06396 - History of Contemporary Society

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will have the required knowledge of historical research methodology in order to relate the history of the Italian welfare state with general features of Italy's institutional, political and educational systems. At the exam, the student will be able to put forward his/her assessments and conclusions regarding historical studies and analyses. In addition, the student will be able to use the means and methods acquired in the historical field to widen his/her knowledge and apply effective critical thinking.

Course contents

The course will address the history of contemporary society, particularly in the 20th century. The aim is to clarify, with specific reference to the Italian case, the transformations occurred and the persistences.

We will deal with some thematic issues that we feel today as relevant: modernity and progress, nations and nationalism, democracies and totalitarianism, the great social struggles, the migratory phenomenon, access to the widest forms of citizenship, the processes of participation, decision-making and legislative procedure, forms of government, the historical question of the Republican Constitution up to the hairpin of the 1970s, the complex relationship between the state and civil society and the issue of political violence and terrorism.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Students will cure their preparation for the exame on the following texts:

Obligatory texts

• Alberto Mario Banti, L’età contemporanea. Dalla Grande Guerra a oggi, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2009.

• Carlo Guarnieri, Il sistema politico italiano, Bologna, il Mulino, 2016

A text of your choice between the following:

• Gisela Bock, Le donne nella storia europea dal Medioevo ai nostri giorni, Roma Bari, Laterza, 2012, (3 capitoli a scelta).

• Giuditta Brunelli, Donne e politica, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009.

• Simona Colarizi, Marco Gervasoni, La tela di Penelope. Storia della Seconda Repubblica. Roma Bari, Laterza

• Guido Crainz, Storia della Repubblica L'Italia dalla Liberazione ad oggi, Roma, Donzelli, 2016, (3 capitoli a scelta)

• Emilio Gentile, Fascismo. Storia e interpretazione, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2017.

• Santo Peli, La Resistenza italiana. Storie e critica, Torino, Einaudi, 2004.

• Cinzia Venturoli, Stragi fra memoria e storia, Viterbo, Sette Città, 2007.

Teaching methods

Lectures with discussion and source presentations. During the course seminars may be promoted on topics and texts related to the course contents.

Assessment methods

The examination consists of an oral test (evaluated in thirtieth) on the subjects of the texts indicated in the programme.

What will be particularly assessed is the student's ability to orient him/herself within texts in order to identify the information that will enable him/her to illustrate aspects strictly related to the discipline. The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the topics discussed during the course, together with their critical use, and the possession of a mastery of expression and specific language, will be assessed and awarded a grade of ‘excellence'. A mechanical and/or mnemonic knowledge of the topics, a limited skill of synthesis and analysis and/or the correct but not always appropriate use of language will lead to ‘a discrete' assessment. Gaps in learning and/or inappropriate language – although within the context of minimal knowledge in the exam subject – will lead to a grade no higher than ‘sufficient'. In cases of the presence of significant gaps in knowledge, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the texts, the exam will not be passed. A negative assessment for one of the two texts included inthe program will not allow the student to pass the exam successfully.

Teaching tools

Videoprojector, Interactive whiteboards, PC The lectures will take advantage of a PowerPoint presentation that is uploaded and made available to students in the " Teaching materials " of the course

Office hours

See the website of Cinzia Venturoli

See the website of Manuela Ghizzoni