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This course will be a study of the mafia, and, by extension, of Italy's "dark heart," in its historical, social, economic, cultural, and political dimensions. By looking at a wide range of films on the mafia, from documentary to comedy, the course will also be an opportunity to consider what are the possibilities and the limits, inherent to cinema, to represent cultural and social realities, but also to act upon them.
Syllabus
January 13. Introduction to the course
January 20. Origins
John Dickie, Cosa Nostra (pp. 1-34).
January 25-27. Origins
Readings: Eric J. Hobsbawm, "Mafia," in Primitive Rebels: Studies in Archaic Forms of Social Movement in the 19th and 20th Centuries (1963), Available here.
February 1-3. Cavalleria Rusticana
Movie: Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather. Part III (1990). Copy at Lilly Library DVD 18648.
Readings: John Dickie, “The Genesis of the Mafia” and “The Mafia Enters the Italian System,” in Cosa Nostra (pp. 35-86); D. H. Lawrence, “Preface” and “Cavalleria Rusticana.” Available here.
Students in Preceptorial can replace the readings from Lawrence with: Giovanni Verga, “Cavalleria rusticana” available here; and “La chiave d’oro,” available here.
February 8-10. The "Industry of Violence"
Movie: Alberto Lattuada, Il mafioso (1962) a.k.a. The Mafioso. Copy at Lilly library, DVD 10591.
Readings: John Dickie, “Corruption in High Places” and “Socialism, Fascism, Mafia,” in Cosa Nostra (pp. 87-160); Nelson Moe, "Modernity, Mafia Style: Alberto Lattuada's Il mafioso,” in Mafia Movies: A Reader (2011). Available here.
Students in Preceptorial can replace the readings from Moe with: Leopoldo Franchetti, La Sicilia nel 1876 (1877), pp. 63-65 e 155-162. Available here.
February 15-17. From Corleone to Hollywood
Movie: Howard Hughes, Scarface (1932). Copy at Lilly Library DVD 5182.
Readings: John Dickie, “The Mafia Establishes itself in America” and “War and Rebirth”, in Cosa Nostra (pp. 161-216); Robert Warshow, “The Gangster as Tragic Hero,” Partisan Review (1948). Available here.
February 22
Midsemester Examination.
February 24-29. The Far West is Here
Movie: Francesco Rosi, Salvatore Giuliano (1961). Copy at Lilly library, DVD 2736.
Readings: John Dickie, “God, Concrete, Heroin and Cosa Nostra” in Cosa Nostra (pp. 217-240); Francesco Rosi, “An Interview,” Film Quarterly (1965). Available here.
Students in Preceptorial can replace the Rosi interview with: Francesco Rosi, "Cercare la verità," in Tullio Kezich, Salvatore Giuliano (pp. 6-10 — inclusi i filmati in link). Available here.
March 2-9: Doomed Detectives
Movie: Damiano Damiani, The Day of the Owl (1968)Readings: John Dickie, “The First Mafia War and Its Consequences” and “The Origin of the Second Mafia War” in Cosa Nostra (pp. 241-292); Leonardo Sciascia, The Wine-Dark Sea
Students in Preceptorial will read “Reversibilità”; “L’esame”; and “Western di cose nostre” from Il mare colore del vino.
March 14-16
SPRING BREAK
March 21-23. The Godfather
Movie: Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather. Part I (1972). Copy at Lilly library, DVD 396.
Readings: Carlos Cortes, “Italian Americans in Films,” Melus (1987). Available here.
Students in Preceptorial can replace the reading from Cortes with: Salvatore Lupo, "La mafia americana: trapianto o ibridazione?" Available here.
March 28-30. Democratic Cinema
NO CLASS THIS WEEK. Continue readings and viewings.
Movie: Damiano Damiani, How to Kill a Judge (1974)
Readings: John Dickie, “Terra Infidelium” and “Bombs and Submersion” in Cosa Nostra (pp. 293-338)
April 4-13. Exhaustion
Movie: Selections from The Sopranos (1999-2007)
Readings: John Barth, “The Literature of Exhaustion,” available here; Robert Miklitsch, “SHOT/COUNTER‐SHOT: Sexuality, psychoanalysis, and postmodern style in The Sopranos,” available here.
Students in Preceptorial can replace the reading from Barth and with the following: Stefania Carini, “Quality Tv. Narrazione e stile del telefilm nell'età della convergenza, available here. And Cinzia Scarpino, “Soprano Waste Inc. Rifiuti d'America tra Napoli e Newark,” available here.
April 18-27. Mafia and Mafias
Movie: Matteo Garrone, Gomorrah (2009)
Readings: Roberto Saviano, Gomorrah
Students in Preceptorial can replace the English translation of Gomorrah with the Italian original (only selected chapters will be read and discussed for the preceptorial).
May 2
Final Examination
Requirements
The following books are available at the Duke bookstore:
John Dickie, Cosa Nostra
Leonardo Sciascia, The Wine-Dark Sea
Roberto Saviano, Gomorrah: A Personal Journey into the Violent International Empire of Naples' Organized Crime System
Students in the preceptorial should replace The Wine-Dark Sea with Il mare colore del vino; and Gomorrah: A Personal Journey into the Violent International Empire of Naples' Organized Crime System with Gomorra. Both texts are also available at the Duke bookstore
—
Students are expected to read the material, do homework assignments, attend class, and be prepared to engage in classroom discussion. There will also be two examinations (midterm and final) consisting of multi-choice and short-response questions.
Final grades will be composites of:
Class Attendance and Participation: 40%
Midterm Examination: 30%
Final Examination: 30%
Grade Scale:
98-100 – 100%: A+
93 – 97%: A
90 – 92%: A-
88 – 89%: B+
83 – 87%: B
80–82%:B-
78–79%:C+
70–77%:C
60–69%:D
00–59%:F
John Dickie, Cosa Nostra
Leonardo Sciascia, The Wine-Dark Sea
Roberto Saviano, Gomorrah: A Personal Journey into the Violent International Empire of Naples' Organized Crime System
Students in the preceptorial should replace The Wine-Dark Sea with Il mare colore del vino; and Gomorrah: A Personal Journey into the Violent International Empire of Naples' Organized Crime System with Gomorra. Both texts are also available at the Duke bookstore
—
Students are expected to read the material, do homework assignments, attend class, and be prepared to engage in classroom discussion. There will also be two examinations (midterm and final) consisting of multi-choice and short-response questions.
Final grades will be composites of:
Class Attendance and Participation: 40%
Midterm Examination: 30%
Final Examination: 30%
Grade Scale:
98-100 – 100%: A+
93 – 97%: A
90 – 92%: A-
88 – 89%: B+
83 – 87%: B
80–82%:B-
78–79%:C+
70–77%:C
60–69%:D
00–59%:F