| Description: | The course explores the Italian family from a sociological point of view, placing the family in the context of Italian tradition and culture. It is subdivided into two main sections. In the first section we will begin with an historical analysis of the Italian family from the Romans to the present age, in order to analyze changes and traditions through several centuries. We will see that the patriarchal system underlies the entire history of the Italian family until recent times. We will analyze the meaning of the family at the present time and the importance of marriage in the past and cohabitation in present society. We will also consider key moments of transition in the life cycle of families, such as the constitution of a conjugal agreement, the place of children, divorce, the elderly, and adoption. The impact of immigration on the development of family lifestyles will also be examined. In the second part of the course each class will analyze in detail the single members of the family. We will investigate rights and duties of wives, mothers, husbands, fathers and children in the family and we will evaluate the relationship between tradition and change in the evolution of these roles. We will also compare the traditional and conservative southern family to that of northern Italy. |