CIVILIZATION OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

L0644

Academic Year of enrolment:

2021

Year of supply:

2021/2022

Type of Course:

Related/Supplementary

Degree:

Course of 2nd Cycle Degree in MODERN LANGUAGES FOR MANAGEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Disciplinary Sector:

ENGLISH LITERATURE

Location:

PESCARA

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

COSTANTINI Mariaconcetta

PALADIN NICOLA

Cycle:

Second semester

Hours of classroom activity:

Individual study hours:

120

Prerequisites:

Classes are offered in English and exams are in English; so students are required to have a good knowledge of the teaching language.

Objectives

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The course aims to offer students a knowledge of the historical, socio-cultural and institutional realities of three anglophone areas: the United Kingdom, the United States of America and India. Besides providing notions of history, politics, sociology, education and economy concerning the above-mentioned countries, the course aims to encourage the students’ reflection on such important aspects of British, Indian and North-American cultures as religion, media and the arts. The LM38 Curriculum aims to train future experts in international relations and information research and management, translators and interpreters. In line with these professional objectives, two main objectives of the course are to develop the students’ strong motivation for studying foreign cultures, as well as their mastery of communicative codes typical of international relations. On a linguistic plane, in addition to encouraging a reflection on world varieties of English, the course will reinforce the students’ acquisition of a specialized vocabulary in the areas of culture and institutions, their ability to understand specialized texts written in a foreign language, and to expound the themes they have learnt in critically autonomous speeches in correct, formal English. Film in original language will be shown and commented, in order to favour the students’ ability to understand English and analyse other media.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Reinforcement of fundamental knowledge of the cultural and institutional contexts of the three Anglophone countries studies under scrutiny, including solid knowledge of historical, social and economic aspects of these contexts;
acquisition of specialized vocabulary related to cultural and institutional fields;
ability to make comparisons with other realities and to apply their knowledge to the analysis of various questions and problems from interdisciplinary, intercultural and international perspectives;
ability to use communicative techniques that are usually employed in institutions and in international relations;
ability to read and understand specialized texts in English and to discuss about other media (films) that are culturally relevant;
ability to classify and sum up data and information, to elaborate them autonomously and to communicate them orally in a well-argued speech in correct, formal English.

Contents

Notions of history, institutions and socio-cultural context regarding three Anglophone countries: the United Kingdom, the United States of America and India, a former British colony in which English is used as a lingua franca.
In particular:
The United Kingdom: geographical introduction; the people from the origins to the present day; ethnic diversity; religions; politics: the government, parties, the Monarchy; economy; education: schools and universities; the media; leisure, sport, the arts.
India: geographical introduction; languages; brief historical introduction from the origins to the present day, with special attention for the colonial and the postcolonial periods; the Constitution; political institutions: parties, the system of government; religions and the caste system; marriage and the condition of women; economy; culture: music, dance, literature; the media.
Discussion of British and Indian films that are culturally relevant.
The United States of America: the country and its geography; the people and ethnic diversity in the US; political institutions: the federal government, state and local government, the political parties; the economy; education; religion; the legal system and foreign policy; the media; arts, sports, and leisure cultures.

Extended Syllabus

Part 1: The world of John Bull: an introduction to the United Kingdom (Prof. M. Costantini, 3 CFU). After a brief geographical, this Part will focus on historical, sociological, political, economic, educational and cultural institutions and cultural (media, leisure, sport, the arts) aspects of the UK. Students will be encouraged to reflect on various aspects of British reality and to make comparisons with other countries, including Italy, from interdisciplinary, intercultural and international perspectives. The text used for these topics is “"British Civilization: an Introduction". Students will watch and discuss the film "East is East" (1999) by Damien O’Donnell to further develop their knowledge of up-to-date themes concerning multiculturalism and personal relations within multiethnic societies.

Part 2: Contemporary India: from Orientalism to globalization (Prof. M. Costantini, 3 CFU). This Part aims to analyse the complex reality of contemporary India, a rising country characterized by a strong economy and an increasingly influential culture. After a short historical introduction, especially centred on the colonial and postcolonial ages, classes will focus on the institutions, the political-economic system and the social structure of the ‘Indian giant’, which will be analysed in their points of strength as well as in their contradictions between past and present. Special attention will be paid to the influence of religion on gender and caste relations. Some distinctive aspects of Indian culture will also be taken into consideration and compared with those of other countries. The text “Indian Boom” and some addition powerpoint slides will be used to learn these topics. Part 2 will be enriched by the discussion of two Indian films which are meant to encourage a deeper reflection on the country’s socio-cultural reality, both both with regard to its filmic production (the Bollywood phenomenon) and to acquire a deeper knowledge of the political, ethnic and gender problems of Indian society. The two films are: "Monsoon Wedding" (2001) by Mira Nair and "Water" (2005) by Deepa Mehta.

Part 3: The American Dream (Prof. N. Paladin, 2/3 CFU). This part will provide students with basic knowledge of US history, institutions, economy, culture, and social life. Special attention will be devoted to the analysis of US Government and political institutions, foreign and immigration policy, economy, minority cultures, religion, social structures and movements, together with the linguistic and cultural aspects that characterize contemporary America. We will also discuss some of the myths that typify American culture and society.

Recommended Bibliography

-John Oakland, "British Civilization: an Introduction", Routledge, 2011 (7th edition) or any other later edition
[Chapter 3, 4 (only pp. 89-111), 7, 9, 10, 11 (only pp. 283-286, 295-298), 12] (for later editions, see the area "Altre informazioni")

-John Farndon, "India Booms. The Breathtaking Development and Influence of Modern India", Virgin, 2007
[Chapter 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 + Background pp. 175-208]

-David Mauk and John Oakland, “American Civilization: An Introduction”, Routledge, 2018 (7th revised edition)
[2 CFU: Chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 6-7, 12; 3 CFU: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-7, 8-9, 12, 13, 14]

The slides of powerpoint presentations shown in class will be provided by the teachers to students who ask for them at the end of classes or during the teacher’s the office hours. Students will have to carry their own USB devices to get the slides.

Teaching Methods

The course, consisting of 48/54 teaching hours (according to the assigned credits), is mainly taught in 2-hour classes according to the university’s teaching schedule. Lectures and seminars are held by the teachers responsible for the three parts. Seminars held by academic experts are foreseen, depending on the department’s ability to organize them during the academic year. Lectures and seminars will mainly focus on: lectures on the culture and institutions of the three Anglophone countries under scrutiny; lectures of cultural analysis; seminars consisting in class discussions; comment of some culturally relevant films. At the end of each part there will be a discussion on the main topics dealt with in class: students will be asked questions by the teachers and encouraged to answer individually.

Attendance is non compulsory but advised. The exam will be the same for students who attend and students who are unable to.

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

Students will take an oral exam in English, conversing on the topics dealt with in class and listed in this syllabus. They will be asked 6-7 questions meant to assess their ability to express themselves correctly in English, and their knowledge of the historical, social, political, economic and cultural aspects of the three linguistic areas. Their abilities to understand the specialized texts listed in this syllabus and to express themselves in a well-argued speech in correct and formal English will also be assessed.
The final score will be from 0 to 30. Students will pass the exam with a sufficient score if they show a basic knowledge of the topics; they will get an excellent score if they show a very good knowledge of the topics and an ability to develop an in-depth analysis and a critical discourse on them.
In particular, the exam will assess:
the students’ acquisition of deep knowledge of the cultural and institutions of the three important Anglophone countries, including their acquisition of good knowledge of their historical, social and economic aspects;
the students’ acquisition of specialized vocabulary related to cultural and institutional fields;
the students’ ability to make comparisons with other realities and to apply their knowledge to the analysis of various questions and problems from interdisciplinary, intercultural and international perspectives;
the students’ ability to use communicative techniques that are usually employed in institutions and in international relations;
the students’ ability to read and understand specialized texts in English and to discuss about other media (films) that are culturally relevant;
the students’ ability to classify and sum up data and information, to elaborate them autonomously and to communicate them orally in a well-argued speech in correct, formal English.

Contacts/More Information

N.B. In order to get 9 credits, students will choose the additional chapters of “American Civilization: An Introduction”, as indicated in the list of texts.
Incoming Erasmus students are welcome to attend classes.
Students who are using a later edition than the 7th edition of John Oakland, "British Civilization: an Introduction" will have to study the following parts:
- "The Country" (a general overview)
- "The people" (all)
- "Politics and government" (only the following parts: "Political history", "The contemporary British political framework", "Constitution and monarchy", "The UK Parliament: role, legislation and elections", "The party political system", "The UK government")
- "The economy" (all)
- "Education" (all)
- "The media" (all)
- "The religion" (only: "Religious history", "The Christian tradition", "The non-Christian tradition")
- "Leisure, sport and the arts" (all).

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Aree