This 3-credit course will offer a general introduction to the modern Italian novel (in translation) in philosophical, artistic, and historical context. Students will be introduced to several of the most significant literary authors and movements in Italy during the 20th – 21st Century, and they will gain a broad understanding of modern Italian culture, history and society. The central themes of the course include: modernism and postmodernism, immigration and nationalism, Futurism and Italian avant-gardes, fascism and anti-fascism, Feminism and gender in Italy, terrorism and political extremism, Mafia and anti-Mafia, and the impact of globalization on contemporary Italy. Taught in English.