Programme

The course (first semester) is a reading, discussion and research seminar. The topic will be announced in class at the beginning of the course.

Core Documentation

Gillian Rose, Visual Culture, Photography and the Urban: An Interpretive Framework, in «Space and Culture, India», vol. 2, n. 3, December 2014, pp. 5-13.
Giovanni Fanelli, Della composizione in fotografia, in «Critica d’Arte», 
a. LXX, n. 37-38, gennaio-giugno 2009, pp. 35-60.
Peter Hamilton, The Street and Everyday Life, in T. Bennett / D. Watson (a cura di), Understanding Everyday Life, Open University and Blackwell, Oxford 2002, pp. 91-138.
Antonello Frongia, Il luogo e la scena: la città come testo fotografico, in R. Valtorta (a cura di), Luogo e identità nella fotografia italiana contemporanea, Einaudi, Torino 2013, pp. 109-192.
Lewis Baltz, Limiti della città (ma è già stata usata questa definizione?) [1992], in Id., Scritti, Johan & Levi, Milano 2014, pp. 70-73.

Reference Bibliography

Suggested readings: Jean-Claude Lemagny, André Rouillé, Storia della fotografia, trad. it. di Mario Bonini, Sansoni, Firenze 1988 (ed. or. 1986). John Szarkowski, L'occhio del fotografo (1966), trad. it. The Museum of Modern Art, New York e 5 Continents, Milano 2009. Stephen Shore, Lezione di fotografia. La natura delle fotografie (2007), trad. it. Phaidon, Londra 2009.

Type of delivery of the course

1) There are no prerequisites. However, the course requires a solid foundation on photography's history, languages, and critical issues. Class lectures will focus on historiographical and methodological issues and will not address subjects already covered in the survey course. 2) Since the course is an intensive discussion and research seminar, attendance and engaged participation to the class are crucial. di un seminario intensivo di discussione e di ricerca, la frequenza e la partecipazione attiva sono fondamentali. No more than two unexcused absences are allowed. In any case, no absence is allowed for discussion seminars and class presentations. Students who cannot meet these requirements will be automatically considered non-attending students (see below). 3) Each student will be required to write a 2.000-character synopsis and to start the discussion on one of the readings listed in the syllabus. Students who fail to show up on the day of their individual presentation are automatically dropped from the class. NB: Most of the literature and readings for this class are in English. 4) In order to sign up for the final exam, students will be required to define a research program and to write a paper (14-16.000 characters, notes and bibliography included) on a topic related to the main theme of the class. The topic, the structure, and the bibliography of the final paper must be discussed with the instructor during the class period, according to the deadlines listed in this syllabus. Specific methodological indications will be provided in class.

Type of evaluation

The final grade will reflect the following: writing and presentation of the synopsis: 25%; class participation: 25%; final paper: 50%. NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS In order to take the final exam, students formally enrolled as non-attending and students who cannot meet the criteria specified above (attendance, presentations, etc.) are required to meet the instructor during office hours BEFORE Wednesday, March 28, in order to discuss an individual program based on the following requirements: 1) ten short essays (2.000 characters each) on the nine weekly readings listed in the syllabus (50% of the final grade); 2) research project and final essay (14-16.000 characters, notes and bibliography included) (50% of the final grade). The topic, the structure, and the bibliography of the final paper must be discussed with the instructor by March 28. Specific methodological indications will be provided during office hours.