Syllabus
~ IDH 4007
Aesthetics, Values & Authority in Italy
Spring Semester 2010
| syl-la-bus
a summary outline of a discourse, treatise, or course of
study or of examination requirements
Etymology: Late
Latin, alteration of Latin sillybus label for a book,
from Greek sillubos
The word comes to us from certain letters of Cicero in one
of which he writes " ...ut sumant membranulam ex qua
indices fiant, quos voc Graeci, UT opinor, sillubous
appellatis." Ad Atticum 4.4a.1. Cicero puts the word
in question in Greek and a great debate has raged over what
word he meant to write. Many scholars prefer sittuba,
a "small piece of leather". In any case, neither
"sillybus" nor "sittyba" has prevailed.
The current spelling comes through Medieval Latin and is
influenced by Greek sullambanein, to put together,
a more easily etymologized spelling.
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This course examines the aesthetic expressions of authority and
values throughout history in Italian culture. The class combines
slide lectures, formal and vernacular works of literature, discussions,
film, and field trips as vehicles for examining the major topics
of the course. The emphasis in this course is not on knowledge,
it is on critical thinking. However, to achieve better understanding
of the course themes as it relates to the Mediterranean, and approach
the subject matter analytically, we will need to increase our
knowledge base.
Course Overview:
This course was designed
to prepare students for the Honors College Italy Program. The
course is integrated with a website which provides the student
with comprehensive companion informational and organizational
materials for the course. A broad range of themes are used
to examine historic and current topics relevant to the themes
of the upper division in general. Readings, dramatic and documentary films, local field
trips, slide lectures, research, and group presentations are all
components of this course. This is not a passive course
- the student must be willing to be an active participant in the
course activities and discussions.
This
course will meet on Fridays from 9:00am to 11:45pm in GL 137
unless the students are otherwise notified.
Instructor
Contact Information:
John S. Kneski, AIA
Associate Dean & Senior Fellow
Curriculum, Study Abroad & Research
Office Location: DM-238
Phone: 305-348-4100
Office Hours: M-F 10:00 - 11:00 (please call first if you are
coming from off campus in case I am in a meeting). All students
enrolled in this class are required to schedule at least one office
visit.
Each class will
begin with student presentations of current topics and culture
of Italy. There will be 5 minute current topics and current
cultural presentations each day. The current topics should
come from political and/or economic news and current culture. Students will present as
noted in the online schedule. Students are required to post their topic one week in advance of their presentation.
Standard Procedural
Requirements:
1. Attendance is mandatory
(arriving more than ten minutes late to class will constitute an
absence). Four absences constitute a letter grade reduction
for the course, six constitute a failing grade for the course.
2. All assignments must be turned in on the due date; all written
assignments must be typed; papers that are not stapled together
will not be accepted; no late work will be accepted.
3. Brief, unannounced verbal and written quizzes covering course
material may be administered throughout the semester during class.
QUIZZES MAY NOT BE MADE UP as they serve as a form of attendance.
Material from the seminar classroom discussions will be included
on the quizzes.
4. The website posted at http://honors.fiu.edu/idh3005
is part of this syllabus. It is the responsibility of the
student to monitor changes, weekly, to the course schedule, and
all other announcements, assignments, and notices posted throughout
the semester on the website and through email.
5. Participation is mandatory and will affect your final grade.
Contributions should be analytical, relevant to the material being
covered, and not opinion based. Please refrain from making discriminatory
comments.
6. All materials in the bookstore listed under this course number and
sections are required reading, check for last minute changes.
7. Class time should not be used as a forum for individual grievances;
please use office hours this purpose
8. All announcements regarding the schedule made in class, or on
the website, supersede this written syllabus in order to reflect
the actual weekly progress of the course.
9. Students should not leave messages via email or telephone to
excuse themselves from attending an upcoming class. Pre-notification
of absence is not a valid excuse and is not necessary
10. Students should not call or email the instructor to ask what
material they missed while they weren't in class. It is the
student's responsibility to obtain notes and assignments from fellow
classmates or the website.
11. All students must take thorough notes during lectures and films.
12. Students must read their email through their FIU email account.
13. Students must register in this course at turnitin.com. The course
number is XXXXXXX and the password is "XXXX".
Major
Topics to be Covered:
• The meaning of the
terms Aesthetics, Values and Authority and their relationship.
• 1st century Roman Government: SPQR vs. Oligarchy, Aristocracy,
and Deification
• Byzantium as Torch Bearer of Western Civilization
• Italic Art through
the Ages: Abstraction and Realism
• Political Power and Theory in Renaissance Tuscany
• Portrayal of The Great Artists of the Renaissance
in Literature
• Decorative and Propaganda Arts of Pre-war Italy
• Italian Cinema
Course
Objectives & Learning Outcomes:
The
objective of this course is to prepare students for study abroad
in Italy and to impart an awareness of the historic relationship
between the paradigms "aesthetics, values, and authority"
in Italy. The anticipated learning outcomes for this course
are:
•
a demonstrable awareness of the major topics of the course
• the ability to discuss with specific examples the historic
relationship between aesthetics, values, and authority in Italy
• the ability to produce a publishable research paper suitable
for presentation at a major conference
Required
Course Material
It is mandatory to purchase the specific editions listed to facilitate classroom discussions.
Students are responsible for the following material, both for course
discussion and quizzes according to the course schedule.
Students are required to bring these texts to class during the second week for a grade.
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Required
Texts ($40, about 20 pages per week... please keep up to avoid catastrophes!) :
Sprezzatura, by Peter
D'Epiro (ISBN-13: 978-0385720199) : $10.20
This book is for both semesters
The Letters of Pliny the
Younger, translated by Betty Radice (ISBN-13: 978-0140441277) : $10.20
Vitruvius' Treatise on
Architecture, translated by Morris H. Morgan (handout)
The Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri, translated by
John Ciardi (ISBN-13: 978-0451208637) : $9.98
The Decameron, by Boccaccio, translated by G. H. McWilliam (ISBN-13: 978-0140449303) : $10.20
Required Audio Lessons
Italian for Dummies, by Teresa L. Picarazzi (ISBN-13: 978-0470095867) : $13.59
Required
Viewing:
Mediterranean on the Rocks, by Scientific American
The Roman Empire in the 1st Century, PBS (portions)
James Burke: The Day the Universe Changed
Wendy Beckett: The Story of Painting: The Renaissance
The Power of the Past with Bill Moyers: Florence
Cinema Paradiso (1st half only), by Giuseppe Tornatore
Field Trips:
The
Kress Collection
Lowe Art Museum, Coral Gables
The Wolfsonian Museum
Florida International University, Miami Beach |
Academic
Integrity:
Students
at Florida International University are expected to adhere to
the highest standards of integrity in every aspect of their lives.
Honesty in academic matters is part of this obligation. Academic
Integrity is the adherence to those special values regarding life
and work in an academic community. Any act or omission by a student
which violates this concept of academic integrity and undermines
the academic mission of the University, shall be defined as academic
misconduct ...
1.
00 DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Academic
Misconduct is defined as the following intentional acts or omissions
committed by any FIU student:
1.01
Cheating: The unauthorized use of books, notes, aids,
electronic sources; or assistance from another person with respect
to examinations, course assignments, field service reports,
class recitations; or the unauthorized possession of examination
papers or course materials, whether originally authorized or
not. Any student helping another cheat may be found guilty of
academic misconduct.
1.02 Plagiarism: The deliberate
use and appropriation of another's work without any indication
of the source and the representation of such work as the student's
own. Any student who fails to give credit for ideas, expressions
or materials taken from another source, including internet sources,
is guilty of plagiarism. Any student helping another to plagiarize
may be found guilty of academic misconduct.
1.03 Misrepresentation: Intentionally lying to a member
of the faculty, staff, administration, or an outside agency
to gain academic advantage for oneself or another, or to misrepresent
or in other ways interfere with the investigation of a charge
of academic misconduct.
1.08 Academic Dishonesty: In general, by any act or
omission not specifically mentioned above and which is outside
the customary scope of preparing and completing academic assignments
and/or contrary to the above stated policies concerning academic
integrity.
3.00
DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS
3.01
Expulsion: Permanent separation of the student from
the University preventing readmission to the institution. This
sanction shall be recorded on the student's transcript.
3.02 Suspension: Temporary separation of the student
from the University for a specified period of time. This sanction
shall be recorded on the student's transcript. ( In the semester
prior to graduation, the student may petition to have the record
removed from the transcript).
3.03 Disciplinary Probation: Formal, written warning
that the continued enrollment of the student depends on the
maintenance of satisfactory citizenship during the period of
probation. May also include a deferred sanction, which identifies
the minimum sanction that would occur, if the student were found
responsible for any future misconduct. A record of disciplinary
probation and deferred sanction will be kept in the Office of
Academic Affairs.
3.04 Failing or Reduction of Grade: Failing or grade
reduction for the examination, project, or course assignment
involved or for the course involved. May include prohibiting
the use of the Forgiveness Policy for the course.
Civility Clause:
Students and
are expected to treat one another and the instructor with a high
degree of civility and respect. If a student fails to act
responsibly or in a manner that disrupts the class or impedes instruction
for his/her colleagues, she or he may be asked to leave the class
and will still be held responsible for all relevant information
missed through this absence. Disruption of the course includes
use of obscene language, the use of cellular phones (receiving or
placing calls) and beepers, and/or leaving the room during
class time.
Student
Work:
The Department
reserves the right to, and may, retain any and all student work
for the purpose of record, exhibition and instruction at the instructor's
discretion. All students are required to photograph and/or
copy all work for personal records prior to submittal. Submitted
student work remaining in, and not collected from, The Honors College
office after two weeks is subject to disposal.
Students with Special Needs:
Students who may
need auxiliary aids or services to ensure access to academic programs
should register with the Office of Disability Services for Students.
Student's Rights & Responsibilities:
It is the student's
responsibility to obtain, become familiar with, and abide by all Departmental,
College and university requirements and regulations. These include
but are not limited to: The Florida International University Catalog
Division of Student Affair's Handbook of Rights and Responsibilities
of Students and FIU Honors College Policies and Regulations.
Recommendations:
Requests for recommendations
must be submitted to me in writing (email or note), specifying exactly
what it is for, at least three weeks in advance of the day you need
to have it. When requesting a recommendation, please attach a current
copy of your résumé. Also, when you submit your request,
be sure to drop off the appropriate institutional recommendation
form and envelop at my office. The vast majority of recommendations
submitted for graduate school or scholarships are submitted by the
faculty directly to the institution via a signed sealed envelop.
Performance Measures
/ Grades:
Final
grades will be calculated as a reflection of the entire semester's
performance by the student. Assignments will receive either letter
or numerical grades depending on the type of assignment and how they
may be best quantified. Percentages of the final grade are as follows
:
25% QUIZZES / EXAMS
25% PARTICIPATION / ATTENDANCE / PRESENTATIONS
25% WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS including the MIDTERM RESEARCH
25% FINAL EXAMINATION / FINAL PROJECT
Grading
Rubric for Writing Assignments:
An "A"
paper is extraordinary work that more than fulfills the requirements
of the assignment. This essay tackles the topic in an innovative way,
with a clear sense of audience and purpose, an insightful thesis,
and an appropriate and effective organization. The structure is carefully
planned; each section of the essay develops the thesis with logical
arguments and specific, conclusive evidence which has been interpreted
and clearly related to the writer's point. The style is energetic
and precise: the sentence structure is varied and the words are carefully
chosen. How the writer says things is as excellent as what
the writer says. There is evidence of careful editing since the essay
contains few grammatical and/or mechanical errors and, if necessary,
is correctly documented using MLA format.
A "B"
paper is clearly above-average and more than meets the requirements
of the assignment. Like the "A" paper, it has a clear thesis
and organizational strategy; and each paragraph provides unified,
coherent, and developed support for its thesis and subordinate assertions.
If necessary, it properly documents sources. While the essay takes
some "risks," attempts complex strategies of development,
and pays attention to audience, it falls short of the "A"
essay in one or more of the following ways: the thesis may not be
as interesting or insightful; there may be weaknesses in organizational
strategy or its execution; the support may not be uniformly conclusive
and convincing; and the style may not be as energetic or the diction
as thoughtful. The essay shows strong evidence of editing since there
are relatively few grammatical and/or mechanical errors.
A "C"
paper is average work that solidly meets the requirements of the assignment.
The essay has a thesis and organizational plan which demonstrate thought
on the writer's part, a generally clear style, and adequate documentation,
if required. Paragraphs contribute unified and coherent support, but
the writer may have difficulty with any of the following: the thesis
may be too general; the evidence may be predictable, may not be thoroughly
interpreted, or may not be clearly related to the writer's
point; the paragraphs may be uneven in development and transition.
Even in the "C" essay, there should be relatively few grammatical
or mechanical errors--not enough to interfere with readability; the
student has done some editing, even though it may be superficial.
A "D"
paper is below average work that demonstrates a serious attempt to
fulfill the assignment and shows some promise but does not fully meet
the requirements of the assignment. The essay may have one
or several of the following weaknesses. It may have a general or implied
thesis; but the idea may be too broad, vague, or obvious. The organizational
plan may be inappropriate or inconsistently carried out. Evidence
may be too general, missing, not interpreted, irrelevant to the thesis,
or inappropriately repetitive. Documentation may be incomplete or
inaccurate. The style may be compromised by repetitive or flawed sentence
patterns and/or inappropriate diction and confusing syntax. Grammatical
and mechanical errors may interfere with readability and indicate
a less-than-adequate attempt at editing or an unfamiliarity with some
aspects of Standard Written English.
An "F"
paper is substantially below average for the assignment. It exhibits
one or several of the following. It may be off-topic. It may
be an attempt to meet the requirements of the assignment, but it may
have no apparent thesis or a self-contradictory one, or the essay's
point is so general or obvious as to suggest little thinking-through
of the topic. It may display little or no apparent sense of organization;
it may lack development; evidence may be inappropriate and/or off-topic
or may consist of generalizations, faulty assumptions, or errors of
fact. This essay may fail to handle borrowed material responsibly
and/or to document appropriately. The style suggests serious difficulties
with fluency which may be revealed in short, simple sentences and
ineffective diction. Grammatical/mechanical errors may interfere with
reader comprehension or indicate problems with basic literacy or a
lack of understanding of Standard English usage.
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