I thought I should give homage to my exchange university while I'm here in Italy - Bocconi University - and also for historical sake notate what classes I'm taking and what I think of them so far since I have had 2 weeks worth so far.
Industrial Economics and Economics of Innovation - the classroom is chaotic with everyone talking to each other. Did I mean to type whisper? Why, no, I didn't. They talk. It's distracting but I have transitioned from my comfortable 4th row seat to the very front so I can actually hear and engage with the instructor. It has been much better. And academically, I am actually connecting all the implications of elasticity and demand and price more than I ever have. Could I teach the subject to someone else? No. But I'm getting there. I think I'm one of two exchange students in the class.
Workshop in Performing Arts - this class focuses on.. well.. performing arts! I have always been involved with the symphony type of performance art so this is already taking me out of my norm by introducing me to more. So far we have covered basics and languages of drama - the space used, the time portrayed, the characters, the use of the audience etc. Two other SMU MA/MBA's are in that class with me (Meghann and Joanna), as well as another friend that is in another class with me as well (Rana from Lebanon). We got to visit the Piccolo Teatro yesterday and I will definitely have to see a performance there. We will also take a field trip to Venice and visit a dance company there. (how great is it that our 'school field trips' are to Venice!?!??!)
Cultures, Media, and Consumption = marketing psychology. So far we have discussed what the signified objects signify and how they do that (my brain cannot visualize his lingo but it's interesting nonetheless). It's the culture behind the marketing that sells the object. So far, quite interesting. I have 3 other SMU MA/MBA's in that class (Meghann, Matt, Jillian) and the friend from Wkshp in Performing Arts, Rana.
Non-Profit Organizational Law - half of this class are foreign exchange students from U.S law schools. Interesting class as it deals with non-profits that are more social NPO's and not the arts - I think it's good for me to think of the arts as a sector of something larger (which they are but I'm not as aware of it), as a subset of all NPO's. Also good because we will not have the opportunity to take an Arts Law class back at SMU.
Social Movements and the Competitive Strategy of Firms - this was the class that was my first choice to take at Bocconi. I have never really participated in nor been interested in social movements in the past but a newfound interest in social psychology (thanks to Malcolm Gladwell) has lit a spark. So far, I learned about collective behavior, motivation, structure (or none thereof) and organizations of social movements. I also finally figured out what Occupy Wall Street was all about (I openly admit that I didn't follow that). But now I'm a well-informed citizen. :) We will eventually get to the strategies that firms use to utilize social movements. In this class, I have one friend (Kate from Germany) that is in Cultures, Media, and Consumption with me also.
My class choices are definitely all over the board and will keep me on my toes! It makes my brain happy. And although it hasn't been shown in my class, I like this clip: How to Start a Movement
In Italy, and I have yet to had macaroni.. it's on the 'pasta to cook' list.
~Elizabeth
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