Global Cities

This course, designed for students with no prior knowledge of the Italian language, will focus on basic Italian language skills necessary to communicate clear messages in everyday life. Students will develop an understanding of the fundamental knowledge of grammar, phonetics, morphology, and syntax using a functional-situational approach where lessons will focus on real situation exercises, grammar drills, consolidation of material, and a deepening of concepts through readings, conversations, role playing games, and listening exercises to correct pronunciation.

This course will explore the field of cross-cultural psychology through a focus on Italy and its inhabitants. Students will discuss aspects of cross-cultural analysis from the field of cross-cultural psychology, including cultural influence on human behavior, attitude, values, communication, and societal organization; examine topics of ethnocentrism, individual vs. collective societies, plural societies, cultural views on mental health, and intercultural communication; and investigate methodical issues of cross-cultural research, with the opportunity to be participant-observers of their own experiences in Italy, including through field work.

This course will direct students to reflect about their own relationship with food. Starting from a multi-disciplinary approach, that involves such fields as sociology, history, anthropology and nutrition, students will explore new aspects of their life in Italy directly related to health, education and everyday life. The final aim of this course is to provide an insightful, life-changing experience, which leads students to develop healthier lifestyles (Personal Development Outcome), comparing their culture with Italian culture (Diversity Outcome) and its distinct history and traditions related to food (Urban Environment Outcome).

This course will explore the complexities of cultural identity and migration, and the impact they have on intercultural conflict and cooperation. There will be a particular focus on migration in Italy and on the marginalized communities of contemporary Italy, such as migrants, their Italian-born non-citizen children, and the Roma. We will examine the fluidity of cultural boundaries across time and space, and how ingroup and outgroup dynamics contribute to the manufacturing of fear and prejudice among populations. During their semester abroad, students will reflect on the various elements that define a culture while gaining an increased understanding of how culture shapes individuals and how our cultural identities interact in shared social spaces such as the piazze of Florence. 

This course will explore key economic issues in the global business environment. Students will develop an understanding of how global businesses are impacted by real world developments in economics, politics, and finance; critically examine the global economic landscape with an emphasis on the interaction between international economics and business through discussions of current economic and political development; and explore topics such as globalization, country differences, cross-border trade and investment, the global monetary system, and competing in a global marketplace.

This course will introduce a broad range of painting, sculpture, and architecture in Florence from the great projects of the Middle Ages that defined the religious and political centers of the city, with a special focus on major monuments of the Renaissance period. Students will examine issues of social, political, and economic context, as well their function, which was integral to artistic production of the period; conduct related scholarly research; deepen their appreciation of Renaissance civilization; and analyze the interrelationship between people’s creative achievements and their society.