Buñuel en Toledo. Arte público, acción cultural y vanguardia

Buñuel en Toledo. Arte público, acción cultural y vanguardia

María Soledad Fernández Utrera — bunuel en toledo

In 1923, Luis Buñuel established the Order of Toledo, a parody order of knights whose members included Salvador Dalí, García Lorca, and Rafael Alberti. Together, they often visited the ancient Spanish capital to stroll through its labyrinthine streets. But these excursions on the part of Buñuel and the Brotherhood were more than simple episodes of cultural sightseeing; they were happenings, public interventions in space.
This book explores the anti-artistic aspect of these activities and urban perambulations. Are these practices similar to the flânerie of the Dadaists and French Surrealists? Taking into account their liberal, Spanish context, what was new about them, and what did they mean? Does their aesthetic experimentation make for ideological radicalism? And what impact do these first steps have on Buñuel’s subsequent work and his later ideological trajectory?

Fernández Utrera, María Soledad. Buñuel en Toledo. Arte público, acción cultural y vanguardia. Woodbridge: Tamesis Books & Boydell & Brewer, 2016.
ISBN-10: 1855663031
ISBN-13: 978-1855663039

ITST231

Love, Sex, and Magic in Premodern Italy

[Cross-listed with Italian 303]

Make the fears, concerns, and desires of premodern Italy yours through the study of a selection of literary, philosophical, and theological texts that shaped the Italian peninsula, Europe, and the Mediterranean.

In this course we will read and discuss excerpts from some of the most important texts of the Italian Middle Ages and Renaissance, we will learn about the culture that originated it, and we will make meaningful connections with today’s world. During our fictional journey into the world of medieval and early modern love magic, we will look at such stories as evidence of erotic, religious, ethnic, and cultural questions vital to understanding premodern Europe, the Mediterranean, and us.

You will gain a deeper understanding of premodern Italy’s:

  • Historical and literary medieval context
  • Religious and philosophical background
  • Visual arts
  • Worldviews (from Medieval to Modern)

Required readings: TBC

Prerequisite: No prerequisites

Language of Instruction: English

Note: Fulfills the literature requirement for the BA, BIE, and BMus.

ITST421H

[Cross-listed with Italian 420H]

Cultural Crossings Between Italy and China

Over the centuries, crossings between Italy and China have produced the most sustained, and arguably the most influential, strand of cultural texts on East-West borrowings. France and Britain also contributed significantly to European understandings and imagination of modern China. This course examines the evolution of Italian perspectives on China through significant literary, cinematic, and media texts of Italians’ real and fantastical travels in China and of Chinese immigration to Italy. French and British sources will also be studied mainly for comparative purposes.

The aim of the course is to analyze the contexts, ways, and reasons for which specific knowledge about China was produced, interpreted, and negotiated in Italy. Central themes we consider include the notions of the other and the self, the center and the border, boundary space, hybrid cultural identities, ethnic essentialism, and intercultural communication. To this end, we journey through four thematic clusters, including “Marco Polo and His Legacy in Italy,” “The Cultural Revolution in Italian and French Representations,” “Chinese, Italian, British, and American Cinematic Exchanges,” and “Chinese Immigration to Italy.” Theories about mobility (e.g., James Clifford, Michel De Certeau, and Edward Said) accompany specific primary texts.

This course will appeal to students who are interested in the fields of Italian, transnationalism, globalization, and intercultural studies. Ultimately, they will learn to put Italian and European interpretations of contemporary China as a rising superpower in perspective.

Primary texts include excerpts from the following list:
Marco Polo, Il Milione (1298-99)
Italo Calvino, Le città invisibili (1972)
Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Adami, and Renato Simoni, Turandot (1924)
Bernardo Bertolucci, L’ultimo imperatore (1987)
Michelangelo Antonioni, Chung Kuo Cina (1972)
Alberto Moravia, La rivoluzione culturale in Cina (1967)
Julia Kristeva, Des Chinoises (1977)
Vittorio De Sica, Ladri di biciclette (1948)
Wang Xiaoshuai, Shi Qi Sui de Danche/Beijing Bicycle (2001)
Charles Brabin, The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)
Mario Caiano, Il mio nome è Shangai Joe (1972)
Roberto Saviano, Gomorra (2006)
Matteo Garrone, Gomorra (2008)
Sergio Basso, Giallo a Milano: Made in Chinatown (2008)
Andrea Segre, Io sono Li (2011)
Edoardo Nesi, Storia della mia gente (2010)
Yang Xiaping, Come due farfalle in volo sulla Grande Muraglia (2011)

Prerequisite:
At least 30 credits of lower division courses or permission of the instructor. Precludes credit for ITAL 420H and vice versa.

Note:
Students who plan to minor in Italian must take this course as ITAL and will be expected to do part of their reading and assignments in the Italian language.
ITST 421 may be taken twice, with different content, for a total of 6 credits.

Language of instruction: English

Course Registration

ITST419

From Covid-19 to the Black Death: Pandemics and Epidemics in Italian Literature and Culture

This course is mainly concerned with four key pandemics or epidemics impacting Italy, which have inspired literary and cultural outputs of exceptional quality: the Black Death of 1346-1353, the 1629-1631 Italian Plague, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the first unit, we consider the current pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The bestselling author Paolo Giordano muses on what contagion means for humanity in How Contagion Works (2020). Famed Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben put forward his rationales for opposing government mandates on vaccination from a biopolitical perspective.

Unit 2 studies various previous epidemics impacting Italians in order to understand what lessons they hold for us today. The Italian American communities and spokesmen vigorously argued against any potential medicalized prejudice that the 1918 Spanish Flu might bring. Considered the first Italian novel, Alessandro Manzoni’s The Betrothed (1827/1840) frames the main plot through the early modern bubonic plague centered in Milan, which moves the narrative forward particularly beginning in chapter 31. We also examine the ramifications of the infamous medieval plague through the frame story of Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron (circa 1350s).

Unit 3 covers two novels from other European cultures as a comparison with the Italian perspectives, including Albert Camus’s The Plague (1947) set in North Africa and Sjón’s Moonstone (2013) set in Iceland. The final unit examines the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which lurks behind the story told in Separate Rooms (1989) by Pier Vittorio Tondelli, an influential gay Italian writer who eventually died of the disease.

Through analyzing these literary texts, we study topics ranging from fear of diseases and xenophobia to biopolitics and wellbeing during isolation. The course is equally a journey through horror and injustice and one through survival and resilience.

Prerequisites: No prerequisites. Precludes credit for ITAL 409.

Language of instruction: English

FREN520D

[cross-listed with FREN 420D]

Les rapports entre l’individu et la société dans la littérature française de Corneille à Gide

Le theme de ce cours est l’évolution des rapports entre l’individu et la société dans la littérature française de l’âge classique au tournant du vingtième siècle.

A propos des deux pieces, il s’agira d’étudier des notions telles que l’espace théâtral et l’objet théâtral (Biet et Truau) et d’étudier la conception que les dramaturges français du dix-septième siècle se faisaient des genres de la comédie et de la tragédie (Biet et Truau). Dans le cas des Liaisons dangereuses, nous nous pencherons sur le roman de Laclos en tant que roman épistolaire et en tant que roman libertin (Delon). En plus d’étudier L’Immoraliste comme roman, nous situerons ce texte dans le contexte de l’histoire des idées (Nietzsche, Wilde, etc.) et de la décadence. Des extraits du livre de Mann nous serviront de pistes de recherché. En classe, nous mettrons souvent l’accent sur l’analyse textuelle.

Textes:
Pierre Corneille, Rodogune (Folio classique)
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, dit Molière, Le Misanthrope (Folio classique)
Choderlos de Laclos, Les liaisons dangereuses (Folio)
André Gide, L’Immoraliste (Folio)

Textes théoriques: (FREN 520D-921 only)
Biet, Christian et Christian Truau. Qu’est-ce que le théâtre?
Delon, Michel. Le savoir-vivre libertin.
Mann, Klaus. André Gide et la crise de la pensée moderne

Prerequisite: One of FREN 320, FREN 321, FREN 328, FREN 329, FREN 330.

Langue d’enseignement: français

Course Registration

FREN420D

[cross-listed with FREN 520D]

Les rapports entre l’individu et la société dans la littérature française de Corneille à Gide

Le theme de ce cours est l’évolution des rapports entre l’individu et la société dans la littérature française de l’âge classique au tournant du vingtième siècle.

A propos des deux pieces, il s’agira d’étudier des notions telles que l’espace théâtral et l’objet théâtral (Biet et Truau) et d’étudier la conception que les dramaturges français du dix-septième siècle se faisaient des genres de la comédie et de la tragédie (Biet et Truau). Dans le cas des Liaisons dangereuses, nous nous pencherons sur le roman de Laclos en tant que roman épistolaire et en tant que roman libertin (Delon). En plus d’étudier L’Immoraliste comme roman, nous situerons ce texte dans le contexte de l’histoire des idées (Nietzsche, Wilde, etc.) et de la décadence. Des extraits du livre de Mann nous serviront de pistes de recherché. En classe, nous mettrons souvent l’accent sur l’analyse textuelle.

Textes:
Pierre Corneille, Rodogune (Folio classique)
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, dit Molière, Le Misanthrope (Folio classique)
Choderlos de Laclos, Les liaisons dangereuses (Folio)
André Gide, L’Immoraliste (Folio)

Textes théoriques: (FREN 520D-921 only)
Biet, Christian et Christian Truau. Qu’est-ce que le théâtre?
Delon, Michel. Le savoir-vivre libertin
Mann, Klaus. André Gide et la crise de la pensée moderne

Prerequisite: One of FREN 320, FREN 321, FREN 328, FREN 329, FREN 330.

Langue d’enseignement: français

Course Registration

FREN101

Beginners’ French I

A course based on the A1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference, introducing the French language and Francophone cultures, and opening up their understanding in a worldwide context. With an approach that is communicative and collaborative, and inductive and interactive, the course develops comprehension and the mobilisation of knowledge as savoir-faire.

FREN 101 involves three hours per week of classroom work. At the end of the course, students will be able to understand simple communication and to communicate simply about familiar and frequently-encountered topics.

Classes are mostly conducted in French, with some English as needed for explanation. As this course is for students who have never learned any French before, it assumes no prior knowledge of French.

Language of instruction: French

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

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Grading Breakdown

Coming soon

Readings

Textbook:

D. Abi Mansour, S. Anthony, P. Fenoglio, K. Papin, A. Soucé, M. Vergues. Odyssée 1 : Livre de l’élève. (Paris: CLÉ International, 2021).

  • E-book version: ISBN 9782090348538
  • Printed version: ISBN 9782090355697

Workbook:

Lena Rio. Odyssée 1 : Cahier d'activités. (Paris: CLÉ International, 2021).

  • E-book version: ISBN 9782090348576
  • Printed version: ISBN 9782090355703

Complementary materials from Odyssée 1:

  • Odyssée 1 audio and video online
  • How to set up your e-books

These materials are used for both FREN 101 and FREN 102. You can use the ISBN numbers to research other suppliers and their prices: https://shop.bookstore.ubc.ca/courselistbuilder.aspx

Determine your entry level
Find out which course level to start at given your previous experience with French.

PORT301

Advanced Portuguese

PORT 301 offers advanced work in composition for students who have reached the Language-Requirement level of Portuguese.

PORT 301 is an advanced level course for students who wish to improve their writing skills, vocabulary and style. Students will practice reading and writing in Portuguese. Although part of the term will be devoted to a selective review of grammar, the majority of the course will focus on developing writing skills, both through practice and revision and through analysis of the various styles and registers of written Portuguese. Students will also practice their listening and comprehension skills.

This course is designed for students who have completed PORT 202, PORT 210, or the equivalent and who are ready to undertake advanced language study to practice and improve their Portuguese.

Required Texts

Textbook:
Sobral, Patrícia. (2015). Mapeando a Língua Portuguesa através das Artes. Hackett Publishing Company.

Workbook:
Sobral, Patrícia. (2015). Caderno de Produção – Mapeando a Língua Portuguesa através das Artes. Hackett Publishing Company.

Prerequisite: PORT 202 or equivalent

Language of instruction: Portuguese

Course Registration

PORT392

Introduction to Brazilian Literature and Culture

Cross-listed with RMST361

This course offers an introduction to Brazilian Literature and Cinema. It seeks to give you a panoramic view of modern and contemporary Brazilian cinema and literature in relation to history, social dynamics, diversity, politics, and language. You will read short literary texts and watch films throughout the term. You will discuss drastic changes in Brazil, examining Brazilian culture within a larger Latin American and world contexts. The course will also explore different critical approaches to the works under scrutiny.

Language of instruction: English

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

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Grading Breakdown

The assessment for this course is gently distributed and in a balanced way, with diverse activities throughout the term. There are no scary, long, stressing, and tedious midterms or final exams for you in this course.

Assignments and Evaluations Breakdown:
Active Participation, attendance, homework, and preparation 15%
Short response paper (at home) 15%
Short presentation 15%
Movie critique (at home) 15%
Reflection assignment (at home) 15%
Written end-of-term assessment 25%
Total = 100%

Readings

All needed materials will be provided via Canvas by the instructor.

PORT222

Introduction to the Analysis of Portuguese and Brazilian Cultures

Cross-listed with RMST260

Welcome to the study of Lusophone Cultures! Lusophone cultures are the cultures of places where Portuguese is spoken. In this course, we will focus on the cultures of Portugal, the cradle of Lusophone Culture, and Brazil, the country with the largest Lusophone population. You will do a critical analysis of different cultural genres, including music, film and visual art through the study of selected Portuguese and Brazilian texts. You will also learn about the origins of Portugal, the influences on the country and the Portuguese language, and the main cultural aspects of Brazilian culture. You will go beyond fado, soccer/futebol and samba, and get to know other cultural expressions, such as the Portuguese cuisine and the Brazilian capoeira and telenovelas. The course is organized in thematic units with texts, videos, and specific critical perspectives, and will emphasize questions pertaining to the culture of everyday life, both rural and urban, including folklore, popular fiction, ritual, arts and crafts, music, television, film, and sports.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to identify, analyse and understand the basic layers and the most relevant aspects of Lusophone cultures present in Portugal and Brazil.

Language of Instruction: English

Prerequisites: No prerequisites.
Credit will be granted for only one of PORT 222 or RMST 260.

Expand all
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Grading Breakdown

The assessment for this course is gently distributed and in a balanced way, with diverse activities throughout the term. There are no scary, long, stressing, and tedious midterms or final exams for you in this course.

Assignments and Evaluations Breakdown:
Active Participation, attendance, homework, and preparation 15%
Short response paper 15%
Two short presentations (15% each) 30%
Reflection assignment (at home) 15%
Written end-of-term assessment 25%
Total = 100%

Readings

All needed materials will be provided via Canvas by the instructor.