The Italian Resistance (La Resistenza Italiana)
S06
Roberto de Lucca
World War II was the most dramatic period in Italy’s history, a time of “benevolence and betrayal” resulting in a civil war between those who agreed to collaborate with the puppet Nazi-Fascist government and those who chose to resist. The Italian Resistance gave birth to the modern Italian state and now enjoys mythical yet much debated status. Students will react with this past using direct testimony—diaries, letters, poems, and songs of the time—as well as spoken testimony, photo archives, and later literature and film. Throughout the term, students will be asked to keep logs and to stage games in which they will take on roles in and outside the Resistance, learning about Italian culture from 1939 to 1945. There will also be several writing assignments, both creative and analytical. Emphasis will be on descriptive and narrative forms toward the creation of structured discourse.