Italian Journeys

Catalog description

This interdisciplinary course investigates Italy’s dual role as the home of legendary explorers and the destination for travelers over the centuries. Students will learn about the history of travel from and to Italy, the changing nature of travelers, their means of travel and their motivations. We will encounter medieval pilgrims, Renaissance mapmakers and eighteenth-century aristocrats as well as unwilling and accidental travelers. As we interpret the figure of the traveler, students will be encouraged to be voyagers themselves, reflecting critically on their own cultural assumptions, as well as issues of identity and power in the contact between cultures. Experiential learning units may include guest lectures and trips to local museums. Counts toward: Italian Studies Major; Italian major & minor; Museum Studies Minor; Medieval Renaissance Reformation Studies Minor; Global Literatures Major; Art History Major and Minor