98958 - GLOBAL CONNECTIONS: A LONG-TERM HISTORY

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

The course provides students with the conceptual framework for understanding major global transformations over the long term, in the belief that historical perspective offers important insights into present issues. At the end of the course, students will be able to understand and evaluate representative political, philosophical, and economic concepts that help illuminate the major characteristics of specific historical periods and how political, social, and economic structures have changed through time from a global perspective. Students will also be able to analyze key concepts such as the formation of the modern state; the emergence of capitalism; the roots and historical development of nationalism; the rise and crisis of the welfare state; international economic relations, protectionism and free trade; the politics of power in a multipolar and a bipolar world; the relationship between individuals and political and economic institutions.

Contenuti

The course will offer an introductory survey of the history of human societies from the so-called Columbian Exchange to the beginning of the Twenty-first century. We will discuss how human societies built, or failed to build, connections regionally and globally, and how people, commodities, ideas, religious beliefs, technologies, and pathogens travelled from one region to another.

By the end of the course, you will have developed an understanding of the basic dynamics of world history. A knowledge of history in the long term is a necessary component of a well-rounded education. Moreover, it is crucial for understanding contemporary issues such as inequality, multiculturalism, and the concept and reality of the Anthropocene.

Testi/Bibliografia

John R. McNeill, The Webs of Humankind. A World History, W. W. Norton, First Ed., VOLUME 2

M. Alacevich and A. Soci, Inequality. A Short History, Washington, DC: Brookings Press, 2018 (the UK and Italian editions can also be used, respectively, M. Alacevich and A. Soci, A Short History of Inequality, London: Agenda, 2018; M. Alacevich and A. Soci, Breve storia della disuguaglianza, Roma, Laterza 2018)

YOU MUST OBTAIN COPIES OF THE BOOKS IN ADVANCE OF THE FIRST CLASS MEETING

also

YOU MUST HAVE ACCESS TO McNEILL'S ONLINE LEARNING TOOLS AND INQUIZITIVE

The print copy of McNeill's book comes with full access to the eBook and online resources, including InQuizitive.

The only digital copy allowed is the one called INTERACTIVE EBOOK AND NORTON LEARNING TOOLS. Please note that it expires after one year.

You are also responsible for all of the information contained in the following tutorial on plagiarism:

https://lib.usm.edu/plagiarism_tutorial/whatis_plagiarism.html

You must complete the tutorial and successfully pass the quizzes and final test in the tutorial. The tutorial's contents may appear on the final exam.

The syllabus and additional material will be available on Virtuale.

Metodi didattici

Lectures and class discussion.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Grades will be assigned on the basis of a written exam or an oral exam. The exam will evaluate your ability to explain and discuss critically the facts and analytical questions examined during the class lectures and in the bibliographic references.

Any academic misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, cheating, the use of unauthorized notes, the use of material prepared by others, etc.) will result in a grade penalty, a failing grade, and referral to the University Committee on Academic Misconduct, which may result in severe sanctions (e.g., suspension for one year).

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Michele Alacevich