IT 212 Florence and the Making of the Renaissance

This course explores a time-the Renaissance-and a place-Florence-in which many defining features of modernity first took shape and became the object of critical thinking. Students examine major authors and genres, from short fiction and poetry to political and scientific treaties, and contextualize them within the artistic, political and social framework of their time. Topics include critical perspectives on notions of the individual and community, as well as their interplay with questions of social status, gender, and sexuality; Florence as proto-capitalist society and the emergence of modern banking; education and artistic expression as forms of empowerment and vehicles for social change. Taught in English. Prerequisite: EN 101.