In Conversation with Dacia Maraini
Please join us for a wide-ranging conversation with one of Italy’s most prominent contemporary writers, Dacia Maraini.
About Italian Studies at Muhlenberg
Italian Studies Program Learning Goals
Italian Studies at Muhlenberg is an interdisciplinary program in a wide-ranging field with deep connections to ancient and modern Italy and Europe, as well as to our own society and ways of understanding and experiencing the world. As the heart of the Roman Empire, the seat of the Catholic Church and the most ancient Jewish community in Europe, the cradle of the Renaissance, the birthplace of Fascism, a theater of both World Wars and a current economic and political pillar of the European Union, Italy – its history, culture and language – is of great interest to students of various disciplines. Indeed, the field of Italian studies exemplifies Muhlenberg’s commitment to understanding the diversity of the human experience and to forging connections between fields and modes of thinking.
Students may choose to take Italian language courses and/or courses in Italian literature, film, history and culture. Students may also choose to pursue a minor in Italian Studies.
By studying a second language, students are uniquely poised to take on the challenges and opportunities that our interconnected world offers them. They gain the tools to understand, appreciate and critically analyze cultures other than their own. Italian language courses offer students the opportunity to acquire and hone communication skills in Italian, with a focus on contemporary Italian culture and society. Studying Italian at Muhlenberg not only gives students the means to communicate with Italians and directly experience life in Italy, but it also allows them to explore the treasures of Italian cultural and artistic production, stretching back to Dante's Divine Comedy.
Italian Studies courses explore topics ranging from the history of Italian cuisine to the Holocaust in Italian literature & film, ensuring that students are exposed to a wide range of Italian literature, art, history and culture. These courses are offered in English and Italian by professors from across the campus, schooled in various academic disciplines – Italian studies, English, history, political science, art history, theater – affording students various entryways and points of view on Italian culture.
Many Muhlenberg students choose to study abroad for a summer, a semester or a year, and Italy is their most popular destination. Our students attend an array of programs in Italy, depending on their interests and areas of study. These programs include the Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, for students of theater, music and dance; Siena Italian Studies for students wishing to immerse themselves deeply in Italian culture and society; the Florence University of the Arts, for a vast array of courses and learning opportunities; and other programs around Italy.
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