Just released: UChicago Italian Podcast - Italia Oggi. Le voci degli studenti di UChicago
January 7, 2026 (last updated on September 10, 2026)
This podcast showcases outstanding student work from the advanced Italian course dedicated to the study of contemporary Italy (ITAL 20400 Autumn 2025 with Sara Dallavalle). Through original podcast episodes, students engage critically with today’s Italy from political, social, and cultural perspectives.
In this first edition, the podcast explores key issues shaping Italy’s present: right-wing politics and migration policies, the North–South divide, institutional tensions, and the choices faced by a generation caught between staying and leaving. Other episodes foreground questions of identity, language, and territory – from contemporary Italian emigration and the Sardinian language to the evolving craft of glassmaking. Cultural production and social justice also take center stage, with episodes on trans visibility and on Italian beauty at the intersection of tradition and innovation.
Combining analysis, storytelling, reviews, and personal reflection, the podcast highlights the diversity of student voices and demonstrates how advanced language learning can foster critical thinking, intercultural competence, and creative expression beyond the classroom.
The podcast was produced in collaboration with Academic Technology Solutions, whose Podcast Studio supported high-quality, professional sound recording.
More information about the podcast here: Italia Oggi. Le voci degli studenti di UChicago