Month: March 2017

Dr. Edoardo Bressanelli presented Brexit: The End of Freedom of Movement?: Key Actors and Policy Choices before and after the Referendum

Last night, Dr. Edoardo Bressanelli, a lecturer in European Politics and Director of the BA in European Studies and European Politics at King’s College London, came to the Umbra Institute to present Brexit: The End of Freedom of Movement?: Key Actors and Policy Choices before and after the Referendum. The presentation was organized for students of HSEU 340: History and Politics of the European Union, by Professor Maximiliano Lorenzi, and was open to the entire Umbra community.

Dr. Bressanelli explained how Brexit was viewed by three political party actors: Conservative, Labour, and UKIP, leading up to the Brexit vote in 2016. He also went into details about the process of implementing the Brexit, through the British parliament and up to tomorrow’s (29 March) invocation of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. The presentation covered the issues of EU and refugee migration and the common market. Dr. Bressanelli delved into public opinion in the United Kingdom and how the importance of the topic of migration quickly surpassed that of the economy in public debate, after David Cameron was reelected in 2015.

The Umbra community has taken great interest in Brexit proceedings as a number of students and professors attended the event. They listened attentively as Dr. Bressanelli concluded by describing a hard-Brexit; the different models that Norway and Switzerland currently use to relate to the EU; the EU political perspective on the importance of upcoming elections in France, Germany, and Italy; and ideas about avoiding EU dis-integration. Those in attendance asked questions to understand why the British had been so concerned by the NHS (National Health Service) during the Brexit vote, and what Europeans living in the UK can expect after Article 50 is triggered.

Dr. Bressanelli’s presentation was the second Brexit-centered event this semester. On March 16, UNIPG Master’s candidate, Dario Ipakchi, also gave a presentation on Brexit and shared his thesis research on Brexit in the Media. Ipakchi presented the main political actors of the Brexit vote, the viewpoints presented by both the Leave and Remain campaigns, and the perspective illustrated through British and Italian media coverage leading up to the Brexit vote in June 2016. Students stuck around long after the presentation ended in order to ask questions about the announcement of the Scottish Referendum, media distribution, and various political and social factors that may have ultimately influenced the Brexit decision.

Click here to learn more about Political Science courses offered by the Umbra Institute.

Can you imagine speaking only in a foreign language for two days? That is exactly what 80% of the courageous Umbra student body did this week. These students voluntarily participated in the SoloItaliano Challenge, a linguistic immersion initiative offered at the mid-point of each semester to encourage students to use their ever-improving Italian language skills.

Participants took this solemn oath on Tuesday morning, swearing in front of peers, professors, and Dante’s imposing bust, and then they donned their SoloItaliano bracelets. That night, Umbra offered a chance for the American students and their Italian peers to mingle at a screening of the Italian film, Perfetti Sconosciuti.
 
The challenge culminated at an Umbra Tandem on Wednesday night, where participants voted anonymously for the winners, those students who participated most honorably and to the best of their ability. Helen Perham (Clark University) and Rachel Tchen (Trinity University), both beginner students in intensive Italian courses, were given this honor. 

 “Although I was nervous to not be able to just talk to my friends, and there were a lot of silences, I found that I knew more words than I thought I did,” Helen (Italian 110) stated.  According to her, the best part of the challenge was the knowledge that she could have a conversation in Italian, even if she wasn’t perfect.

Rachel (Italian 110) commented, “ The most interesting part was trying to describe the word I was looking for in Italian, even if I didn’t have a translation app available; finding ways around words.” Both winners and other participants discussed their initial anxiety and the boost of confidence they felt as the challenge continued. Though the challenge has concluded, this confidence may carry on for the rest of their time abroad!

The SoloItaliano Challenge is a prime example of Umbra’s commitment to education through extra- and co-curricular activities that promote immersion and community engagement. To learn more about Umbra’s many academic programs and initiatives, Click Here!

Tandem Language Exchange

Students studying abroad in Italy can sometimes feel intimidated by the need to speak the Italian language. Knowing this, the Umbra Institute offers extra- and co-curricular activities to encourage students to engage with the community and practice their developing language skills throughout their semester abroad. Two of these cultural and linguistic immersion activities are the Tandem Language Exchange and the SoloItaliano Challenge.

What is Tandem?
Tandem is a bi-weekly event hosted specifically for American and Italian students in Perugia. At last night’s Tandem, students met at Umbrò to enjoy a light aperitivo while engaging in bilingual conversation. Discussions at these events often include comparisons of cultural practices, offering students an informal setting in which to forge friendships with their international peers.

What is the SoloItaliano Challenge?
The Spring 17 SoloItaliano Challenge will take place next Tuesday and Wednesday, March 21^st and 22^nd. Students of all Italian language levels will take a voluntary oath to speak only in Italian for two days. This immersive initiative is designed to push students to develop a deeper understanding of the local language and to step out of their comfort zone – without using English as a “fall-back” – as they learn to live and think in Italian. An Italian film night will coincide with this challenge, and the event will culminate with a Tandem at which students nominate the “winners,” or their peers who put forth the most effort during the challenge.

Click here to learn more about the Umbra Institute’s initiatives to encourage Italian language learning.

Representing Italy through Food is an intriguing collection of interdisciplinary essays that explores the significance of Italian food as a symbol of Italy. The book was recently published and was edited by Peter Naccarato (Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Marymount Manhattan College), Zachary Nowak (Associate Director of Umbra’s Food & Sustainability Studies Program), and Elgin K. Eckert (Professor at the Umbra Institute). It also features contributions from Umbra professors Antonella Valoroso and Ernesto Livorni. Additional contributors include Massimo Montanari and Ken Albala – keynote speakers for the 2012 edition of Food Conference Perugia, hosted by the Umbra Institute.

The book is separated into sections that address (re)presenting iconic Italy; representing Italy in literature and film; marketing, packaging, and advertising Italy; and global representations of Italy.

The Umbra Institute would like to congratulate those who contributed to Representing Italy through Food on an intriguing collection of international perspectives and their dedication to providing useful resources for understanding Italian food and foodways.

Click here to order your copy directly through Bloomsbury Publishing PLC