PDF version of this chapterFrench and Italian
Taper Hall of Humanities 126
(213) 740-3700
FAX: (213) 746-7297
Email: pinkus@usc.edu
Chair: Karen Pinkus, Ph.D.
Faculty
Marion Frances Chevalier Professorship in French: Peggy Kamuf, Ph.D.*Professors: Karen Elyse Pinkus, Ph.D.; Albert Sonnenfeld, Ph.D.*
Associate Professors: Panivong Norindr, Ph.D.; Margaret F. Rosenthal, Ph.D.*; Peter T. Starr, Ph.D.
Assistant Professors: Andrea Frisch, Ph.D.; Natania Meeker, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer: Francesca Italiano, Ph.D.
Lecturers: Brunella Bigi, Ph.D.; Atiyeh Doreen Showrai, M.A.; Sandrine Harismendy-Lony, Ph.D.; Antonio Idini, Ph.D.; Beatrice Mousli-Bennett, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professors: Marie-Florin Bruneau, Ph.D.; Arthur J. Knodel, Ph.D., Chevalier de l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques
Emeritus Associate Professors: Arthur E. Babcock, Ph.D.; Michelle Buchanan, Ph.D.
Associate Faculty with Titles in French and Italian
Professors: Thomas Crow, Ph.D. (Art History); Joseph Dane, Ph.D. (English);Moshe Lazar, Ph.D. (Comparative Literature); Dana Polan, Ph.D. (Cinema-Television); Nancy Troy, Ph.D. (Art History)
Associate Professors: Elinor Accampo, Ph.D. (History); Eunice Howe, Ph.D. (Art History); Giulio Ongaro, Ph.D. (Music); David Rollo, Ph.D. (English); Vanessa Schwartz, Ph.D. (History)
Assistant Professors: Claudio Fogu, Ph.D. (History); Todd Olson, Ph.D. (Art History)
Academic Program Staff
Director, French Language Program: Carol Hofmann, Ph.D.Director, Italian Language Program: Francesca Italiano, Ph.D.
Undergraduate Programs
The Department of French and Italian offers majors and minors in both French and Italian. The study of French or Italian involves the mastery of the languages and their literary and cultural expressions in fiction, non-fiction, dramatic, cinematic and poetic texts, as well as the study of social and political institutions within the context of intellectual history.The department offers a variety of classes in French and Italian, as well as some courses with readings and discussion in English to satisfy diverse needs. Topics range broadly from the study of a single author to a literary genre; from current events to cinema; from gender studies to literary criticism.
Courses are kept small to allow for maximum interaction between students and professors. Students in both French and Italian work closely with their advisors to develop an appropriate course of study. This often involves study abroad. The department runs summer programs in Dijon, France and Verona, Italy; students also attend semester-long programs in Paris and Florence or Rome.