00932 - Contemporary History (M-Z)

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

The course presents the basic topics of XIX-XX century history, from the point of view of événements and historiography.

The reconstruction of the general historical frameworks will be integrated with a monographic course on mobility and migration in contemporary era, with a focus on the European and extra-European states policies, the migrants subjectivity and the cultural representations.

The course will address the following topics:

• Contemporary history: definition and periodizations.
  
• The ideas of French Revolution and the post-Napoleonic era.
  
• The industrial revolutions.
  
• The birth of socialism.
  
• The American civil war
  
• Nation and nationalism.
  
• The age of imperialism.
  
• World War I.
  
• The Russian revolution.
• Italian fascism.
  
• The Thirties.
  
• Nazism in Germany.
  
• The stalinism.
  
• WWII and the Shoah.
  
• The Cold War and the bipolar world.
  
• The decolonization.
  
• The European integration.
  
• Long 1960s.
  
• Political violence in the 1970s.
  
• End of the century and the end of the bipolar world.
  
• Globalization and the new conflicts of XXI century.
  

Readings/Bibliography

Both attending and non-attending students are required to have a thorough knowledge of the following chapters of Handbooks:

A. Banti, L'età contemporanea: dalle rivoluzioni settecentesche all'imperialismo, Laterza

capp. 1, 3, 4, 5, 11, 15, 16, 18, 21.

A. Vittoria, Il Novecento. Dall’età dell’imperialismo alla globalizzazione, Roma, Carocci

capp. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19.

For attending students, in addition to the two Handbooks,  a couple of texts from list A (1 monograph and 1 narrative text, as an example of literary source or historical writing in subjective perspective) will be required.

In substitution of List A texts, attending students may submit a written paper (min. 30.000 - max 40.000 characters) exploring one of the frameworks of the monograph course on mobilty and migration in contemporary era. The sources and documents selected for the paper must be presented in class and discussed during the exam. More information will be provided during the first week of class.

For non-attending students, in addition to the two Handbooks, the study of the following texts will be required:

M. Mazower, Le ombre dell'Europa. Democrazie e totalitarismi del XX Secolo, Garzanti, 2009

+ a couple of texts from List A

(1 monograph and 1 narrative text, as an example of literary source or historical writing in subjective perspective).

List A:

• A. Gibelli, L'officina della guerra. La grande guerra e le trasformazioni del mondo mentale, Bollati Boringhieri, 2007 (1990) + H. Barbusse, Il fuoco, Eliot, 2015
• S. Pons, La rivoluzione globale. Storia del comunismo internazionale, Torino, Einaudi, 2012 + Vasilij Grossman, Tutto scorre..., Adelphi, 2010.
• D. Bloxham, Lo sterminio degli ebrei. Un genocidio, Einaudi 2010 + A. Wieviorka, L’era del testimone, Raffaello Cortina, 1999 (ed.or. L'ere du temoin, 1998) [in alternativa: A. Wieviorka, Auschwitz spiegato a mia figlia, Einaudi, 2014 (ed.or. Auschwitz expliqué à ma fille, 1999)
• C. Pavone, Una guerra civile. Saggio storico sulla moralità nella Resistenza, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri 2006 (cap. 1, 4. 5, 6) + I. Calvino, Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno, Mondadori, 1993 (o altre edizioni) oppure B. Fenoglio, Il partigiano Johnny, Einaudi, 2022 (o altre edizioni)
• F. Romero, Storia della guerra fredda, Torino, Einaudi, 2009 + J. Lethem, I giardini dei dissidenti, Milano, Bompiani, 2014.
• T. Judt, Postwar. La nostra storia 1945-2005, Introduzione e Parte III Intervallo (1971-1989), Laterza 2020 + M. Battini, «Andai perché ci si crede». Il testamento dell’anarchico Serantini, Sellerio, 2022
• P. Audenino, La casa perduta. La memoria dei profughi nell’Europa del Novecento, Carocci, 2015 + Viet Than Nguyen, I rifugiati, Neri Pozza, 2017.
• D. Gabaccia, Emigranti. Le diaspore degli italiani dal Medioevo a oggi, Einaudi, 2000 + M. Mazzucco, Vita, Einaudi, 2014 (2003) oppure J. Fante, Aspetta primavera, Bandini, Einaudi, 2005 (1938).
• S. Patriarca, Il colore della Repubblica, Einaudi, 2021 + I. Scego, Adua, Giunti, 2015.
• M. Colucci, Storia dell’immigrazione straniera in Italia, Carocci, 2018 + A. Leogrande, La frontiera, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2015.
• S. Gallo, Senza attraversare le frontiere, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2012 + F. Alasia, D. Montaldi, Milano, Corea, Roma, Donzelli, 2010 (1960).

Teaching methods

Lectures. Lessons will be backed by Power point. In order to stimulate a dynamic debate and active participation, students will be invited to prepare speeches on specific topics.

Official language: Italian.

Assessment methods

Verification of learning will take place through oral examination.

In order to pass the exam, the student will have to demonstrate to:

• know the main events of contemporary history between '800 and '900
• recognize the essential characteristics of transitions in European history
• be able to compare historical witnessing in different spatial and temporal contexts, identifying characteristics and specific relevance.

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).

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

Teaching tools

Written, literary, iconographic, and video sources as a starting point for presentation of topics and for discussion with students.

A PPT will be at disposal in the teaching material on the website with the lessons discussed during the course.

Office hours

See the website of Pietro Pinna