Studies in Art History

ANTONIO FANELLI
ANTONIO FANELLI

The course aims to provide knowledge and understanding of the methodological, critical and applicable aspects of the Discipline; it proposes geographical areas and sectorial perspectives in which related projects are activated; it shows the variability of fields of interest; it enables the student to master the specific topics in order to use them and apply them in other fields of study while using the correct specific language. With the acquired knowledge the student will be able to develop autonomous ability of connections with other disciplines in the various historical epochs and cultural contexts.

Knowledge and understanding:
- knowledge of the history of folkloric studies and the theoretical and epistemological debate related to folk traditions
- Thorough knowledge of the work of Ernesto de Martino, the thought of Antonio Gramsci on the 'subaltern classes' and the debate on folklore and popular culture
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
- Ability to apply ethnographic research methodologies
Communication and interpersonal skills:
- ability to present and discuss orally the course content

No special prerequisites required

The course aims to provide a general introduction to folklore studies ("Demologia" or "Tradizioni popolari", in Italian), retracing the different theoretical paradigms that forged the notion of "folklore" between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In particular, the course offers a detailed examination of Ernesto de Martino’s works and of the "folklore debate" of the 1950s. De Martino's postwar "ethnographic expeditions" in Lucania and Puglia represented a decisive prototype for the development of an Italian anthropology. His original and powerful vision of magical-religious phenomena as protection and cultural redemption from the "crisis of presence” strongly influenced subsequent studies, and still represents an essential theoretical reference in the anthropological debate. The course will also offer an in-depth analysis of the theoretical debate arising from Antonio Gramsci's reflections on the "culture of the subaltern classes", both in Italian context (in the disciplines of demology and oral history) and in international debates ("cultural studies").

1) Fabio Dei, Cultura popolare in Italia: da Gramsci all'Unesco, Bologna, il Mulino, 2018
2) Ernesto de Martino, Magia e civiltà, Edizioni Museo Pasqualino, 2026
3) Antonio Fanelli, Contro canto. Le culture della protesta dal canto sociale al rap, Donzelli, 2017

Frontal lessons with use of Powerpoint and audiovisual materials (audio recordings, movies).
Teaching language: Italian
The assessment of learning will take place through an oral analytical exam with questions on the texts in the program and on the topics of the lessons; particular attention will be paid to understanding the issues and problems posed in the course and the ability to establish cross-cutting links.

Is not required

Written exam.. The task will be focused on the texts under examination, with open questions, with a space assigned for each answer, so that you can verify both the basic knowledge and the ability to make insights and relevant links