00932 - Contemporary History (M-Z)

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Docente: Ilaria Porciani
  • Credits: 12
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Humanities (cod. 8850)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will acquire an outline of modern history, with a special attention to the social, cultural and political transformations, and the awareness of the complexity and problematic nature of the periodization principles. The student will also acquire a good knowledge of an important theme of the modern era, especially in relation to the historiography debate and the multiplicity of the sources. The student is able to analyze in an autonomous way documents, sources, and authors belonging to the contemporary World.

Course contents

Introduction: historiography and periodization

Environmental history

J.McNeill, Something new under the sun

 The American revolution

The French revolution

E. Francia Oggetti risorgimentali - A material and cultural history of politics in the early Nineteenth Century

Napoleon and the Civil Code

Restauration and 1820-31 

The Italian Risorgimento

1848-49

Nationalisms

Food and banal nationalism

Gender, family and nation in the long nineteenth century

Social classes: bourgeoisie and workig classes

Globalisation and colonialism

Racism Guido Abbattista- L?Umanità in mostra 

The West and the conquest of the world

First World War

Fascism Nazism authoritarianism

Discussiong Alberto De Bernardi's book on the social history of pasta

From the October Revolution to Stalin

second world war

 

Western democracies and cold war

heritage politics

post colonial words

conclusions

 

Readings/Bibliography

ATTENDING STUDENTS (STUDENTS WHO ATTEND AT LEAST 75% OF THE LESSONS)

Attending  students are requested to show an in depth knowledge of the following chaptersi:

Alberto Mario Banti, L’età contemporanea. Dalle rivoluzioni settecentesche all’imperialismo, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2009 o altre edizioni, capitoli: da 1 a 9 compreso; 12;17;18;20;21;24

Alberto Mario Banti, L’età contemporanea. Dalla Grande guerra a oggi, Rom-Bari, Laterza, 2009 o altre edizioni. Capitoli 1, 2,3, 4, 5,7, 8, 9,10,11,12.

+

One of the volumes (or group of texts) chosen from the following list:

1 - Guido Abbattista, "Umanità in mostra. Esposizioni etniche e invenzioni esotiche in Italia (1880-1940)", Trieste, EUT Edizioni Università di Trieste, 2013, pp. 613. Open access https://www.openstarts.units.it/handle/10077/9484

2 - John R. McNeill, Something new under the sun (recent edition) 

3 - E. Francia, oggetti risorgimentali. Una storia materiale della politica nel primo Ottocento, Roma, Carocci, 2021 (insieme a Ilaria Porciani, Famiglia e nazione nel lungo Ottocento in “Passato e Presente” (scaricabile attraverso le risorse di rete di UNIBO SBA) e Ilaria Porciani, Mappe mentali, confini e politiche: dal nazionalismo al sovranismo in Massimo Montanari ( a cura di) Cucina politica, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2020, pp. 96 - 112 (you can download this text from Virtual ).

NON ATTENDING STUDENTS WILL ADD to this program ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOOKS: ( also available in English)

Amitav Ghosh, La grande cecità (any edition)

E. Leed, Terra di nessuno. Esperienza bellica e identità personale nella prima guerra mondiale, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2014

G.L. Mosse, Le guerre mondiali. Dalla tragedia al mito dei caduti, Laterza 2018

Teaching methods

frontal lessons

Assessment methods

Oral exam.

Thorough in-depth knowledge of the topics covered in the course, together with analytical and critical skills and command of the specific language, will qualify for top marks (30-30L).

A good grasp of the topics covered in the course, together with good critical analysis and command of the specific language, will qualify for high marks (27-29).

A more mechanical and less articulate grasp, and/or correct use of language though not always appropriate, will qualify for a medium-range mark (23-26).

Weak analytical capacity and frequently inappropriate language – together with some knowledge of exam material – will receive a pass mark or little more (18-22).

Teaching tools

web sites for modern and contemporary history

Office hours

See the website of Ilaria Porciani