Borders, Exile, Migration and Exile in Contemporary Italian Literature

This class focuses on works written in Italian but that may not be classified as part of Italian literature according to the traditional national canon. The books included in the syllabus deal with multicultural experiences in and outside Italy. The goal of the class is that of reflecting upon literary categories that do not apply anymore (or have never applied) to specific sections of Italian literature that are better understood if de-nationalized and envisioned in a multicultural and multilingual context. Is it topics or languages that assimilate literary works to a specific tradition? Does a Hungarian-born author who writes in Italian belong to one of the two specific linguistic literary traditions? In what measure the acquired cultural tradition mingles or clashes with the original background in an author who lives most of his life abroad, but chooses to write in his/her native language? A Swiss Italian writer is Swiss or Italian? Both? Neither? What are the boundaries that define or expand the concept of border literature? We will study works that question the traditional lines of the Italian canon and suggest that rather than speaking of Italian literature, we should begin speaking of literature written in Italian.

Required texts: Fleur Jaeggy. La paura del cielo. Milano: Adelphi, 1994.
Giorgio Pressburger. La neve e la colpa. Torino: Einaudi, 1998. 88-06-14747-1
---. Di vento e di fuoco. Torino: Einaudi, 2000. 88-06-14748-X
Edith Bruck. Transit. Venezia: Marsilio, 1978. 88-317-6270-2
Claudio Magris. Danubio. Milano: Grazanti, 1985. 9-7888-11-674528
---. Un altro mare. Milano: Garzanti, 1991. 88-11-67752-1
Paolo Mauresing. La variante di Lüneburg. Milano: Adelphi, 1993. 88-459-0984-0