All program participants will choose two of three courses. "The Many Manifestations of Italian Culture" includes an intensive conversational Italian language component (accommodating all levels) and provides an introduction to the history and culture of the island. Participants are introduced to the Arabic poets of Sicily, Bellini’s operas, the geology of Mt. Etna, myths and legends, the history of the puppet theater, handmade carts, ceramics, and cuisine. "Kingdoms in the Sun: Sicily and Southern Italy in Antiquity and the Middle Ages" delves into the history of Sicily and the southern Italian mainland and the cultures that left lasting impressions on this diverse region. It explores Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman, German and French occupations of the region as well as the cross-fertilization of Christian, Jewish and Muslim cultures. "Modern Migrations of the Mezzogiorno: Emigration and Immigration in Twentieth-Century Sicily and Southern Italy" traces Italy’s transformation from a land of emigrants to one with an ever growing population of immigrants, turning the country into a multiethnic/multiracial society. The course considers how Italians fared in America as well as how current migration is affecting modern day Italy.

Participants will stay in a two-star hotel within walking distance of classrooms. Continental breakfast and use of the hotel’s pool are included along with a day-long excursion to Palermo and Monreale, a traditional Sicilian puppet theater performance, and a farewell Sicilian dinner. Students may elect to participate in a number of optional excursions and cultural activities, including Taormina’s famed arts festival. The application deadline is March 15, 2006; materials and contact information are available at http://www.montclair.edu/globaled/sicily%2006.htm.