French and Italian Popular Culture

Catalog description

Popular culture no longer holds the ancillary role traditionally reserved for whatever does not carry the definition of high culture. That popular culture is instead able to provide us with very relevant insights on the identity of a nation and a people is now widely accepted. As a consequence, this class aims at examining popular culture-related artifacts in Italy and France in order to shed a light on crucial issues such as the culture of food and its historical and social significance; the meaning of fashion and design within an urban context, with a special attention to gender roles; the importance of the comics, given in particular the exceptional success the bande dessinée genre is currently enjoying in France throughout the whole age range of the population; the show business with a particular attention to music; and the social function and role of sport with respect to the two dominant sports in both countries (soccer and cycling).