Languages and Disciplines
st
in the 21 century:
Interdisciplinarity and Italian
Studies
Dr Giuliana Pieri
Royal Holloway University of London
http://interdisciplinaryitaly.com/
http://interdisciplinaryitaly.com/
AHRC funded research network
Interdisciplinary Italy 1900-2015: Art, Music,
Text
Dr Clodagh Brook (Birmingham University)
Dr Giuliana Pieri (Royal Holloway University of
London)
www.italydatabase.com
Dr Clodagh Brook, University of
Birmingham,
www.interdisciplinaryitaly.com
1. Interdisciplinarity and
the existing Disciplines
2. Teaching Italian Studies
TEACHING ITALIAN STUDIES IN THE 21ST
CENTURY: TRENDS AND CHALLENGES
London, 15 March 2013
Higher Education Academy
Discipline Workshop and Seminar
Series 2012-13
Aims
1. To highlight the role of content in the
curriculum
2. To counterbalance previous reports with
their exclusive focus on language provisions
3. To open up a discussion within our discipline
on the current and future shape of Italian
Studies
Previous reports
1. 2012-13 UCLM/AULC: survey of IWLP activity
in universities in the UK
2. February 2013: British Academy:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/p
ublications/languages-future
3. 2013 British Council:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/p
ublications/languages-future
Teaching Italian Studies in the 21st century
Revised Categories
1. Medieval Literature, Renaissance Literature, Renaissance
Art, and Dante (with the option of separating Dante)
2. 17th and 18th Century Culture, and 19th Century Literature
3. Cinema
4. 20th and 21st century literature
5. Fascism and Italian Nationalism (a broad category
renamed Italian History)
6. Translation and Linguistics
7. Other (includes also Fashion and Opera Culture)
• Language courses were not included.
Module categories
Medieval literature, Renaissance literature,
Renaissance art, and Dante
12%
20th and 21st century literature
25%
Italian history
17%
Cinema
2%
Translation and linguistics
5%
17th and 18th century culture, and 19th century
literature
9%
30%
Other
Module categories by year
100%
90%
80%
70%
Other
17th and 18th century culture, and 19th
century literature
60%
Translation and linguistics
50%
Cinema
40%
Italian history
20th and 21st century literature
30%
Medieval literature, Renaissance
literature, Renaissance art, and Dante
20%
10%
0%
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Russell Group
100%
90%
80%
70%
Other
60%
17th and 18th century culture,
and 19th century literature
50%
Translation and linguistics
40%
Cinema
30%
Italian history
20th and 21st century literature
20%
10%
0%
Medieval literature,
Renaissance literature,
Renaissance art, and Dante
Non-Russell Group
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
Other
17th and 18th century culture, and
19th century literature
Translation and linguistics
30%
Cinema
20%
Italian history
10%
20th and 21st century literature
0%
Medieval literature, Renaissance
literature, Renaissance art, and Dante
Module categories by country
80
70
17th and 18th century culture,
and 19th century literature
20th and 21st century
literature
60
Cinema
50
Italian history
40
Medieval literature,
Renaissance literature,
Renaissance art, and Dante
Other
30
Translation and linguistics
20
10
0
England
Scotland
Wales
Module categories in England
100%
Translation and linguistics
90%
80%
Other
70%
Medieval literature,
Renaissance literature,
Renaissance art, and
Dante
60%
Italian history
50%
Cinema
40%
30%
20th and 21st century
literature
20%
17th and 18th century
culture, and 19th century
literature
10%
0%
Midlands
North
South East
South West
3. The Research Context
1. A quest to grasp totality
2. Radical Postmodern Dissent
• “Interdisciplinary work is not a peaceful
operation: it begins effectively when the
solidarity of the old disciplines breaks down, a
process made more violent, perhaps, by the
jolts of fashion to the benefit of a new object
and a new language, neither of which is the
domain of those branches of knowledge that
one calmly sought to confront.”
Roland Barthes, ‘From Work to Text’ in Textual
Strategies, 1979
3. Hybrid Objects of Study
1960s
ITALIAN STUDIES
1935-1960
Of 102 articles:
61 literary, cultural, textual
histories
29 literary connections between
Italy and UK
1 contemporary literature
2 linguistics
9 art history
1 music
ITALIAN STUDIES
1935-1960
ITALIAN STUDIES
2013
Of 102 articles:
Of 20 articles:
61 literary, cultural, textual
histories
29 literary connections between
Italy and UK
1 contemporary literature
13 literature and 1 on book
production
3 written historical,
philosophical/theological
works.
2 linguistics
9 art history
1 music
1 linguistics
4 cinema
1 magazines
Thank you!
Dr Giuliana Pieri,
Royal Holloway University of London
www.interdisciplinaryitaly.com