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When W.H. Auden wrote in 1939 that “poetry makes nothing happen” he was pondering on the impotence of intellectuals facing the consequences of 1929 Wall Street Crash in a Europe on the verge of the second world conflict. Recent and ever consistent studies have reassessed the appeal that literature can have over economics. Of the two sciences both oriented towards the analysis of human behavior, literature has been the faithful and penetrating mirror of human greed, impulsiveness, generosity, prudence, recklessness, ambition and opportunism: all that is the variable and unpredictable side of men’s conduct.
The course intends to introduce students to some of the most significant Italian and European authors, their life, works and cultural context, in the perspective of a specific theme: the relationship between man and money as well as the interconnection of the economical and political setting with its cultural expression. Starting from Dante’s Inferno where Avaricious and Prodigals are forever clashing, the course will consider the evolution of this theme until contemporary issues, focusing on the tense scenario of nineteenth century Europe. Presentation will include discussions, audio-visual materials and field studies.
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