Italian American Studies

Italian American Studies is a broad and interdisciplinary field which focuses on the origins, developments, and reframing of Italian culture and society in relation to the Americas, with a particular emphasis on the United States. The minor is designed for students to explore the ways Italian and American cultures have combined to form a distinctive yet multifaceted social group.

Program Overview

Interdisciplinary in nature, the Minor in Italian American Studies offers students the opportunity to survey developments in the field, as well as to examine it in relation to other disciplines such as history, literature, media, and language. The exodus of Italians towards the Americas has historically represented one of the largest demographic shifts in the world: 25 million in less than a century. As such, the minor addresses topics relating to migration, assimilation, journeying and rebirth, gender and race, identity creation, economics, popular culture, and public service. 

Academic study of Italian American culture in higher education is a relatively recent phenomenon. The American Italian Historical Association, founded in 1966 and since renamed the Italian American Studies Association (IASA), has been instrumental in validating this important, rich, and empowering field of learning and research. Through the 1980s and early 1990s, academic journals such as Italian Americana and VIA Voices in Italian Americana were founded, which paved the way for influential contemporary journals such as the Italian American Review. The number of publications and events relating to Italian American culture now numbers in the thousands, both in the United States and worldwide.

Students are encouraged to approach the minor taking into account the framework of their major. Combined with Political Science, History, or Psychology, for example, the minor could provide students with an in-depth exploration of the role of ethnicity in understanding what it means to be American. The minor could also be paired with a major in Sociology or Gender Studies, aiding a student in developing an understanding of theoretical approaches to the study of urban and suburban cultures or exploring the effects of gender and ethnic identity on the broader American culture.

Requirements for the Minor

Completion of the Minor in Italian American Studies requires 21 credits. All courses taken towards completion of the minor must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

Contact

Loredana Polezzi, Program Coordinator