ITAL 555: Ecology and Poetry: Italy in International Conversation

Prof. Serenella Iovino

In recent decades, contemporary poetry has grown in its attention toward environmental and ecological issues, also in the framework of “ecopoetry.” Among its key topics are new forms of subjectivity, representations of the place and landscapes; the dialogue/clash between center and periphery; migrations and justice; the crisis of ecosystems and the loss of biodiversity; social, environmental, and historical urgencies; the construction of a new European space for poetic exchanges, comparisons, translations, and values. It is inevitable to see in these topics a great opportunity for the cultural reflection on identities, political challenges, inclusion, and democracy that Europe is called to start.
This course will explore how contemporary European poetry provides a terrain for this challenge. Our focus will be on Italy, but we will interlace a tight and fruitful conversation with other European countries, and expand the gaze on a global horizon.
We will work in collaboration with UNESCO (Italy’s Commission) and the European Festival of Environmental Poetry (Festival Europeo della Poesia Ambientale).