An introduction to Italian film from 1915 through 1975, this course covers all of the major movements in Italian film during this period, including silent costume epics, neorealism, art cinema,“Spaghetti Westerns,” political and religious cinema, the sex comedy, and more. All films will be screened in Italian with English subtitles, and discussion will take place in English.

Over seven years ago, after 144 episodes, Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended its run on television. The show started out with a group of high school outsiders fighting monsters every week and by the end they had saved the world. However, Buffy wasn’t just about fighting monsters. Critics and academics have praised and argued about the show's feminist stance, political views, production, and the real life metaphors behind the monsters. In this class we will examine these aspects of Buffy along with its pop culture significance, the role of fans, comparative monster literature, and some television history

From tags and stencils to murals, installations, and beyond, street art is one of the most important art forms of the last half-century. It has influenced – and been influenced by – major social and cultural movements such as hip-hop and punk rock. It has transformed diverse aspects of contemporary life, raising questions about how we live, our rights and freedoms, public and private property, “high art” versus “low art,” identity and place, and more. In this course, we will explore such issues and interplays in engaging and creative ways, and investigate aesthetic qualities of numerous well-known and anonymous street artists from around the world.