29883 - History of Mentality and Cultural Changes in the Contemporary Age (LM)

Learning outcomes

The student acquires in-depth knowledge of the sources and methodologies of social history with specific reference to the political and cultural transformations of contemporary society and develops independent research skills.

Course contents

The course aims to address issues specific to the contemporary age through the analysis of some of the cultural and mental processes of men and women in history. The focus will be on the two world wars, on the experience of war and violence of military and civilians, and on memory. The Italian case will be central, but other contexts, particularly the European one, will also be considered. Upon completion of the course, the student will possess skills of orientation and critical analysis of historical contexts, events and processes from a social history perspective with attention to the history of mentalities and their transformations.

Readings/Bibliography

A Compulsory book

C. Pancino, Storia sociale. Metodi, esempi, strumenti, Marsilio, 2003

 

B Books of free choice

1. First World War 

A. Gibelli, L'officina della guerra. La Grande guerra e le trasformazioni del mondo mentale, Bollati Boringhieri, 1991

E. Leed, Terra di nessuno. Esperienza bellica e identità personale nella prima guerra mondiale, il Mulino, 1985

M. Mondini, La guerra italiana. Partire, raccontare, tornare 1914-1918, il Mulino, 2018

G. Mosse, Le guerre mondiali. Dalla tragedia al mito dei caduti, Laterza, 1990

 

2.Second World War

A. Bravo, D. Jalla, La vita offesa. Storia e memoria dei Lager nazisti nei racconti di duecento sopravvissuti, Franco Angeli, 1986 (7ª ed. 2001) (parte seconda/oppure parte prima + parte terza)

A.M. Bruzzone, R. Farina, La Resistenza taciuta. Dodici vite di partigiane piemontesi, Bollati Boringhieri (2003; I ed. 1976)

C. Colombini, Storia passionale della guerra partigiana, Laterza, 2023

R. Mira, Tregue d'armi. Strategie e pratiche della guerra in Italia fra nazisti, fascisti e partigiani, Carocci, 2011

C. Pavone, Una guerra civile. Saggio storico sulla moralità nella Resistenza, Bollati Boringhieri, 1991 (capitoli 1 e 7)

 

3. Memory

F. Focardi, Nel cantiere della memoria. Fascismo, Resistenza, Shoah, Foibe, Viella, 2020 (capitoli 1-5 + introduzione e postfazione oppure capitoli 6-10 + introduzione e postfazione)

F. Focardi, B. Groppo (a cura di), L'Europa e le sue memorie. Politiche e culture del ricordo dopo il 1989, Viella, 2013 (introduzione e 6 saggi a scelta)

V. Pisanty, Abusi di memoria. Negare, banalizzare, sacralizzare la Shoah, Bruno Mondadori, 2012

 

Please note: To select and study the books under letter B, knowledge of European and Italian history in the period between the end of the 19th century and the end of World War II is recommended; it can be acquired through a contemporary history textbook for high school or university or a general volume on the contemporary age (i.e. A.M. Banti, L'età contemporanea, 2 voll., Laterza, 2009; A. Vittoria, Il Novecento, Carocci, 2019; R. Vinen, L'Europa del Novecento. Una storia sociale, Carocci, 2004, chapters about the last decades of the 19th century and 1945).

 

Teaching methods

Lectures and analysis of texts.

Selected readings will be presented during the class.

Powerpoint presentations and readings will be uploaded on Virtuale.

Assessment methods

Oral exam.

Students will study the compulsory text indicated under letter A and one text of their choice from those indicated under letter B (group 1 or group 2 or group 3).

One week before the exam you have registered for, you must send an e-mail to the lecturer indicating the text you have selected.

 

Students with SLDs or temporary or permanent disabilities: we suggest that you contact the relevant university office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en [https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en] and your professor immediately to work together to find the most effective strategies for attending classes and/or preparing for exams.

Any requests for accommodations must be made at least 15 days before the date of the exam, by sending an email to the lecturer and copying (Cc) the email address disabilita@unibo.it (in case of disability) or dsa@unibo.it (for students with Specific Learning Difficulties).

Assessment criteria:

30 cum laude: excellent, solid knowledge, excellent expression ability, complete comprehension of concepts and contents.

30: very good, complete and relevant knowledge, correct and well articulated expression ability.

27-29: good, adequate knowledge, essentially correct expression ability.

24-26: satisfatory but incomplete and not always correct knowledge, satisfactory expression ability.

21-23: acceptable but superficial knowledge, often inappropriate expression.

18-21: sufficient, incomplete knowledge, unclear expression, inability to comprehend concepts and contents.

Teaching tools

Powepoint presentations; selected readings.

Office hours on appointment: please send an e-mail.

Office hours

See the website of Roberta Mira