italy through the twenty-first addresses Pirandello’s theoretical works and gender ideology are some of the topics century. The course also examines the glob- as well as their wider European context. germane to the literature under considera- al presence of Italian dialects owed to emi- By studying some of his major and most tion. The development of secondary criti- gration, with a focus on North America. It original plays such as Cosí è (se vi pare), cism and its reflections on Italian American examines the written uses of dialects Sei personaggi in cerca d’autore, Enrico literature is instrumental in defining a canon through a literary production in dialect that IV, and I giganti della montagna, we will of texts central to a cultural group. Thus, is unparalleled in the Western European discuss Pirandello’s progressive doing second-order reflections will be read along- context. Students will be introduced to a away with naturalistic theater and its side primary texts in order to examine the rich dialect heritage in its diversified expres- techniques. strategies taken to offer “protocols of read- sions in music, film, and the mass media, This course addresses also Pirandello’s ing” compelling intertextual analysis. with its gradual transformation in the most theoretical essays as well as the wider recent decades. European context in which his theater places itself To learn more about our program, please visit www.qc.cuny.edu/italian or contact us directly:

Undergraduate advisors Prof. Karina Attar ([email protected]) Prof. Morena Corradi ([email protected])

Graduate advisors Prof. Hermann Haller ([email protected]) Prof. Eugenia Paulicelli ([email protected]) Page 4 Quaderno Culturale ITALICITY: Eventi italiani a New York The Giglio Festival Karina F.Attar [email protected]

Each July since 1903, the Giglio pirates' slaves, but in the meantime, Giglio and a Moorish galleon. The Feast in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, has news of the event spread around the Giglio is a 72-foot, 20,000-pound celebrated a legendary tale of magna- Mediterranean, reaching the ears of a nimity and heroism, a story that Turkish sultan. Awed by Paolino’s tower, decorated with crafted lilies evokes many of the novellas in the selfless and courageous action, he and angels and topped by a statue of final day of Giovanni Boccaccio’s successfully negotiated with the pi- San Paolino. The Moorish galleon is a Decameron. Around 410 AD, as the rates for the release of all the cap- reproduction of the boat that legend goes, North African pirates tives, who sailed home. Finally, as brought Paolino and his fellow cap- raided the town of Nola, near Na- the rescued prisoners stepped off tives back to Nola. It bears a teenag- ples. The town’s bishop, Paolino, their ship, the nolani welcomed them er—elected from a local family— made a run for the countryside with home holding lilies, each (the flower a group of children; when he re- that symbolizes purity and love in dressed like a Turkish sultan with a turned, a local widow told him the Christian piety and gives its name to turban and sword, and a few neigh- pirates had kidnapped many of the the festival). borhood children dressed as pirates. town's young men, including her For 12 days in July, Williamsburg’s Bands that play traditional Italian folk son. The bishop felt such compassion Italian American community, mostly songs and popular American hits for the widow that he offered his stand on platforms that support the own life in exchange for her son’s. descendants of the first immigrants Paolino and the other imprisoned from Nola, commemorates Paolino’s Giglio and galleon. Each structure nolani sailed to North Africa as the brave gesture and return from cap- (band included!) is carried by 150 tivity, maintaining a centuries-old “capi” (heads of local families), who tradition that also continues with lift them according to carefully cho- Giglio festivals in Nola and other reographed moves under the direc- towns in the province of Naples to tion of the “capo paranza” (head lift- this day (always on the Sunday fol- er). This year, the festival begins on lowing June 22, the anniversary of Wednesday, July 10, and concludes Paolino's death in 431 AD). Orga- on Sunday, July 21. In keeping with nized and hosted by the Shrine annual custom, it also features a Church of Our Lady of Mount Car- “Children’s Giglio” (a smaller model mel, the feast features a street fair lifted by children of the community), with stalls selling sazicc n peppiz a “Night Lift,” and the “Old Timers’ (sausage and peppers heros), zeppole Day” on the final Sunday. For more (sweet, fried dough), T-shirts and information, visit the official Giglio other wares, as well as numerous Feast website: rides and games (including a carousel The festa del giglio http://www.olmcfeast.com/ and Ferris wheel). The highlights of procession in Williamsburg the feast are processions carrying the Queens College Italian Program Newsletter | Numero 2 | Department of European Languages Page 5

Career Quest

Italian for Science Majors: An interview with Xhesika Shanja

QC: Hi Xhesika. It is nice to talk QC: As a student majoring in to you again. Let’s start with the a scientific subject, what bene- first question: Why did you minor fits did you have, if any, from in Italian? You were a very busy minoring in Italian? pre-med student who did not even need to fulfill her language re- XS: I don’t think it helped quirements… much in my undergrad science courses, but it has helped with XS: I chose to minor in Italian my graduate work. I am learn- because I thought learning a sec- ing the technical vocabulary of ond or third language is im- medicine and more than half of portant. When you learn one, the words have Latin roots. learning others becomes easier Xhesika Shanja: “learning a My knowledge of Italian has and it works a part of your brain second or third language is made it much easier to learn that learning science does not. I important.” them. chose Italian specifically because I grew up being familiar with QC: Did you ever regret not QC: Would you recommend some aspects of Italian culture choosing a more “useful” lan- study of a foreign language/ and language and I thought it was guage (maybe Spanish or Chi- Italian to a freshman who in- musical and romantic. Many of nese)? tends to focus on science? my favorite films are Italian. Why? XS: No, I didn't really QC: What kind of expectations change my mind. It proba- XS: Yes. Science disciplines did you have coming into the pro- bly would have been practi- tend to encourage one specific gram? Were they met? cal to learn Spanish in addi- way of thinking and it can get tion to Italian, because of dull. An undergraduate educa- XS: My expectations were that I the large Spanish-speaking tion should be well-rounded would be able to hold a conversa- population in New York and expand your learning abili- tion and understand music, books, and the U.S., or French or ties. Learning a language is a movies, etc. in Italian without Mandarin, because they great way to supplement that, much help. They were absolutely have larger speaking popu- because it is a completely dif- met. When I went abroad to lations worldwide. When I ferent process. It is also a lot of Ugento, I was able to speak not took the dialects class with fun. Italian in particular is great only with the directors of the pro- Dr. Haller, it was a little for anyone who may travel to gram, but also with local people disappointing to learn that Italy for scientific research or who didn't know any English. It until recently, most Italians will eventually go to medical was very rewarding and being able to spoke primarily in a dialect school and need to master the travel to Italy was one of the best expe- that hardly resembled terminology. riences of my undergrad education. standard Italian at all.

Page 6 Quaderno Culturale PROFESSORI DAL VIVO An Interview with Professor Eugenia Paulicelli and Germany, and the EP: Of course it is difficult tionships and branch out to United States had always to leave your own country. other knowledges. This appealed to me for a varie- My family is still there. But doesn’t happen much in ty of reasons, both person- I don't regret my decision Italy, especially in the field al and professional. At the at all since the U.S. has of Italian. I firmly believe, University of Tennessee I now become my country. I however, that Italianists found a very multicultural find the Italian academic outside Italy can make a and international commu- climate rather stale, and great and important con- Prof. Paulicelli: “In the U.S., nity of students and facul- often far too dominated by tribution to this debate I found a very different aca- ty, and enjoyed working nepotism and paternalism. and ultimately create new demic environment, one that with my first mentor, Pro- In Italy, in order to advance constellations from which saved my intellectual life.” fessor Salvatore di Maria. in your academic career, both students and teachers After Knoxville, I won a most of the time, you have can benefit. In other Eugenia Paulicelli is Pro- fellowship to pursue a PhD to be a photocopy of the words, today more than fessor of Italian at Queens in Italian in the Depart- professor who supervised ever, being an intellectual College, CUNY; a mem- ment of French and Italian your study quoting him/ means to challenge one- ber of the Doctoral Facul- at the University of Wis- her every time you write self. The question is not ty in the Department of consin, Madison, where I something. In the U.S., I whether or not to study Comparative Literature found a nourishing envi- found a very different aca- literature, but what you and in the Women's Stud- ronment, very collegial in demic environment, one do with it and more im- ies Certificate Program at terms of faculty and stu- that saved my intellectual portantly what kind of other the CUNY Graduate Cen- dents. During these years, life. Here, you also draw contiguities/semantic/visual ter; and co-founder and I was able to pursue my on the work of whoever fields interact with it and cre- director of the Interdisci- research interests in inter- supervises your disserta- ate possibilities for new forms plinary Concentration in disciplinary fields such as tion, but you can break and historical knowledge. Fashion Studies and of the literature, the visual arts, free. In my view, we have MA in Fashion Studies in fashion, and critical theory no need to maintain bound- QC: What brought you to the Liberal Studies Pro- in the French seminars aries in the study of litera- ? What has gram, both housed at the taught by Stephen ture, film, painting, archi- been your experience here at CUNY Graduate Center. Winspur and Judith Mil- tecture, fashion, etc. The Queens College and at the ler. I already had a solid most important thing is Graduate Center? QC: What drew you to the publication record, and so what kind of connections a EP: Throughout my first United States? I was able to complete my scholar can make with the years in the United States, EP: After completing my PhD in three years. I de- material s/he works with. I traveled frequently, but undergraduate degree in fended my doctoral thesis It is exactly this kind of as- especially to New York English and Literary Semi- in August 1991 and se- sociation of domains, de- City and Los Angeles. I fell otics at the University of cured a two-year appoint- tails, languages and forms in love with NYC right Bari in Puglia, Italy, in ment in the Department of that produces new sensibili- away! I was offered a ten- 1987, I applied for a one- Italian Studies at Wellesley ties and ultimately new ure-track position at year lectureship in the Ital- College, Massachusetts. knowledge. So more than Queens College in 1992; it ian Program at the Univer- ever, a field such as Italian seemed the perfect fit and sity of Tennessee in Knox- QC: Do you miss Italy? Are Studies is called on to re- so I was delighted to ac- ville. I had only ever visit- you happy you decided to stay think its boundaries, do- cept! At CUNY, I have ed the United Kingdom in the United States? mains and network of rela- found an incredibly rich

Queens College Italian Program Newsletter | Numero 2 | Department of European Languages Page 7

PROFESSORI DAL VIVO (continued…) An Interview with Professor Eugenia Paulicelli intellectual environment EP: In The Fictions of Fash- this material we can also Fashion, Identity, Globali- that is congenial to the ion I dedicate a chapter each pinpoint the tensions with- zation,” held at the col- kind of interdisciplinary to early-modern authors in society, and between lege's Godwin Ternbach work that interests me the who concerned themselves genders and classes. Fash- Museum, was extremely most. I don't know of any with fashion: Baldassarre ion is a macro-system in successful, and featured other academic institution Castiglione, Cesare Vecel- which the personal sphere lectures, a graduate stu- in the US that would wel- lio, Giacomo Franco, the becomes collective. There dent conference at Queens come two different tracks nun Arcangela Tarabotti, is no fixed epistemology of and an international con- in Fashion Studies in a and abbot Agostino Lam- fashion. As Barthes said, ference at the GC. We multidisciplinary perspec- pugnani. Behind the book clothes signify, they are, to published a catalogue and a tive. For this I am very is Roland Barthes' Système quote two critics who to- book of the conference grateful. de la mode (The Fashion Sys- gether have written won- proceedings with tem) and the work Walter derfully on this topic, Routledge. The exhibit QC: How did you become Benjamin did on reproduc- “animated” (Stally-brass and traveled to the Museum of interested in studying fashion? ibility, photography and Jones). Craft and Folk Art in San EP: The roots of my inter- cinema, and the techno- Francisco the following est in fashion stretch back logical revolution. The QC: What are some of the year. I organized another to my undergraduate stud- word “fashion” (moda) en- cultural events you have orga- multimedia exhibit on the ies in Italy, but it was tered the Italian vernacular nized related to fashion at 1960s at the GC's James when I came to the United in the early seventeenth CUNY? Gallery, in collaboration States for graduate work century, the period in EP: At the GC, I organized with the Centro Cinema in that I had the opportunity which we begin to see a the first academic confer- Cesena, Italy, in 2010. to look at Italy and Italian concern for the clothed ence that approached fash- The major focus was on culture through different body and a growing inter- ion from a multidisciplinary Italian film, culture, and eyes. This is something est in a specifically national perspective: “Italian Fash- costume as it was the 50th that has been a wonderful identity. We do not have ion: Identities, Transfor- anniversary of films such as journey. I re-read the Ital- many objects from the Re- mation, Production” was La dolce vita, Rocco e i suoi ian classics from a new naissance, but we have funded by the Italian Trade fratelli and L’Avventura. perspective. It was also in literary texts, letters, im- Commission and the Italian Another international con- the U.S. that my interest ages, documents about Cultural Institute in NYC ference co-organized with in early modernity and the trade with the Ottoman in 2002. the University of Stockholm Renaissance was really Empire and Persia, textile Following the success of saw the participation of ma- kindled for the first time. I production, sumptuary this conference, I wanted jor film scholars, as well as realized I could undertake laws, maps, and costume to explore the concept of Adriana Berselli the cos- readings of different mo- books, which are all asso- fashion, identity and mate- tume designer who worked ments in Italian history ciated with specific places rial culture in the wider on Antonioni’s film L’Avven- through the lens of fashion and indispensable for stud- context of globalization. I tura. These exhibits were accompanied by courses at and the arts, an approach I ying the period and the was aware that Queens Queens College and the continue to find extremely emerging debate on the College had a clothing and GC, and some of the stu- rich for studying the textile archive, so, putting nation. In all of the works dents have published their word/image relationship. I discuss in The Fictions of our forces together, we work and found teaching Fashion, there is talk of organized the first exhibi- positions in fashion schools QC: Tell us something about “Italianness” as distinct tion at Queens College. in NYC. your latest book... from “otherness.” Through “The Fabric of Cultures:

Page 8 Quaderno Culturale

PROFESSORI DAL VIVO (continued…) An Interview with Professor Eugenia Paulicelli

QC: How do you integrate your teaching century launch of Italian fashion one piece. It is tiring and absorbing, and research interests, and how have came thanks to cinema, so it is im- but rewarding. students responded to courses on fashion portant to stress this historic con- culture? juncture. Up until the post-WWII QC: How do you balance work and life – EP: Students at Queens College economic boom, Italy was seen as a your family, your interests and obligations have shown that they are very inter- backward country but after—thanks outside your career? ested in the intersection of fashion, in no small part to the emerging EP: It was really a stroke of luck, to culture and the arts at both under- high-fashion industry—it came to be meet David (Ward), my husband. We graduate and graduate levels. Fash- seen as the country of design and have a daughter, Anna, who is now 15. ion lends itself to an interdiscipli- style in a general sense, not just in David and I collaborate a lot. We have nary approach, so it is essential to the field of fashion. a constant dialogue, and are both very enter into dialogue with colleagues disciplined so we are able to create who work on similar thematics and QC: How do you work – how do you priorities and stick to them. We have involve them when we develop new develop the germ of an idea into, for balance, but it’s not a given, we have course curricula. Creating new syl- instance, a book-length project? to work on it. labi is one of the most enjoyable and EP: I usually begin with a confer- satisfying aspects of administrative ence paper that develops into an QC: Professor Paulicelli, thank you work for me. Last May, I participat- article or chapter. I remember that for speaking with us about your ca- ed in seminars on Italian language when I wrote my first paper on fash- reer – we look forward to reading and culture pedagogy organized by ion theory, I was in a French gradu- The Fictions of Fashion soon! the Italian Consulate, and I offered ate seminar taught by Stephen examples on how to integrate ele- Winspur at the University of Wis- ments of fashion into language consin. I found myself on very slip- courses. The response of high school pery ground: I did not have one par- teachers was very good. ticular text on which to focus, I felt a little scattered and I realized I QC: You teach cinema in addition to would have to read a lot! The dia- fashion. How do the two interests over- logue with Winspur helped to clari- lap? fy my ideas a great deal. EP: My work on cinema is also at With time, I have learned to be the intersections of word and image, more systematic and disciplined, to and the verbal and the visual—this narrow down my focus more quick- was the subject of my first book, a ly. What is difficult with research is much reworked version of my doc- to circumscribe the field of study, toral dissertation, Parola e immagine: we feel bombarded with information Sentieri di scrittura in Leonardo, Marini, and have to direct the traffic, figure Foscolo, Calvino. out what is useful to create our own When I came to Queens, cinema trajectory and constellation. Writing courses had not been offered for is always a process of re-writing, a some time. Fashion and cinema have form of labor, not just an intellectu- much in common and their histories al effort. There are different phases; Dante in intersect a great deal, not only in you write many different drafts for Dante Park terms of aesthetics. The twentieth-

Queens College Italian Program Newsletter | Numero 2 | Department of European Languages Page 9

Dal Congresso ACTFL di Filadelfia—La lezione di lingua in prospettiva interculturale Tiberio Snaidero ([email protected])

Tra il 16 ed il 18 novembre 2012 si anno di spagnolo la signora Lewis ha lavorano nell’edilizia e viaggiano in e’ svolto a Filadelfia il congresso deciso di sviluppare la competenza gruppo; bevono tutti molto alcol, si dell’ACTFL, l’American Council for the interculturale dei suoi studenti sposano in modo fastoso ed ascoltano Teaching of Foreign Languages. Alcuni impostando il suo corso sugli solo reggaeton3. Nella prima unità strands del congresso facevano stereotipi. Per conseguire l’obiettivo si didattica (Geographic/historic diversity) la esplicito riferimento all’insegnamento è servita di materiali autentici ed ha classe è stata suddivisa in piccoli gruppi, della cultura nella classe di lingua, sposato l’approccio alla didattica della a ognuno dei quali è stato assegnato il ed allo sviluppo della competenza cultura sviluppato da Claire compito di riassumere e visualizzare su interculturale come obiettivo Kramsch2, anche se accanto a testi un poster importanti dati geografici, storici fondamentale della lezione. letterari ha impiegato anche film e e lessicali caratterizzanti una specifica area In un ambiente scolastico, canzoni.I materiali autentici sono stati dell’Hispanidad. La seconda unità didattica l’obiettivo finale dell’educazione selezionati da Lewis in base al criterio (Racial/ethnic diversity in Latin America linguistica in prospettiva di rappresentanza della “cultural and Spain) si è basata sull’analisi linguistica e interculturale è far conoscere e diversity within the Spanish-speaking world” culturale del testo della canzone En lo Puro no comprendere agli studenti le (cfr. Lewis/Shrum in Hay Futuro, del gruppo musicale caratteristiche della loro propria http://flvateacheredanddvlp.pbw spagnolo Jarabe de Palo. I materiali cultura, far maturare dunque un orks.com/f/FLAVA2011LewisSh impiegati nella didattica della terza parte consapevolezza della relatività della rum%2BPP.ppt). del modulo (Diversity of legal status of stessa. L’approccio, i contenuti e gli Spanish-speakers in the U.S.) sono stati il obiettivi variano però in funzione Le tre unità didattiche in cui ha film di Patricia Riggen La Misma Luna - della “linguacultura” insegnata e del suddiviso un modulo della durata di sulla storia di un “clandestino” -, la contesto educativo.Nel caso dello due mesi si intitolavano rispettivamente: canzone Vivan los Mojados del gruppo “di spagnolo, soprattutto se insegnato 1) Geographic/historic diversity (through frontiera” californiano Los Tigres del Norte in una scuola secondaria di un’area readings), 2) Racial/ethnic diversity in e, infine, un’intervista a José Rodriguez degli Stati Uniti con una Latin America and Spain (through a Lechuga, il marito messicano trascurabile presenza di ispanofoni song) e 3) Diversity of legal status of dell’insegnante, che ha raccontato la sua sul territorio, l’obiettivo principale Spanish-speakers in the U.S. (through a propria storia di immigrazione. Al della lezione sarà quello di estirpare movie, a song and an interview) termine del modulo gli studenti hanno cliché e smascherare pregiudizi. Mary (ibidem).All’inizio del corso, grazie scritto un saggio che si riferiva a tutte le Joy Lewis insegna spagnolo alla ad un’attività di brainstorming è fonti adoperate a lezione, e sono state William Fleming High School di emerso che nel gruppo-classe la riverificate quelle conoscenze che due Roanoke, West Virginia, uno stato conoscenza della maggior parte degli mesi prima si erano rivelate tanto nel quale gli ispanici rappresentano studenti si nutriva di numerosi impregnate di stereotipi. I risultati sono meno dell’1% della popolazione, a stereotipi: gli ispanofoni hanno tutti stati eccellenti: il lavoro di riflessione fronte di una percentuale nazionale lo stesso aspetto (pelle scura e capelli linguistica e culturale sui materiali che si aggira sul 17%1. Al terzo neri); tutti giocano molto bene a calcio, autentici ha permesso a Lewis di ridurre

1 Dati tratti da http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=50&ind=6.

2 Secondo Kramsch lingua e letteratura sono inseparabili, e i testi letterari devono essere al centro del lavoro dell’insegnante in classe. La cultura è dunque una caratteristica della lingua, e il lavoro sul materiale linguistico (letterario) permette di accedere a una comprensione della prospettiva culturale “altra”. Il testo letterario deve essere selezionato in funzione della sua capacità di far emergere posizioni conflittuali, che devono essere rese esplicite all’interno della classe di lingua (cfr. Claire Kramsch, Context and Culture in Language Teaching. Oxford University Press, 1993).

3 Si tratta di una forma musicale nata a Panama e a Puerto Rico alla fine degli anni Ottanta e derivata dal reggae giamaicano.

Page 10 Quaderno Culturale

Dal Congresso ACTFL di Filadelfia—La lezione di lingua in prospettiva interculturale Tiberio Snaidero ([email protected]) nettamente i pregiudizi e di dotare gli Donolo, Massimiliano Capati, Luca Tra gli esempi portati da Fabbian segnalo studenti un una conoscenza critica delle Sofri, Marco Revelli, o soltanto consulti le attività sulle “leggi razziali” approvate culture che si sono sviluppate in lingua l’annuale Rapporto Italia a cura in Italia nel 1938, grazie alle quali viene spagnola. dell’Eurispes, sa che quello un tempo sottoposto a verifica critica il mito degli conosciuto come il bel Paese vive da “italiani brava gente”. I materiali usati A differenza dello spagnolo (e pure qualche decennio una profonda crisi sono vignette e foto d’epoca, un brano dell’inglese e del francese), l’italiano politica, economica e sociale. Manca una tratto da Se questo è un uomo, di Primo rimanda immediatamente ad uno spazio politica pubblica per un’adeguata Levi, un video con un’intervista allo geografico e culturale ben preciso. istruzione secondaria e universitaria e stesso Levi realizzata nel 1984 dalla Grazie al mezzo della lingua italiana si l’evasione fiscale, l’economia sommersa RaiEdu e rintracciabile su youtube ed un può avere accesso ad una specifica e quella criminale, la lentezza della documentario di Francesco Linguiti per letteratura nazionale, e si possono giustizia, la diffidenza nei confronti della RaiTre (Correva l’anno: La difesa della conoscere in originale i tanti prodotti forza pubblica sono ormai tratti che razza. Il fascismo e gli ebrei) anch’esso culturali veicolati dal medium caratterizzano l’intera penisola. pubblicato sullo stesso sito web. linguistico. Informazioni su eventi storici Nell’Italia contemporanea tutto appare Questionari, esercizi di comprensione e o biografie di personaggi illustri possono degradato a merce, al punto che il luogo completamento, saggi brevi vengono anche venire trasmessi nella lingua di fisico dell’identità italiana non sembrano assegnati per ampliare il vocabolario studio degli apprendenti, e il ricorso ad più le piazze – oramai deserte la degli studenti e nel contempo informarli immagini e a suoni può naturalmente domenica pomeriggio – ma i grandi su una pagina oscura della storia italiana. contribuire all’apprezzamento dell’arte e centri commerciali, gli outlet. La L’invito alla riflessione e al giudizio sui della musica italiane. Il fine televisione sembra aver trasformato fatti presentati appare costante, e tale dell’insegnamento della cultura in una l’Italia in una “videocrazia”, e l’idea che approccio critico agli eventi potrebbe lezione di italiano è però soprattutto non siano necessari né il lavoro né il pure svilupparsi in una sollecitazione ad quello di guidare gli studenti alla talento per fare carriera nel mondo dello esaminare episodi controversi della storia conoscenza ed alla comprensione spettacolo (e della politica) è diventata americana. Veronica Vegna ha invece dell’Italia contemporanea, un paese che una convinzione sempre più diffusa. Il portato ad esempio un modulo negli ultimi decenni è mutato fenomeno dell’immigrazione, infine, è sull’immigrazione in Italia, nel quale ha profondamente. Riflettere sui fenomeni sottovalutato e gestito malissimo. didattizzato canzoni (Pane e coraggio, di migratori, sullo scompaginamento del Ivano Fossati), libri (Io, venditore di quadro politico, sul rapporto dialettico Nel loro contributo Social Issues and elefanti, di Pap Khouma; Regina di fiori e con gli altri stati europei permetterà non Cultural Awareness in Language Teaching di perle, di Gabriella Ghermandi) e video solo di avere un’idea aggiornata, e non Veronica Vegna (University of Chicago) tratti da youtube con immagini degli mitizzata od obsoleta, dell’Italia attuale e Chiara Fabbian (University of Illinois) sbarchi a Lampedusa, interviste agli ma pure di sviluppare un approccio hanno riportato esempi di corsi di immigrati appena arrivati in Italia, critico all’interpretazione della società italiano nei quali la selezione di temi documentari sull’emigrazione italiana di statunitense nella quale lo studente vive. “scomodi” ha loro permesso di far luce inizio Novecento nelle Americhe e clips La lezione di italiano può dare il suo su episodi della storia d’Italia poco dal film di Emanuele Crialese contributo alla formazione di un lusinghieri o su aspetti critici della società Nuovomondo. Anche le lezioni di Vegna cittadino consapevole, dotato di italiana contemporanea. Grazie ad hanno puntato a fornire agli studenti strumenti di decodificazione della cultura attività didattiche incentrate su temi informazioni aggiornate sulla società sia della società di cui fa parte sia di quella controversi è stata sollecitata negli italiana contemporanea, invitandoli a di cui studia la lingua. Per conseguire studenti la capacità di riflettere e si è riflettere criticamente sui modi in cui gli questo fine risulta decisiva la selezione contribuito a sviluppare una italiani – stato, associazioni, gente dei temi da didattizzare. Chi viva in Italia, consapevolezza critica (inter)culturale. comune – hanno reagito al repentino legga i saggi di autori come Carlo

Queens College Italian Program Newsletter | Numero 2 | Department of European Languages Page 11

La lezione di lingua in prospettiva interculturale trasformarsi del bel Paese in una società testi – intesi in senso lato: dunque anche societa' in cui ci si trova a vivere, e di multiculturale. Non mancano i film, canzoni, disegni – siano culturalmente quella della linguacultura che si studia a riferimenti al passato colonialista ricchi, capaci cioè di far emergere posizioni scuola. dell’Italia – vedi ad esempio la scrittura conflittuali e mettere in discussione i valori diasporica dell’italo-etiope Gabriella degli studenti attraverso la comparazione. Ghermandi – e sono state istituite delle Per accedere a una comprensione della relazioni, e sviluppate delle discussioni, prospettiva culturale “altra” è necessario che sui modi più o meno riusciti in cui lo il lavoro sul materiale linguistico e culturale stato e la società statunitensi hanno a impostato nella prima lezione dell’UA si loro volta organizzato nel corso del armonizzi coerentemente con gli obiettivi tempo l’accoglienza e l’integrazione dei del modulo e dell’intero percorso. I nuovi venuti. Le attività di contenuti selezionati devono essere elementi comprensione e di ampliamento basilari dello sviluppo economico, politico e lessicale si sono dunque anche in questo sociale della cultura target e devono prestarsi caso incentrate su contenuti e materiali ad essere problematizzati, favorendo la che hanno favorito la lettura critica del contrastività col contesto culturale in cui ha fenomeno preso in esame: la luogo il corso. Le attività proposte migrazione. dovrebbero idealmente coinvolgere gli Dalle esperienze portate ad esempio studenti anche sul piano affettivo ed possiamo concludere che, per dare a un emotivo, in modo da favorire due nozioni cardine dell’ intercultural learning: l’empatia e corso di Italiano Lingua Straniera Garibaldi in un’impronta interculturale, è la defamiliarizzazione, che rappresentano il necessario programmare una serie di viatico per una (auto)consapevolezza critica Unità di Apprendimento nelle quali i della cultura famigliare, di quella della I contributi al congresso ACFTL di Filadelfia (16-18 novembre 2012) cui fa riferimento l’articolo sono i seguenti:

Chiara M. Fabbian (University of Illinois)/Veronica Vegna (University of Chicago): Social Issues and Cultural Awareness in Language Teaching

Mary Joy Lewis (William Fleming High School): Immigration, Cultural Diversity, and My Spanish Class

Tiberio Snaidero (Queens College, CUNY): Sviluppare la competenza (inter-)culturale nella lezione di Italiano

Manhattan monuments honoring great Italians:

Columbus, Dante, Garibaldi, and Verdi. These statues exist thanks to Carlo Barsotti, the founder of Il Progresso Italoamericano, the oldest and most revered Italian-language journal in the United States. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Mr. Barsotti not only raised the funds necessary to commission these sculptures but also arranged to have them placed in prestigious locations around Manhattan.

Quaderno Culturale

A project of the Queens College Italian Program (Department of European Languages and Literatures)

Project Coordinator: Tiberio Snaidero

Editors: Karina F. Attar Morena Corradi Luisanna Sardu Tiberio Snaidero

Layout: Yves Cloarec