IT10MI: Making Italians: A Journey in the History and Culture of Modern Italy

Module code: IT10MI

Module provider: Languages and Cultures; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

ECTS credits: 10

Level: 4

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Chiara Cirillo, email: c.cirillo@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: na

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 26 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module explores key moments in the history and culture of modern Italy, from the struggle for Unification (1861–1870) to the present. Through lectures and seminars, students will examine the key factors and figures that shaped Italy’s formation as a nation and their ongoing influence on political debates during the Fascist regime (1922-1943), the Resistance (1943-1945), and the Republic (1946-). Additionally, the course will analyse how national identity was portrayed in literature and film in the years following Unification.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Identify and discuss major events, factors and figures in Italian history (1795-present day), and the complex relationship between the state and its people.
2. Analyse, evaluate and put into context a selection of Italian historical and cultural texts.
3. Explain, orally and in writing, key historical concepts and events studied and relate them to historical sources and artistic works.
4. Select and interpret appropriate secondary sources and produce a coherent written argument.

Module content

The lectures will focus on the historical events and the main actors that shaped the narrative of Italian identity in a period that goes from Napoleon’s invasion to the post-war Italian Republic.

In the seminars we shall study on paradigmatic literary texts and films that illustrate key moments of Italian history.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module is delivered through a combination of interactive lectures and seminars. In interactive lectures content is interspersed with activities, such as answering questions, analyse a reading or a video, presenting a topic, etc. Seminars are mainly devoted to group discussions which students prepare beforehand through reading literary texts, watching films and engaging with digital content.

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students will have regular opportunities to develop and test knowledge, critical analysis, evidence-based argumentation and communication skills through structured activities in class and in-between classes. In addition, students will undertake a formative in-class mock exam.

Reassessment

Additional costs