12693 - Contemporary History (1) (A-L)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student: masters the methodologies of analysis of comparative political history; knows in depth the historical-political and institutional transformations that took place during the twentieth century; is able to analyze the link between the internal and foreign dimension of the various countries studied; knows how to apply the knowledge acquired to the analysis of contemporary reality; is able to analyze the transformations that have taken place in the mechanisms of political legitimacy in the contemporary age.

Course contents

The course chronologically retrace the main junctions of contemporary political history (from the first decade of the twentieth century to the fall of the Berlin Wall), through a comparative analysis of the most significant historical events that have affected the European context and the main extra-European realities. The course will be divided into two parts. The first part will analyse the political transformations in Europe at the beginning of the XX century, the interwar period and the totalitarian political systems during the Twenties and Thirties. The second part of the course will focus on the Second post-war period, with particular attention on Cold War, transformation in European political systems and the development of Italian republican democracy.

Readings/Bibliography

INSTITUTIONAL PART OF THE SYLLABUS

Fulvio Cammarano, Giulia Guazzaloca, Maria Serena Piretti , Storia contemporanea dal XIX al XXI secolo, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2015 (attending students: chapters 5-15).

Non-attending students have to study the whole textbook

MONOGRAPHIC PART OF THE SYLLABUS

Each student (both attending and non-attending students) will be expected to study one monograph. The choice is between:

a) Brizzi R. e Sbetti N., La diplomazia del pallone. Storia politica dei Mondiali di calcio (1930-2022), Le Monnier, 2022.

b) Cammarano F., Cavazza S. (a cura di), Il nemico in politica, Il Mulino, 2010.

c) Pombeni P. (a cura di), Storia dei partiti italiani, Il Mulino, 2016.

Teaching methods

Teaching will be carried out in a traditional didactic manner.

The teacher will always be present in the classroom designated for teaching.

Assessment methods

Attending students will take an oral examination on both the contents of the lessons and one of the texts of the bibliography, following the instructions given during the course.

For non-attending students there will be a written examination (30 closed-ended questions, 1 point each) concerning the texts of the bibliography.

It will be assessed as excellent the performance of those students achieving an organic vision of the course contents, the use of a proper specific language, a structural and historical-contextual understanding of the subjects studied, the originality of the reflection as well as the familiarity with the tools of analysis of 20th century political history. It will be assessed as discrete the performance of those students showing mostly mechanical or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, not articulated synthesis and analysis capabilities, a correct but not always appropriate language, as well as a scholastic study of 20th century political history. It will be assessed as barely sufficient the performance of those students showing learning gaps, inappropriate language, lack of knowledge of the instruments of 20th century political history. It will be assessed as insufficient the performance of those students showing learning gaps, inappropriate language, no orientation within the recommended bibliography and inability to analyse 20th century political history.

To take the examination, students shall register in the list by AlmaEsami service. Non-enrolled students will be excluded from the test. If students registered decide not to sit the examination, they are required to cancel their name from the exam list. Students are also required to sit the examination with their UniBo credentials and a recognition document.

Students who have included this course in study programs of previous academic years are invited to contact the teacher to agree the test methods. DSA students with special needs are asked to contact the professor, with the dedicated office CCed.

Teaching tools

Powerpoint presentations; audio-visual material, digital resources.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Brizzi