Italian Studies
This section provides an in-depth analysis of studies on the works and literary cultures (in Italian, in Latin or in various Italian dialects) from its origins to contemporary times, with reference to various literary modes and genres, to research methodologies, to the history of the discipline, to the history of criticism and of poetics, and finally to the teaching techniques used for the transmission of knowledge within those sectors. The research – applied to the texts, the authors and the literary and historical periodisations – includes, of course, the Philological study and commentary of the texts themselves; their geographical and historical contextualisation, with respect to the various ancient Italian states and the many ancient regional situations; the literary and historic discussion and the reflection on the evolution of the canon of Italian literature throughout the different eras; the study of literary language in its historical and technical aspects (with regard to literary genres, metric forms and to the formation of different kinds of prose); the study – from a stylistic point of view – of literary communication and its relationship with Visual Arts, Performing Arts and New Media. This critical approach includes the study of various theories formulated by the critics in a national and international context; a reference to the main theoretical issues of both ancient and modern times, ending with an overview of militant criticism on contemporary texts.