Chapman Italian Studies News

The Traditional Puppet Theatre of Italy Revived in Dr. Pacchioni’s New Book

Posted on January 29, 2020 by Federico Pacchioni

In his new book, The Image of the Puppet, Dr. Pacchioni identifies and interprets the aesthetic and cultural significance of the different traditions of the Italian puppet theater in the broader Italian culture and beyond. Grounded in the often-overlooked history of the evolution of different Italian puppetry traditions –the central and northern Italian stringed marionettes, the Sicilian pupi, the glove puppets of the Po Valley, and the Neapolitan Pulcinella– this study examines a wide spectrum of visual, cinematic, literary, and digital texts representative of the functions and themes of the puppet. A systematic analysis of the meanings ascribed to the idea and image of the puppet provides a unique vantage point to observe the perseverance and transformation of the deeper spiritual and humanistic values linking premodern, modern, and contemporary contexts. With the current advancement of cybernetics, avatars, animation, and virtual reality games, a thorough understanding of how the puppet metaphor originates from specific theatrical practices and media can be relevant today.

Click here to view Publisher’s webpage.

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Food and Culture: An Italian Perspective – Get Your Ticket Today!

Posted on January 23, 2020 by Federico Pacchioni

Don’t miss the fifth edition of the Italian Perspective series. This year, Food and Culture: An Italian Perspective will be a thought-provoking celebration of Italian food culture, featuring talks by influencers, scholars and chefs, access to a tasting pavilion from local Italian restaurants and food producers.

A lively schedule of presentations, conversations, and demonstrations will take you through the exploration of topics such as: the cultural complexities of the peninsula’s cuisines; the transformation of culinary traditions within the unique context of the Italian-American experience; the predominance of Italian food in today’s global media; and Italian food as the embodiment of a special relationship with nature, people, and history.

April 4, 2020, 10am-12pm, outdoor activities to follow.
Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University.
Get your ticket here!
* A portion of the ticket will go towards supporting Italian Studies.
* A complementary parking pass will be emailed to you when purchasing the ticket online.

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Interdisciplinary Chapman Italian Studies in Rome

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Federico Pacchioni

The new year begins boldly for Chapman Italian Studies. In partnership with the University Honors Program and Italiaidea School in Rome, Dr. Pacchioni is leading a field research course in the Eternal City. This travel course brings together students from a wide varieties of disciplines–philosophy, religious studies, music, environmental sciences, filmmaking, business, and education–each advancing unique research and creative projects. While in Rome, students engage in collective and self-directed tours and activities. Below a picture from the first city walk in Campo dei Fiori and the first research design workshop, bringing together CU students and peers from the University of Roma La Sapienza.

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Italian Cinema in San Diego

Posted on November 20, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

Last week, Dr. Pacchioni chaired a panel focusing on Italian Cinema at the annual convention of the Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association in San Diego. Speakers addressed topics such as: early cinema and philosophy, classical and contemporary auteur cinema, and the representation of the woman in Italian film.

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Dr. Federico Pacchioni Speaks at California State University, Long Beach

Posted on November 20, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

This week, Dr. Pacchioni was invited to speak about his current research project on the influence of Italian traditional puppetry in literature and film. Several students and faculty from university’s Italian Studies program attended the presentation, which was followed a lively Q&A session and reception.

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Paul’s Pasta Piazza Party – Chapman University’s Italian Heart

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

Join us for Paul’s Pasta Piazza Party!

Italian music, cuisine, and good company for all right in the heart of the Orange campus: Attallah Piazza, Monday, October 14, from 5pm to 7pm.

Special thanks to Paul and Marybelle Musco.

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Reflecting and Inspiring: The Annual Italian Studies Program Retreat and Reunion

Posted on October 6, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

The Italian Studies program held its annual Retreat & Reunion on the Chapman campus as part of the University’s Homecoming Weekend celebrations. The program provided an overview of curricular and study abroad opportunities, presentations by faculty and officers of the Italian Club, a workshop on study strategies for lifelong students of Italian, and memorable testimonies by alumni. Un grazie di cuore to all of those who attended contributed, it was a joy to spend time with students and their parents, and to reconnect with our dear alumni!

Listen to alumna Briana Salatino’s recounting (she graduated in 2018, with a double major in Public Relations and Italian Studies).

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Dr. Pacchioni speaks at the international symposium “Intersections: The Arts and the Concept of Time,” in Florence

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

View the conference program.

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Bringing Italian language and culture to the local youth

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

This semester, Sarina Welsh, who is pursuing the new interdisciplinary B.A. in Global Communication and Italian, created a completely new Italian language and culture class for the kids of Higher Ground, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mentoring and empowering youth in Anaheim.

Sarina Welsh: “Since I was curious about teaching as a future career path, this semester, my Italian professors helped me create an individual study as part of my major and introduced me to Higher Ground. I decided to create something new for the kids by opening them to Italian language and culture. We sang songs, made risotto and cannolis, learned Italian animal expressions, and practiced basic introduction in Italian. I loved sharing my passion for Italy with them. It was an unforgettable experience, and now the kids of Higher Ground are hungry for more!”

Sarina will be leaving this summer for a new internship with the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok. Avanti tutta, Sarina!

Below, Sarina with her class.

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Amy Giraldo Awarded Outstanding Italian Studies Minor

Posted on April 26, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

Chapman University’s Department of World Languages and Cultures selected Amy Giraldo as Outstanding Italian Studies Minor.

A note from her professors: “Few words are not sufficient to describe Amy Giraldo. Not only she exemplifies academic commitment and rigor at the highest level, but she is also one of most intellectually courageous students that we have had the privilege of working with. During her studies in Italian, she went beyond the boundaries of the curriculum by succeeding at internship work, charting new ground with an individual study on modern Italian poetry, splendidly performing during an immersive travel class in Italy, and contributing directly to the wellbeing of the program’s community itself. Thank you, Amy, we will miss you, but we also know that you will continue doing amazing things in the years ahead!”

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Italian language skills in the industry: a second-year Italian student’s early career start

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

Elle Berti is a Sophomore in the Italian track of the new B.A. in Global Communication and World Languages. Elle, who comes from an Italian background, continues her studies of the language and culture at Chapman including various study abroad experiences, first with the program’s immersive travel course to Sicily and, next fall, with a semester abroad in Rome. Thanks to her academic focus, Elle was recently hired as the advertising specialists for Italian at the agency Channel Bakers. Italian language skills are a crucial part of her position, which focuses on Amazon’s Italian accounts, translating account data, and creating keyword lists for the Italian Amazon platform.

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Student Grace Montgomery awarded a Chapman Italian Studies Council Travel Course Grant

Posted on April 8, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

Italian Studies student Grace Montgomery has been awarded with a Chapman Italian Studies Council Travel Class Grant in support of her participation in the upcoming summer immersion course in Taormina, Sicily. This award is named after the philanthropic group that has supported the development and outreach activity of CU’s Italian Studies program since 2013. For more information on the Council and how to contribute to its effort, please visit this link.

“Ciao! My name is Grace Montgomery and I am a freshman here at Chapman University majoring in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance. When I heard that Chapman offered Italian as a foreign language, I enrolled in Italian 101 and instantly fell in love with the language and culture. My maternal grandmother is Sicilian, making me a solid 1/4th Italian. Although it is not my complete genetic make-up, I have always felt this sort of pull to Italian culture and mannerisms; Italian culture just felt like home. I quickly decided to minor in Italian and I have accepted the position of President of the Chapman Italian Club for the 2019 school year. My dream for the future is that I will somehow find a career that will mix both my passion for Business and Italian in the workplace.”

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Learn about the history and significance of the Sicilian puppet theater!

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

Join us for the upcoming presentation by Italian Studies alumnus Marco Saglimbeni, scheduled on Monday, April 15, 7:00-8:30pm, in the Center for American War Letters of the Leatherby Libraries.

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A Morning at the Crossroad of Science and Culture: the 4th Annual Italian Perspective

Posted on April 1, 2019 by Federico Pacchioni

Keeping true to the commitment of exploring the multifaceted and precious significance of the history, culture and art of Italy across various fields of knowledge and application, this year’s Italian Perspective opened the lesser known yet truly unique and relevant window of the relationship between science and culture.

The event was introduced by the Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles, Silvia Chiave, the Director of the Italian Institute of Culture of Los Angeles, Valeria Rumori, and the President of the Italian American Scientists and Scholars in North American Foundation, Vito Campese.

The program included four fascinating keynote presentations by scholars based in the United States as well as from Italy: Dr. Kevin Petti, Dr. Carlo Vecce, Dr. Giovanni Sambin and Chapman’s own President Daniele Struppa. Talks addressed intersections between the domains of art and society and specific areas of science such as early anatomic learning, Da Vinci’s intellectual training, the history of the notion of infinity, the influence of geometrical advancements on the rendering of perspective in the visual arts.

The speakers’ ability to condense decades of specialized research and true interdisciplinary thinking into intriguing and accessible presentations indeed conveyed powerfully and concretely the ancient and yet ever pioneering wisdom inherent in the bridging of scientific and artistic pursuits.