96813 - International History of the Contemporary Era (A-L)

Learning outcomes

The course aims at providing an adequate knowledge of contemporary political-institutional history and at analyzing major historical changes of contemporaneity that took place at European and extra-European level, starting from the French Revolution up to the fall of Berlin wall (1989). The acquired analytical tools will allow to improve the understanding of the relations existing between domestic and foreign policies of the concerned countries as well as to consolidate the knowledge of major international processes and their interconnection with national histories. The study of the main events of XIX and XX centuries in a diachronic perspective will allow acquiring key elements for interpreting current events.

Course contents

The course follows a chronological approach to the major turning points in contemporary political history, covering the period from the Revolutions of 1848 to the early twenty-first century. It offers a comparative analysis of the most significant historical developments affecting both Europe and the major regions beyond Europe.

After an introductory overview of the major political, economic, and social processes that shaped the emergence of the contemporary era and culminated in the First World War, the course focuses on European and global political history during the interwar period. It then examines the international context of the bipolar system and the Cold War.

Finally, the course explores the major developments following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, providing students with the historical background and analytical tools needed to understand the key issues, challenges, and conflicts that have shaped the contemporary world up to the present day.

Readings/Bibliography

 

 

Students (both attending and non-attending the classes) must study the compulsory textbook and one monograph among those suggested.

Compulsory:

Giovanni Sabbatucci, Vittorio Vidotto, Il mondo contemporaneo, Laterza, Bari-Roma, 2019.

One of your choice:

Raffaella Baritono e Cinzia Fiorino (a cura di), Il voto alle donne. Una storia globale, Il Mulino, 2025.

Ian Black, Nemici e vicini. Arabi ed ebrei in Palestina e Israele, Einaudi, 2018.

Francesco Casales, L'invasione immaginata, Il Mulino, 2025.

Simona Colarizi, La Resistenza lunga: storia dell'antifascismo, 1919-1945, Laterza, 2025.

Deplano V. e Pes A., Storia del colonialismo italiano, Carocci, 2024.

Marcello Flores, Giovanni Gozzini, Il 1968. Un anno spartiacque, Il Mulino, 2018.

Paolo Fonzi, Genocidio. Una storia politica e culturale, Laterza, 2025.

James Gelvin, Il conflitto israelo-palestinese. Cent’anni di guerra, Einaudi, 2007.

Salvatore Romeo, L’altra faccia del benessere. Una storia ambientale nell’Italia contemporanea (1950-1979), Carocci, 2024.

Teaching methods

30 two hours classes
Official language: Italian

The course is at the beginning of university studies and generally it is attended by many students. The professor uses frontal lessons during which students are invited to further deepen the topics discussed and to express their opinion. The professor also uses power point to highlight the main elements of the historical analysis as well as photos and movies helping students to contextualize course contents.

Assessment methods

Attending Students

During the course, students will take two written mid-term assessments designed to evaluate their learning and engagement with both the individual study and the classroom activities, followed by a final oral examination. These assessments are reserved for students who have regularly attended classes (the instructor reserves the right to collect attendance records).

Each written assessment consists of 10 semi-open questions to be completed within 45 minutes.

Assessment criteria: Each written test is graded on a 30-point scale. A minimum score of 18/30 is required to pass each test.

Students who successfully pass both written assessments will be admitted to the final oral examination, to be taken during one of the three examination sessions scheduled in January–February. The oral examination will assess students’ historical reasoning skills as well as their critical understanding of the selected monograph and pp. 616–710 of the course textbook.

The marks obtained in the mid-term assessments remain valid until the September 2027 examination session.

Resit Opportunities for Attending Students

Case A

If a student fails one of the two written assessments, they must retake and pass that assessment during the first January examination session before bei

ng admitted to the oral examination. Once the written assessment has been passed, the oral examination will take place on the same day or, if the number of candidates is particularly high, on the following day.

Case B

If the student does not pass the written resit during the first January examination session, a further opportunity will be available during the September 2027 examination session. After successfully completing the written assessment, the student may take the oral examination, which will be held on the same day or, if necessary, on the following day.

Case C

If the student fails both written assessments taken during the teaching period, they must sit a comprehensive written examination covering the entire institutional component of the course. This examination consists of 10 semi-open questions to be completed within 45 minutes. Once the written examination has been passed, the student will be admitted to the oral examination, which will take place on the same day or, if necessary, on the following day.

The comprehensive written examination for attending students may be taken during any of the three examination sessions in January–February or, if unsuccessful, during the September 2027 examination session.

Important Information

• Students cannot take the oral examination without first passing the required written examination(s). Passing all written assessments is a prerequisite for admission to the oral examination.
• Registration through the AlmaEsami online system is mandatory before taking the oral examination.
• Students must bring both the course textbook and the assigned monograph to the final oral examination.

Non-Attending Students

• The examination for non-attending students consists of a written examination (10 open-ended questions covering the institutional/textbook component of the course) followed by an oral examination assessing the same material.
• The written examination lasts 45 minutes.
• Students may not take the oral examination without first passing the written examination.
• The oral examination is held on the same day as the written examination or, if the number of candidates is particularly high, on the following day.
• Registration through the AlmaEsami online system is mandatory before taking the oral examination.
• Students must bring both the course textbook and the assigned monograph to the final oral examination.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), Temporary or Permanent Disabilities

Students with specific learning disorders (SLD) or temporary or permanent disabilities are strongly encouraged to contact the University’s dedicated support service well in advance:

https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it

The service will propose any appropriate accommodations. These accommodations must be submitted to the course instructor at least 15 days in advance for approval. The instructor will assess their suitability in light of the learning objectives of the course.

Teaching tools

Powerpoint, Movies

Office hours

See the website of Giuliana Laschi