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The Johns Hopkins University
Department of German and Romance Languages and Literature
The Culture of Italian Football
Intersession 2016 –AS.211.276.13 – 1 credit
Room: TBA. TThF 10.00-11.30 AM
Instructor: Francesco Brenna
Office hours by appointment()
Note: The syllabus is subject to change. Please make sure to check Blackboard regularly for the most recent version of the syllabus and for announcements on its variations, as well as for the assignments for each class.
(Update: 19 Nov 2015).
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will use football (soccer, orcalcio) as a key to understanding fundamental aspects of Italian culture and society. Through football, you will become familiar with the character of Italian cities, with their rivalries, and with their social and linguistic landscapes. We will explore dialects, different social classes, and immigration in Italy, all of which are reflected in the choice of supporting one football club over another. You will also study the use of football in Italian literature, cinema, and music as a metaphor for life, temporality, and the human quest for happiness. By studying the connection between clubs/cities and the presence of football in Italian arts, you will understand the close relationship between artistic expression and local identity that permeates all of Italian culture.
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION
The course is taught in English. No knowledge of Italian is required, but this will be a chance to read Italian texts for those who can. Everyone will learn some Italian words and expressions.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
- Possess a good knowledge of the rules and history of football, as well as its connections with national and local characters, particularly in Italy.
- Understand key social, historical, economic, and linguistic issues in Italy though their relationshipsto football.
- Acquire the capability to analyze poems, visual works of art, and film in order to understand how football and local identity play an important role in Italian creativity.
- Learn some basic Italian words and expressions.
REQUIREMENTS
- Students are required to participate actively in the discussion during class and to read and understand texts, movies, and paintings assigned for each session. Active participation will be evaluated (includinglate arrivals).
- Thefinal project will consistof a short presentation on a topic related to our class discussions to be chosen in consultation with the instructor. Students are encouraged to select for their presentation one or a few texts (a few poems, one or two chapters of a book, a movie, etc.) listed at the end of the syllabus. They may, however, agree with the instructor on other materials suitable for the final project. Students should present orally and mustengage withother course materials. Alternative types of final project will be taken in consideration depending on the needs of the class and the progress of the course.
EVALUATION
This course isS/U only. You will receive two grades out of 100 for your participation and your final presentation. The final composite grade will be calculated as follow:
40% Active participation
60% Finalpresentation
You must have a final composite grade of minimum 70/100 (C-) in order to pass this course.
TEXTBOOKS
No textbook is required. The instructor will upload texts and materials for each session on Blackboard.The bibliography at the end of the syllabusserves as a reference for the texts we will read and for further research.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Attendance is mandatory. You are allowed one unexcused absence. For each absence beyond the first one,you must provide written documentation in order to excuse your absence (i.e.,a physician’s note). There is no need to justify the firstabsence. A 10%penalty will be applied to the final grade for each unexcused absence.
ETHICS
The strength of the university depends on academic integrity. In this course, you must be honest and truthful. Ethical violations include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse of assignments, improper use of the Internet and electronic devices, unauthorized collaboration, alteration of graded assignments, forgery and falsification, lying, and unfair competition. Report any violations you witness to the instructor. You may consult the associate Dean of Students and/or the Chair of the Ethics Board beforehand.
COURSE SCHEDULE
1. Introduction(Tuesday,January 5)
- Introduction to the course: objectives, syllabus, readings, requirements, and various policies.
- The rules and history of football: countries, teams, players, coaches, and events. The different characters of football in different countries.
- The character and history of Italian football: from the 19th century to present.
2. Society and Football(Thursday,January 7)
Readings:
- Mignone, Mario B. “Introduction: Italians.”
- Di Scala, Spencer.“The Economic Miracle and Its Effects: Social Transformation.”
- Bromberger, Christian. “’Allez l’O.M., forza Juve:’ The Passion for Football in Marseille and Turin” [selections].
- Football and the history of Italy.
- Localism, immigration, social class, and urban rivalries: the cases of Juventus vs Torino and Inter vs AC Milan.
3. Language and Football(Friday,January 8)
Readings:
- Armstrong, Gary, and Malcolm Young. “Fanatic Football Chants: Creating and Controlling the Carnival” [selections].
- Mignone, Mario B. “Cultural Modernization. New Consumers Modes: Literary Culture and the Reading Public.”
- Burgwyn, Diana. “Why Opera Audiences Boo.”
- Plotkin, Fred. “Does Booing at La Scala Ruin the Show?”
- Chants, choreographies, and dialects: fandom and linguistic landscapes.
- Milan, excellence, and demanding audiences: San Siro stadium as the Scala of football.
4. Literature and Football(Tuesday, January12)
Readings:
- Iliad XXIII [selections].
- Leopardi, Giacomo.To a Champion at Football [A un vincitore nel pallone].
- Saba, Umberto.Five Poems for the Game of Soccer
- Introduction to sport and literature through the ages: from Homer to Renaissance chivalric poems.
- Sport and the quest for happiness in modern Italian poetry.
5. Poetry and Football(Thursday,January 14)
Readings:
- Sereni, Vittorio.Sport on Sunday [Domenica sportiva].
- Sereni, Vittorio.Another Birthday [Altro compleanno].
- Sereni, Vittorio.“Il fantasma neroazzurro.”
- Raboni, Giovanni.Interiors: Clinic [Interni clinica]
- Raboni, Giovanni.Zona Cesarini.
- Forni, Pier Massimo.Lettera a stella.
- Inter: the most poetic of football clubs.
- Poeti interisti: Lombard and Milanese poetry through the twentieth-century.
6. Art and Football(Friday, January 15)
Readings:
- Marinetti, F.T. “The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism.”
- Humpreys, Richard. “The Conditions for Futurism,” and “The Painters: First Response.”
Paintings:
- Boccioni, Umberto. Dinamismo di un giocatore di calcio.
- Carrà, Carlo. La partita di calcio.
- Guttuso, Renato. Folla allo stadio.
- Guttuso, Renato. Calciatori.
- Football in Italian art: from Futurism to Neorealism.
8. Film and football (Tuesday, January 19)
Movies (selected scenes):
- Roma città aperta
- Ladri di biciclette
- Milano miliardaria
- Gambe d’oro
- Fantozzi
- Il secondo tragico Fantozzi
- Bim Bum Bam
- Eccezzziunale… veramente
- Marrakech express
- Maradona, la mano de Dios
- Introduction to football and cinema
- Football in Italian cinema from Neorealism, to the 50s, to Italian popular comedy.
- Discussion of the materials for the final project
9. Music and Football(Thursday, January 21)
Songs:
- Pavone, Rita.La partita di pallone
- Celentano, Adriano.Eravamo in centomila
- Vecchioni, Roberto.Luci a san siro
- Baglioni, Claudio.Prima del calcio di rigore
- De Gregori, Francesco.La leva calcistica del‘68
- Ligabue, Luciano.Una vita da mediano
- 883.La dura legge del gol
- The White Stripes.Seven nation army
Choose a topic for the final presentation.
- Football in Italian pop music: love, stadium, gender, and football as a model for life.
- Final remarks / discussion of final projects.
10. Final presentations(Friday,January 22)
TEXTS AND MATERIALS FOR THE FINAL PROJECT (*=only in Italian)
Sociological studies:
Foot, John. Milan Since the Miracle: City, Culture and Identity. Oxford: Berg, 2001. Print. [See especially chapter 2 and 3 wherein the author revises some myths about Italian internal immigration].
Hazard, Patrick, and Gould, David. “Three Confrontations and a Coda: Juventus of Turin and Italy.” Fear and Loathing in World Football. Ed. Gary Armstrong and Richard Giulianotti. Oxford: Berg, 2001. 199-219. Print. [Similar to Bromberger].
*Papa, Antonio, and Panico, Guido. Storia sociale del calcio in Italia. Bologna: Il Mulino, 2002. Print. [Similar to Porro, but more detailed and less synthetic].
*Porro, Nicola. Sociologia del calcio. Rome: Carocci, 2008. Print. [This is a sociological study, but it includes an excellent panorama of the history of football. Particular emphasis is placed on violence, scandals, and negative aspects of modern football, especially in the Italian context].
Historical studies:
Goldblatt, David. The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer. New York: Riverhead Books. 2006. Print. [An excellent history].
Murray, Bill. The World’s Game. A History of Soccer. Urbana-Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1996. Print. [An historical, detailed study on the history of football acround the world. It deals with the intersection of football and historical events].
Film studies:
*Liguori, Guido, and Smargiasse, Antonio. Ciack si gioca! Calcio e tifo nel cinema italiano. Milano: Baldini&Castoldi, 2000. Print. [The only monograph on football in Italian movies – and, to my knowledge, in movies in general. An Excellent book].
Literature:
The Global Game: Writers on Soccer. Ed. John Turnbull, Thom Satterlee, and Alon Raab. Lincoln, NE-London: University of Nebraska Press, 2008.
Sereni, Vittorio. “Valor and grace…” [“Rinascono la valentia…”].
Erba, Luciano. Motus in fine velocior.
*D’Elia, Gianni.Tifo (o altro finale).
*D’Elia, Gianni.Formazione.
*Raboni, Giovanni. “So la strada e la neve…”
*Raboni, Giovanni.“Vivi, io e te, per quanto?...”
Raboni, Giovanni. “We went to the stadium early…” [“Allo stadio andavamo presto…”].
*Forni, Pier Massimo.“I capelli gonfi di sali e d’immagini”
*Forni, Pier Massimo.Partita di fine stagione.
Odyssey, VIII.
Art:
Boccioni, Umberto, Carlo Carrà, et al. “Manifesto of the Futurist Painters.” 11 February 1910. Rpt. in Futurism: an Anthology. Ed. and trans. Lawrence Rainey, Christine Poggi, and Laura Wittman. New Haven-London: Yale University Press, 2009. 62-4. Print.
Boccioni, Umberto, Carlo Carrà, et al. “Futurist Painting: Technical Manifesto.” 11 April 1910. Rpt. in Futurism: an Anthology. Ed. and trans. Lawrence Rainey, Christine Poggi, and Laura Wittman. New Haven-London: Yale University Press, 2009. 64-7. Print.
Boccioni, Umberto, Carlo Carrà, et al. “The Exhibitors to the Public.” February 1912. Rpt. in Futurism: an Anthology. Ed. and trans. Lawrence Rainey, Christine Poggi, and Laura Wittman. New Haven-London: Yale University Press, 2009. 105-9. Print.
Renato Guttuso: elogio allo sport. Milano: Mazzotta, 1984. Print. [which includes contributions and images on other sport-themed paintings by Guttuso, namely on dance and boxing].
Movies:
Bend it Like Beckham. Dir. Gurinder Chadha. Perf. Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley. Redbus Film Distribution, 2002.
Goal! Dir. Danny Cannon. Perf. Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Anna Friel. Buena Vista International, 2005.
Green Street Hooligans. Dir. Lexi Alexander. Perf. Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani. Freestyle Releasing, 2005.
Looking for Eric. Dir. Ken Loach. Perf. Steve Evets, Eric Cantona, Stephanie Bishop. Icon Film Distribution, 2009.
Maradona by Kusturica. Dir. Emir Kusturica. Perf. Ernesto Cantu, Fidel Castro, Manu Chao. Wild Bunch, 2008.
The Damned United. Dir. Tom Hooper. Perf. Colm Meaney, Henry Goodman, David Roper. Columbia-Sony, 2009.
The Football Factory. Dir. Nick Love. Perf. Danny Dyer, Frank Harper, Tamer Hassan. Momentum Pictures, 2004.
Victory. Dir. John Houston. Perf. Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone, Pelè. Paramount, 1981.
WORKS CITED IN THE READINGS
883, La dura legge del gol. By Max Pezzali et al. La dura legge del gol. Fri Records. 1997.
Armstrong, Gary, and Young, Malclom. “Fanatic Football Chants: Creating and Controlling the Carnival.” Football Culture: Local Contests, Global Visions. Ed. Gerry P.T. Finn and Richard Giulianotti. London-Portland, OR: Frank Class, 2000. 171-211. Print.
Baglioni, Claudio. Prima del calcio di rigore. By Baglioni and Giuseppe Cesaro. Columbia, 1998.
Bim Bum Bam. Dir. Aurelio Chiesa. Filmalpha-RAI, 1981. Film.
Boccioni, Umberto. Dinamismo di un giocatore di calcio. 1913. Oil on canvas. MoMA, New York.
Bromberger, Christian. “’Allez l’O.M., forza Juve:’ The Passion for Football in Marseille and Turin.” Trans. Justin O’Connor. The Passion and the Fashion. Football Fandom in the New Europe. Ed. Steve Redhead. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate, 1993. 103-51. Print. Rpt. of “La passion du football à Marseille et à Turin.” Terrain 8 (1987): 8-41.
Burgwyn, Diana. “Why Opera Audiences Boo.” Broad Street Review. 24 Dec. 2006. Web. 5 Nov 2015. <
Carrà, Carlo. La partita di calcio. 1934. Oil on canvas. Galleria comunale di art moderna, Roma.
Celentano, Adriano. Eravamo in centomila. By Celentano et al. Tre passi avanti. 1967.
De Gregori, Francesco. La leva calcistica del ’68. Titanic. RCA, 1982.
Di Scala, Spencer M. “The Economic Miracle and Its Effects: Social Transformation.” Italy: From Revolution to Republic, 1700 to the Present. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2009. 323-27. Print.
Eccezzziunale… veramente. Dir. Carlo Vanzina. Titanus, 1982. Film.
Fantozzi. Dir. Luciano Salce. Perf. Paolo Villaggio. Cineriz, 1975. Film.
Gambe d’oro. Dir. Turi Vasile and Antonio Margheriti. Perf. Totò. Titanus, 1958. Film.
Guttuso, Renato. Calciatori. 1965. Oil on canvas. Collezione Mario Piccinini, Firenze.
Guttuso, Renato. Folla allo stadio. 1965. Oil on canvas. Archivi Guttuso, Roma.
Humpreys, Richard. “The Conditions for Futurism,” and “The Painters: First Response.” Futurism. London: Tate Gallery Publishing, 1999. 12-18, 19-37. Print.
Il secondo tragico Fantozzi. Dir. Luciano Salce. Perf. Paolo Villaggio. Rizzoli, 1976. Film.
Ladri di biciclette. Dir. Vittorio de Sica. ENIC, 1948. Film.
Leopardi, Giacomo. Canti. Trans. Jonathan Galassi. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2010. Print.
Ligabue, Luciano. Una vita da mediano. Miss Mondo. WEA, 1999.
Maradona, la mano de Dios. Dir. Marco Risi. Xenon Pictures, 2008. Film.
Marinetti, F.T. “The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism.” Le Figaro 20 February 1909. Rpt. in Futurism: an Anthology. Ed. and trans. Lawrence Rainey, Christine Poggi, and Laura Wittman. New Haven-London: Yale University Press, 2009. 49-53. Print.
Marrakech express. Dir. Gabriele Salvatores. A.M.A. Film-Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica. 1989. Film.
Mignone, Mario B. “Cultural Modernization. New Consumers Modes: Literary Culture and the Reading Public.” Italy Today: Facing the Challenges of the New Millennium. New York: Peter Lang, 2008. 13-28. Print.
Mignone, Mario B. “Introduction: Italians.” Italy Today: Facing the Challenges of the New Millennium. New York: Peter Lang, 2008. 13-28. Print.
Milano miliardaria. Dir. Marino Girolami, Marcello Marchesi, and Vittorio Metz. Mambretti film, 1951. Film.
Pavone, Rita. La partita di pallone. By Carlo Rossi and Edoardo Vianello. Rita Pavone. RCA, 1963.
Plotkin, Fred. “Does Booing at La Scala Ruin the Show?” WQXR. 10 Sept 2014. Web. 5 Nov 2015. <
Raboni, Giovanni. Every Third Thought. Selected Poems 1950-2004. Trans. Michael Palma. New York: Chelsea Editions, 2014. Print.
Roma città aperta. Dir. Roberto Rossellini. Minerva Films, 1945. Film.
Saba, Umberto [Umberto Poli]. Five Poems for the Game of Soccer. Trans. Geoffrey Brock. The Global Game: Writers on Soccer. Ed. John Turnbull, Thom Satterlee, and Alon Raab. Lincoln, NE-London: University of Nebraska Press, 2008. 230-4 Print.
Sereni, Vittorio. “Il fantasma neroazzurro.” 1964. Rpt. in La tentazione della prosa. Ed. Giulia Raboni. Milano: Mondadori, 1988. Print.
Sereni, Vittorio. Algerian Diary. Trans. Paul Vangelisti and Ippolita Rostagno. San Francisco-Los Angeles: The Red Hill Press, 1971. Print.
Sereni, Vittorio. The Selected Poetry and Prose of Vittorio Sereni. A Bilingual Edition. Ed. and trans. Peter Robinson and Marcus Perryman. Chicago-London: University of Chigaco Press, 2006. Print.
Sereni, Vittorio. Variable Star. Trans. Luigi Bonaffini. Toronto-Buffalo-Lancaster, UK: Guernica, 1999.
The White Stripes.Seven nation army. Elephant. V2 Records, 2003.
Vecchioni, Roberto. Luci a san siro. By Vecchioni et al. Parabola. Ducale, 1971.
Wise, Brian. “La Scala’s Incoming Boss Takes Aim at Booing Superfans.” 21 March 2014. Web. 5 Nov 2015. <
OTHER STUDIES
Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio. “Sport e letteratura.” Letteratura e sport. Atti del Convegno Internazionale su letteratura e sport. Palestra Centrale IUSM – Foro Italico – Roma. 5-6-7 aprile 2001. Ed. Nicola Bottiglieri. Arezzo: Limina, 2003. 85-122. Print.
Bottiglieri, Nicola. ”Le impronte degli atleti.” Letteratura e sport. Atti del Convegno Internazionale su letteratura e sport. Palestra Centrale IUSM – Foro Italico – Roma. 5-6-7 aprile 2001. Ed. Nicola Bottiglieri. Arezzo: Limina, 2003. 5-18. Print.
Buffoni, Franco. “Quaranta a quindici.” Letteratura e sport. Atti del Convegno Internazionale su letteratura e sport. Palestra Centrale IUSM – Foro Italico – Roma. 5-6-7 aprile 2001. Ed. Nicola Bottiglieri. Arezzo: Limina, 2003. 21-9. Print.
Dell’Aquila, Michele. “L’agonismo sportivo e il mito della felicità. Tre prelievi/campione da Leopardi, Saba e Montale.” Letteratura e sport. Ed. Carmen Di Donna Prencipe. Bologna: Cappelli, 1986. 35-44. Print.
Erba, Luciano. “Angeli neri.” Letteratura e sport: per una storia delle olimpiadi. Atti del convegno internazionale. Alessandria-San Salvatore Monferrato. 18-20 maggio 2005. Ed. Giovanna Ioli. Novara: Interlinea, 2006. 283-90. Print.
Il calcio è poesia. Ed. Luigi Surdich e Alberto Brambilla. Genova: il melangolo, 2006. Print.
Margozzi, Mariastella. “Appunti allo stadio: l’avventura artistica sul gioco del calcio in Italia nel XX secolo.” Appunti allo stadio: 90 opere sul tema del calcio nel XX secolo. Roma, Seoul, Yokohama, 2002. Ed. Mariastella Margozzi. Roma: Impressioni d’arte, 2002. Print.
Natale, Paolo. “Sport, tifo e violenza.” Milano ore sette: come vivono i milanesi. Rimini: Maggioli, 1998.258-74. Print.
Negri, Antonello. Il Realismo: dagli anni Trenta agli anni Ottanta. Roma-Bari: Laterza, 1994. Print.
Raffelli, Renato. “L’agonismo e la morte nel mondo classico. Qualche spunto e un’ipotesi.” Letteratura e sport. Ed. Carmen Di Donna Prencipe. Bologna: Cappelli, 1986. 51-67. Print.
Surdich, Luigi. “Il colore delle maglie, il «verde tappeto»: la poesia del calcio, il calcio in poesia.” Letteratura e sport: per una storia delle olimpiadi. Atti del convegno internazionale. Alessandria-San Salvatore Monferrato. 18-20 maggio 2005. Ed. Giovanna Ioli. Novara: Interlinea, 2006. 245-62. Print.
Zucco, Rodolfo. “Metafore calcistiche nella poesia contemporanea.” Letteratura e sport: per una storia delle olimpiadi. Atti del convegno internazionale. Alessandria-San Salvatore Monferrato. 18-20 maggio 2005. Ed. Giovanna Ioli. Novara: Interlinea, 2006. 263-77. Print.