88018 - Critical Reading Laboratory (A)

Learning outcomes

The workshop aims at introducing participants to critical reading and understanding of texts (pertaining to political and social sciences), starting with an initial theoretical foundation and subsequent examination of significant cases. At the end of the lab, the student has acquired the skills necessary to synthesize, schematize (including in written form), contextualize, and critically analyze theoretical, empirical, and methodological aspects of the text being examined (volume, journal essay, research report, short article)

Course contents

The 250th Anniversary of American Independence: A Contested History

From the earliest decades of American democracy, commemorations of 1776 have revealed the social, racial, gender, and international conflicts that have shaped the history of the United States throughout the nineteenth century and, even more prominently, during the twentieth century, particularly on the occasion of the Bicentennial in 1976. The same has been true of the commemorations organized during Donald Trump's presidency. Drawing on recent scholarship, this workshop aims to develop students' research skills by engaging them in the identification, analysis, and critical interpretation of historical and contemporary sources—sources produced by public institutions, civic organizations, and the press—concerning the commemorations of the founding of the United States of America.

Readings/Bibliography

The core readings for the workshop are:

• Arnaldo Testi, 4 luglio, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2026.
• Philip S. Foner, We the Other People: Alternative Declarations of Independence, new edition with a preface by Lorenzo Costaguta, New York, International Publishers, 2026.

Teaching methods

During the first sessions, students will be introduced to the history of the commemorations of 1776 within the broader context of the national and international history of the United States. They will also receive methodological guidance on locating and analysing historical and contemporary sources. These materials will provide the basis for group presentations, which students will prepare and discuss in class.

Assessment methods

The assessment will take into account the exposure made in the classroom and the active participation in the meetings. 

Teaching tools

Historical and contemporary sources; research in newspapers and periodicals.

Office hours

See the website of Matteo Battistini