A course on the meaning and history of beauty, its connection to community building, imagination, and sustainable innovation, and its importance as a practice of care for society and the environment.

An experience of beauty: three weeks in Torino, known for its baroque architecture, art-nouveau cafes, and quality food and wine; two weeks and a half in Trentino, a region famous for the Dolomite mountains and for its cooperative economy; and four weeks in Siena, a perfectly preserved medieval city that every summer hosts its centuries-old horse race, the Palio. From June 15 to August 18 (arriving late or leaving early is not permitted).

For more extensive explanations of the spirit and content of the program and course, see “Why this program”. For a detailed schedule of classes and activities, please read the syllabus.

Approximately thirty students will attend the program. Applications from students from other colleges are welcome; in recent years, students from Brown, Emerson, Middlebury, Penn, Princeton, USC, Vassar, and Yale have participated in the program.

Classes will be held every day of the week, with the exception of most Fridays, when there will be field trips. Academic readings are not excessive—on average, about 200 pages per week. But the materials are very diverse and require not so much memorization as critical reflection. Their study should lead both to an understanding and appropriation of the fundamental concepts developed in the course, and to their application to the many events that make up the program. In fact, all activities, including frequent group meals, are an integral part of the syllabus. Learning takes place almost as much outside as inside the classroom, and the goal of such a full immersion in Italian culture and society is precisely the broadening of horizons, the development of strong bonds among participants, and the opportunity for non-sanctioned experiences as essential components of true education and growth. Consider this program a break from artificial intelligence and its supposed objectivity; during those two months, we will instead reflect on the shared subjectivity of beauty and experience its power to create roots and lasting friendships.

For more information on costs and funding, policies and safety, and how to apply, see the Harvard Summer School’s “Summer Study Abroad Programs” site, including the specific page for this program. The online application in now open. Click here to apply. Applications are due by Thursday, January 29. For further information, please write to Prof. Erspamer, <erspamer@fas.harvard.edu>. He will organize an information session at the very beginning of the spring semester, probably on Monday, January 26, three days before the application deadline. Administrative and funding questions can also be directed to SummerAbroad@Summer.Harvard.edu. 

Videos by Woojin Lin (Milan and Siena 2023), Joy Xinchun Zhang (Milano, Trento, Siena 2024), and Collin Nelson (Torino, Trento, Siena 2025).