00932 - Contemporary History

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course -which assumes prior knowledge of the main lines of development of contemporary history from the American and French Revolutions to the present day - students demonstrate critical knowledge of the main events of the contemporary age, and are able to place them in a global and long-term perspective. He/she is able to recognize major themes in historiographical research, identify major caesuras in the contemporary age, and the relevance of theoretical tools of the discipline, such as categories, languages and complex concepts approached in a comparative approach. He/She is also familiar with network resources specific to contemporary history in at least one language besides Italian, and is therefore able to construct bibliographies and perform specific research related to the major themes addressed.

Course contents

The course will focus on the period between the two great revolutions of the end of 18th century and the end of the XXth century. We will investigate the polical processes, so as the economic, social and cultural ones. The course will focus on a space which entangles the five continents, with an approach that will be continental, wordly, global and national. The course will enhance the value of the political ideas, of the institutions, of the colonization and decolonization, of the social movements and of the most important cultural phaenomenons.

During the course, we will investigate the historical sources produced by historical actors since 1776, and their international and transnational circulation, so well as the transnational and global circulation of models regarding politics, society, economy. We are going to debate the mainstream periodizations so well as the mainstream interpretations of the contemporary history. 

Readings/Bibliography

Readings for ALL the students:

G. Sabbatucci – V. Vidotto, Storia contemporanea, L’Ottocento, Roma-Bari, Laterza (edizione 2018 o successive):capitoli 1, 2, 3, 4 (solo paragrafi 4.1, 4.2 e 4.5), 5 (solo paragrafi 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7), 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (solo paragrafi 10.7 e 10.8), 11 (solo paragrafi 11.1 e 11.2), 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 (solo paragrafi da 16.1 a 16.6), 17, 18.

G. Sabbatucci – V. Vidotto, Storia contemporanea, Dalla Grande Guerra a oggi, Roma-Bari, Laterza (edizione 2019 o successive): capitoli 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

Ch. Charle, La cultura senza regole: letteratura, spettacolo e arti nell'Europa dell'Ottocento, Roma, Viella, 2019 (capitoli 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12)

M.P. Casalena, Tradurre nell'Italia del Risorgimento: le culture straniere e le idee di nazione, Roma, Carocci, 2021

Teaching methods

Lectures.

Seminar will be created by the debate on the sources proposed by the lecturer.

Assessment methods

Written exam on the readings. 

The student has to answer to open questions in a delay of 110 minutes.

Questions are to concern both the textbooks and the books by Casalena and Charle.

The answers that will be given with a proper language and with exactitude are going to be evaluated with the top marks.

The answers that will be given without precision or property are going to be evaluated with intermediate marks.

The answer that show a complete ignorance of the themes proposed will be evaluated with insufficent marks.

Teaching tools

Students who require specific services and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD), must first contact the appropriate office: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students .

Office hours

See the website of Maria Pia Casalena