96848 - History of the World Economy and Migration

Learning outcomes

This course will take a long view of the economic history of the world and discuss how flows of commodities, people, and ideas have become increasingly globalized. By the end of the course the student is expected to possess the skills and tools of critical analysis in relation to the different models of economic development. Students will also be able to discuss the fundamental trends of the economic history of the world and the dynamics of globalization in the last millennium and will be able to analyze migration phenomena using the conceptual tools of economic and social sciences.

Course contents

The course is organized in lectures and seminars as detailed in the following program.

FIRST PART

Lectures aim to introduce students to the core contents of the course. The lectures will address different aspects of globalization, beginning from the history of globalization; how the free movement of goods, labour and capital helped the creation of a globally connected world; past and present globalization waves (and why those waves were interrupted); today’s global actors and global crises.

SECOND PART

A short series of seminars on migration, held by international experts and professors together with prof. Fauri, will investigate a few different but interrelated topics: the history and evolution of migration and immigration movements, the impact of immigrant business in Europe and the young foreigners’ national identity formation processes, the integration challenge. European legal experts, historians, demographers, economists and sociologists will offer a cross-disciplinary long-term view on the different aspects of migration movements and their economic and social impact.

THE PROGRAM OF THE SEMINARS will be online by September 15 2026.

 

Readings/Bibliography

For attending students:

Recommended/compluslory readings are available on “Risorse Didattiche su Virtuale"

For non attending studens:

Recommended/compulsory readings on “Risorse Didattiche su Virtuale" plus OECD International Migration Outlook 2025. Link on Virtuale.

For all

Further readings also available on Virutale

Teaching methods

FIRST PART: Face-to-face lectures.

SECOND PART: Co-led seminars and class discussion.

Participation is expected and rewarded.

 

Assessment methods

Assessment is performed via a written exam and students’ participation in class.

Attending students will be considered those attending at least 80% of classes.

For attending students, the exam will consist of two parts:

• FIRST PART: Attending students are offered the opportunity to take an intermediate exam approximately at two-third through the lesson plan. The exam on the first part will consist of a few open-ended questions. The final grade will evaluate the ability to explain and discuss critically the historical facts and analytical questions examined during the class lectures and in the bibliographic references.
• SECOND PART: Attending students will have to attend the seminars and participate in the discussion with questions and comments. At the end of the course, a final discussion of the seminars attended will allow all students to participate with their own perspectives on the issues dealt in class. Up to two extra points (to be added to the final grade) can be awarded to those students that actively participate in class discussion at the end of each seminar and in the final discussion in the last class.
• Non attending students will take ONE final written exam with open-ended questions. The final grade will evaluate the ability to explain and discuss critically the historical facts and analytical questions offered in the bibliographic references.

Exams are administered in exclusively *written* form and *in person*. Students can refuse a passing mark just once.

Regarding the evaluation of the exam, the following assessment scale will be used : <18 fail; 18-23 passing grades; 24-27 good grades; 28-30 very good/excellent grades; 30 and lode outstanding grade.

Teaching tools

Slides and relevant articles made available on prof. Fauri's website.

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Fauri