Course Synopsis

HUMN3800 / ITAL3800 – Italian Heritage & Digital Applications**

Method of Delivery: Synchronous Online 

This course examines the history of Italian migration to Canada through historical, literary, archival, and oral sources. Students engage with cultural materials, conduct ethnographic interviews, and use digital humanities platforms—including WordPress and ArcGIS StoryMaps—to curate and present heritage materials in an open-access format. The course emphasizes ethical research practices, archival competencies, and the creation and preservation of cultural heritage in the digital age.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
•Identify major historical developments in Italian immigration to Canada.
•Discuss heritage, ethnicity, multiculturalism, bilingualism, and transnationalism in Canadian contexts.
•Explain shifts in immigration during WWI and WWII and Italy–Canada relations.
•Recognize contributions of Italian and Italian-Canadian writers, artists, musicians, athletes, and community figures.
•Apply narratology and recognition theory to cultural texts.
•Analyze literature, theatre, art, and film representing immigration experiences.
•Demonstrate archival research skills and ethnographic interviewing techniques.
•Interpret textual and cultural evidence using interdisciplinary methodologies.

Evaluation Components
Participation – 10%

Interviews Part I (Permission Form + Interview Recording) – 15%

Interviews Part II (Summary Form + Introduction + WordPress Edits + Reflection) – 25% total (10% + 15%)

Digital Humanities Project: ArcGIS Story Map • First Draft – 25% 

Final Edits in Platform – 15%

Final Presentation (In-Class Conference) – 10%
 

Required Textbooks
•Nino Ricci, The Lives of the Saints
•Marco Micone, Voiceless People
•Mary di Michele, Life Sentences

Additional readings (articles, chapters, PDFs, films) are provided through CourseLink.

Statement on AI Use
Language-model chatbots and AI-generated writing tools may not be used to write, edit, or generate any portion of assignments, interviews, reflections, or digital humanities projects. Using AI tools constitutes plagiarism and will be treated as academic misconduct. All submitted work must be original, properly cited, and adhere to university academic integrity policies.