27195 - History, Society and Family

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student is able to evaluate the historiographical guidelines in relation to a known topic, can read and interpret published and unpublished sources, can approach texts and data through original perspectives and contextualize general problems in specific research cases. He is aware of the relevance of the historical and environmental heritage and the importance of concepts, languages and complex categories considered in a diachronic perspective.

Course contents

The course intends to introduce in the study of social history through the use of some basic texts in dialogue with the classics of historiography that have given particular emphasis in recent decades to the observation of past society (in particular for the centuries of the modern age, 16th-19th centuries), the organisation of individual and collective life (social hierarchies, birth, analysis of the socio-familial context, relational dimension, affection and sexuality, marriage and work, sickness and care) through the historiographic categories of feminine and masculine.

What is social history, what fields of study does social history dialogue with, what themes does it address, its categories and concepts, what types of sources does it use? These are some of the questions that are meant to be answered in the first part of the course.

Specific analytical studies will examine women's roles in the society of the ancien régime (Europe in the early modern age): birth, marriage, nuptiality, maternity and professional spheres. Particular attention will be given to the history of the family and the bonds between subjects within the socio-historical framework, exploring direct sources and secondary literature to show symmetries and dissimilarities, harmonies and transgressions, conforming and illicit sexualities. The reflection will examine the concept of social marginality and discipline from a historiographic perspective interested in restoring its complexity.

Readings/Bibliography

A)

- Claudia Pancino, Storia sociale. Metodi esempi strumenti, Venezia, 2003;

-A book of your choice between: Carlo Ginzburg, Il formaggio e i vermi. Il cosmo di un mugnaio del '500, Torino, 1976 or Giovanni Levi, L'eredità immateriale. Carriera di un esorcista nel Piemonte del Seicento, Torino, 1985.

B)

- Marina Garbellotti, Fare famiglie. Storie di affidi e di adozioni in età moderna, Roma, 2025;

- Raffaella Sarti, Vita di casa. Abitare, mangiare, vestire nell'Europa moderna, Roma-Bari, 2003;

- Daniela Lombardi, Storia del matrimonio. Dal Medioevo a oggi, Bologna, 2008;

- Marina, Garbellotti, Per carità: poveri e politiche assistenziali nell'Italia moderna, Roma, 2013;

- Francesca Ferrando, Assistere, correggere, rieducare. I ricoveri per mendicanti a Genova, Bologna e Venezia (secoli XVII-XVIII), Roma, 2023;

- John Christopoulos, L’aborto nell’Italia moderna, Roma, 2024;

C)

- Natalie Zemon Davis, Donne ai margini. Tre vite del XVII secolo, Roma-Bari, 1996;

- Merry E. Wiesner, Le donne nell'Europa moderna, 1500-1750, Torino, 2003;

- Anna Bellavitis, Il lavoro delle donne nelle città dell’Europa moderna, Roma, 2016;

- Marina Garbellotti, Maria Clara Rossi (a cura di), Madri e padri sociali tra passato e presente. Per una storia dell’adozione, Roma, 2016;

- Nadia Maria Filippini, Generare, partorire, nascere. Una storia dall'antichità alla provetta, Roma, 2017;

- Daniela Lombardi, Madri nubili e padri incerti. Secoli XVI-XIX, Roma, 2024;

- Vincenzo Lagioia, Maria Pia Paoli, Rossella Rinaldi (a cura), La fama delle donne. Pratiche femminili e società tra Medioevo ed Età moderna, Roma, 2020;

- Vincenzo Lagioia, Marina Montesano e Francesca Roversi Monaco (a cura di), Intorno ai margini. Identità, stereotipi e rappresentazione del femminile tra Medioevo ed Età moderna, Roma, 2025;

D)

- Umberto Grassi, Giuseppe Marcocci (a cura di), Le trasgressioni della carne. Il desiderio omosessuale nel mondo islamico e cristiano, secc. XII-XX, Roma, 2015;

- Fernanda Alfieri, Vincenzo Lagioia (a cura di), Infami macchie. Sessualità maschili e indisciplina in età moderna, Roma, 2018;

- Marzio Barbagli, Comprare piacere. Sessualità e amore venale dal Medioevo a oggi, Bologna, 2020 (dieci capitoli a scelta);

- Umberto Grassi, Sodoma. Persecuzioni, affetti, pratiche sociali (secoli V-XVIII), Roma, 2019;

- Tommaso Scaramella, Un doge infame. Sodomia e nonconformismo sessuale a Venezia nel Settecento, Venezia, 2021.

 

Teaching methods

Lessons in the classroom with ppt presentation.

Assessment methods

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

12 CFU

Students attending will have to choose two text from point A) (Claudia Pancino, Storia sociale. Metodi esempi strumenti, and a book of your choice between: Carlo Ginzburg, Il formaggio e i vermi. Il cosmo di un mugnaio del '500, or Giovanni Levi, L'eredità immateriale. Carriera di un esorcista nel Piemonte del Seicento),one text from point B), which can be replaced by attendance of at least 4 seminars from the seminar "Fonti e metodologie della ricerca storica" (the seminar programme will be uploaded later on the professor's teaching material pages), the content of which will be verified in the oral exam; one text from point C); one text from point D).

Non-attending students will add another text to this study plan to be chosen from point C) or D) (equivalent to 6 texts).

Verification is in oral form on the basis of the topics discussed during the lessons and works listed in the bibliography.

The exam will assess the student's command of the material studied in the course. The student will be judged on his ability to summarise and critically discuss topics raised in the course, making use of the exam bibliography and the course tools provided.

The assessment will thus consider the student's:
- knowledge and understanding of the topics covered;
- ability to summarise and analyse themes and concepts;
- familiarity with the terminology associated with the subject and his ability to use it effectively.

Top marks will be awarded to a student displaying an overall understanding of the topics discussed during the lectures, combined with a critical approach to the material and a confident and effective use of the appropriate terminology

Average marks will be awarded to a student who has memorized the main points of the material and is able to summarise them satisfactorily and provide an effective critical commentary, while failing to display a complete command of the appropriate terminology.

As indicated by the University, there are 6 examination sessions with in the calendar year, in principle in January, March, June, July, September and October/November.

6 CFU

The attending student for the examination will have to choose two text from point A) (Claudia Pancino, Storia sociale. Metodi esempi strumenti, and a book of your choice between: Carlo Ginzburg, Il formaggio e i vermi. Il cosmo di un mugnaio del '500, or Giovanni Levi, L'eredità immateriale. Carriera di un esorcista nel Piemonte del Seicento), one text from point B), or C) or D) (equal to three).

Non-attending students will prepare four texts: two from point A) Claudia Pancino, Storia sociale. Metodi esempi strumenti, and a book of your choice between: Carlo Ginzburg, Il formaggio e i vermi. Il cosmo di un mugnaio del '500, or Giovanni Levi, L'eredità immateriale. Carriera di un esorcista nel Piemonte del Seicento) and two texts to be chosen from points B) or C) or D).

Verification is in oral form on the basis of the topics discussed during the lessons and works listed in the bibliography.

The exam will assess the student's command of the material studied in the course. The student will be judged on his ability to summarise and critically discuss topics raised in the course, making use of the exam bibliography and the course tools provided.

The assessment will thus consider the student's:
- knowledge and understanding of the topics covered;
- ability to summarise and analyse themes and concepts;
- familiarity with the terminology associated with the subject and his ability to use it effectively.

Top marks will be awarded to a student displaying an overall understanding of the topics discussed during the lectures, combined with a critical approach to the material and a confident and effective use of the appropriate terminology

Average marks will be awarded to a student who has memorized the main points of the material and is able to summarise them satisfactorily and provide an effective critical commentary, while failing to display a complete command of the appropriate terminology.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities:

please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

 

Teaching tools

Power points summarizing the contents of the lessons, pdf files of proposed readings will be available on virtuale.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Vincenzo Lagioia