Introduction to Italian Culture

The textbook Introduction to Italian Culture is conceived as a foundational and stimulating framework for exploring Italy as a cultural and historical space, as well as an introduction to the key phenomena that have shaped Italian cultural identity. It is intended primarily for first-year students enrolled in the Romance Studies programme, as required reading for the courses Italian Culture 1 and Italian Culture 2, but it may also serve as supplementary material in the later years of Romance Studies. More broadly, it is intended for anyone interested in exploring Italy from the perspectives of literature, art, social and cultural life, and everyday experience.