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Lecturer(s)
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Marini Alessandro, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
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Špička Jiří, prof. Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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**Topic 1: The Italian Political System and Political Parties** * the Italian Republic and its institutions * Parliament, Government and the President of the Republic * changes in the party system * the right, the left and populism * contemporary political parties and their voters **Topic 2: The Italian Economy and the World of Work** * the structure of the Italian economy * small and medium-sized enterprises and *Made in Italy* * industry and services * the labour market and unemployment * precarious employment and youth employment **Topic 3: North and South - Regional Disparities** * the historical roots of the differences between Northern and Southern Italy * the *questione meridionale* today * economic and social disparities between regions * internal migration * regional autonomy and the relationship between centre and periphery **Topic 4: Demography, Family and the Younger Generation** * low birth rates and population ageing * changes in the Italian family * the status of women * young people and delayed independence * the emigration of young and highly educated Italians **Topic 5: Migration and Multicultural Italy** * Italy's transformation from a country of emigration into a country of immigration * major migration waves * the foreign population in Italy * citizenship and integration * migration as a political and social issue * second-generation immigrants **Topic 6: The Mafia and the Fight against Organized Crime** * Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta and Camorra * the historical roots of the Mafia and its contemporary forms * the infiltration of organized crime into the legal economy * the relationship between the Mafia and politics * Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino * anti-Mafia institutions and civil society **Topic 7: The Catholic Church, the Vatican and Secularization** * the special status of the Vatican in Italy * relations between the State and the Catholic Church * the Lateran Accords and their significance today * the Catholic Church in Italian society * secularization and the decline in religious practice * the Church and social issues **Topic 8: Media, Television and Social Networks** * the structure of the Italian media * public and private television * RAI and Mediaset * Berlusconi and the links between media and politics * the press and its role in contemporary Italy * social networks, disinformation and changes in political communication **Topic 9: Education, Universities and Research** * the structure of the Italian education system * public and private schools * Italian universities * regional disparities in education * funding for research and higher education * *fuga dei cervelli* (brain drain) and academic mobility **Topic 10: Culture, Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Italian Identity** * the significance of cultural heritage for contemporary Italy * the protection of monuments and cultural heritage * literature, film, music and other areas of contemporary culture * cultural industries and *Made in Italy* * tourism and its impact on historic cities * the relationship between regional, national and European identity
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming)
- Attendace
- 26 hours per semester
- Homework for Teaching
- 80 hours per semester
- Semestral Work
- 19 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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The aim of the course is to introduce students to the main political, social, economic and cultural characteristics of contemporary Italy. Particular attention is paid to the political system, the economy and regional disparities, demography, migration, organized crime, the Catholic Church, the media, education and culture. Through authentic Italian texts, students learn to analyse these phenomena, understand their interconnections and discuss them in Italian.
* Development of Italian language skills at the C1-C2 level. * Understanding of academic and journalistic texts dealing with contemporary Italian society. * Familiarity with the political system and the main political issues of contemporary Italy. * Understanding of Italy's main economic and demographic issues and the regional disparities between Northern and Southern Italy. * Ability to explain the main aspects of migration and the transformation of Italian society in connection with immigration. * Familiarity with the issues of organized crime and the fight against the Mafia. * Understanding of the role of the Catholic Church and the processes of secularization in contemporary Italian society. * Familiarity with the Italian media and education systems and the main issues of contemporary Italian culture. * Ability to independently analyse a selected social, political, economic or cultural issue in contemporary Italy.
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Prerequisites
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Knowledge of Italian.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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unspecified
Attendance at classes, active participation in discussions, reading assigned texts, passing the exam.
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Recommended literature
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Arcangeli, M. (2005). Lingua e societ? nell?era globale. Roma.
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Calise, M., & Musella, F. (2025). Digicrazia [Digicracy]. Laterza..
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Dickie, John. (2009). Cosa nostra ? Dějiny sicilské mafie. Praha.
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F. Garelli. (2007). La Chiesa in Italia. Bologna.
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Gotor, Miguel. (2019). Italia nel Novecento. Torino.
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