- Docente: Fernanda Alfieri
- Credits: 6
- Language: Italian
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in History and Oriental Studies (cod. 8845)
Learning outcomes
At the end of the seminar the student, through contact with scholars and experts from different disciplinary sectors, will be able to organize and collect complex information in a coherent form, and will apply methodologies of critical analysis, conservation and enhancement of historical memory. She will be able to identify a research problem relevant to historical research and appropriately use the sources of information necessary to address it.
Course contents
Words of history, words in history. Concepts and perspectives for the study of the long Early modern age
All the "words of history", that is the concepts through which we observe and frame phenomena, processes, and events of the centuries that precede us, have a history. They come into use at a given time, in specific contexts, and are therefore subject, both in their production and in their circulation and reception, to the pressures of particular cultural, social and political contingencies. No "word of history" is given in purity, out of time; some are short-lived, others longer, and cross linguistic, geographical and political boundaries. The seminar intends to offer students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the "words of history" that recur in historiography, in particular in studies on the Early modern age, contextualizing them in their cultural climate, following their developments, and thus acquiring further awareness in their use.
We will start from the dawn of historiography as an academic discipline in the nineteenth century, which begins to equip itself with places and organs of scientific communication. A comparative reading of the introductory articles of the first academic history journals published in the second half of the nineteenth century ("Historische Zeitschrift", "Revue historique", "Rivista Storica Italiana", "English Historical Review", "American Historical Review") will track the first concepts circulating between different linguistic and cultural fields. Here, you will encounter terms such as "modern", which refers to the idea that at a given point there was a positive break between a before and an after, therefore to an idea of the future and of everyone's place in time; or "civilization", which indicates a process of a progressive nature, not devoid of violence, involving entire communities, or "progress", which refers to an idea of time that is linear and directed towards certain improvement. What is behind these words? Which are still circulating in the writing of history today, which others are no longer in use? And what is behind other words we come across so frequently that we understand them as neutral, such as "Renaissance", or "individual", "community", "people", "humanity"? What is behind other words such as "catastrophe" or "anthropocene", which have entered the historiographical lexicon in more recent times? What behind "body" or "psyche", "hate" or "peace", which are so embodied in common sense that they seem out of history? Despite their apparent distance, all these words contain a definition of the person, of his/her status, of his/her role in relation to time and to the community. And a certain idea of history and its social function. In entering the history of the "words of history", we will dialogue with other disciplines, such as sociology, philosophy, psychology, which have given a fundamental stimulus to historiographic reflection since the twentieth century.
Here is the link to the program:
Readings/Bibliography
Given the multidisciplinary and multilingual nature of the seminar, the bibliography will consist of essays (magazine articles, chapters of volumes) provided by the teacher. Compatibly with the linguistic knowledge of the students, it will be possible to face the shared reading of the texts in the original language. This will allow for the consolidation of a linguistic and conceptual toolkit useful for enhancing critical reading and orientation in an increasingly globalized discipline.
Teaching methods
The lessons will be in seminar mode, starting with the shared reading of the texts and will include the participation of external speakers.
Assessment methods
Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending. The assessment of learning will take place through the drafting of a final paper (between 20,000 and 30,000 characters including spaces) on one of the issues addressed during the seminars, and through the discussion of the paper with the teacher. The paper must be sent to the teacher one week before the exam session. The evaluation will not involve the assignment of a numerical grade, but will consist of a qualifying examination.
The evaluation will take into account the ability of the student to orient herself within the sources and the bibliographic material, to illustrate themes and problems and to establish connections.
Attention will be given to:
- The ability to master the subject
- The ability to synthesize and analyze themes and concepts
- The ability to express oneself adequately and with language appropriate to the subject matter
The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the topics addressed in class together with their critical use, a good command of expression and specific language will be evaluated with marks of excellence.
A mnemonic knowledge of the subject, together with synthesis and analysis skills articulated in a correct but not always appropriate language, will lead to discrete evaluations.
Training gaps and / or inappropriate language - albeit in a context of minimal knowledge of the exam material - will lead to grades that will not exceed sufficiency.
Training gaps, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliographic materials offered during the course will be evaluated negatively.
Teaching tools
Presentations in power point format, sources, essays, online repertoires can be provided by the teacher. The materials will be made available in the specific section of the University website.
Office hours
See the website of Fernanda Alfieri