89963 - History of Euro-Mediterranean Political Systems since 1945

Learning outcomes

The aim of this course is to describe the evolution of the political systems of the countries of the Mediterranean area. On one hand, the class is going to study the evolution of the political systems of Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Greece (in these three last cases with a particular attention to the transition to democracy) during the Cold War and after the fall of communism. On the other hand, the class will focus also on the political evolution of the principal political systems of the main countries of the southern side of Mediterranean, in particular Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria after French decolonization but also Egypt and Turkey. At the end of the course the idea is to question if we can consider the Mediterranean area as a compact one and in general if we can find similar evolution lines.

Course contents

Every class will be divided into two sessions. The first part will offer a general introduction of the planned theme through frontal lesson, while the second part will be based on the discussion and comments on historical documents (political leaders speeches, newspapers articles, institutional documents, etc..). During every class the teacher will provide documents and papers required for the following lesson.

Class 1-2 Methodology and general political landscape of the Euro-Mediterranean Area after WWII

Class 3-4-5-6 Italian Political System: how many Republican Systems and which Euro-Mediterranean policies?

Class 7-8-9-10 French Semi-presidential Model and Gaullo-Mitterrandienne foreign policy

Class 11-12-13-14 The Turkish Bridge or the Turkish Problem?

Class 15 Final presentations

Readings/Bibliography

For attending students

D. Bell-J. Gaffney, The Presidents of the French Fifth Republic, Palgrave Macmillan, 2013

A. Mammone, E. Giap Parini, G. A. Veltri (eds.), The Routledge Hand Book of Contemporary Italy, Routledge, 2015 (section II-III-V)

C. Vaughn Findley, Islam, Nationalism and Modernity: A History 1789-2007, Yale UP, 2010

For non attending students

J.M. Magone, The Politics of Southern Europe, Praeger, 2003 (compulsory)

D. Bell-J. Gaffney, The Presidents of the French Fifth Republic, Palgrave Macmillan, 2013

J. Gaffney, Political Leadership in France. From de Gaulle to Sarkozy, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010

A. Mammone, E. Giap Parini, G. A. Veltri (eds.), The Routledge Hand Book of Contemporary Italy, Routledge, 2015 (section II-III-V)

A. Varsori-B. Zaccaria (eds.), Italy in the International System from Détente to the End of the Cold War, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018

P. Gozen Ercan (ed.), Turkish Foreign Policy. International Relations, Legality and Global Reach, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017

C. Vaughn Findley, Islam, Nationalism and Modernity: A History 1789-2007, Yale UP, 2010

Teaching methods

The course will be taught through a mixture of formal lectures and discussion classes. Its aim will be to facilitate interaction between lecturer and students and to stimulate debate among students themselves.

Class attendance is compulsory if you decide to be “an attending student”. Otherwise it’s possible to choose the “non attending student” formula.

Assessment methods

For attending students

Oral exam divided into two parts:

First part on the lessons and on all the materials provided and discussed during the classes.

Second part choosing one among those books

D. Bell-J. Gaffney, The Presidents of the French Fifth Republic, Palgrave Macmillan, 2013

A. Mammone, E. Giap Parini, G. A. Veltri (eds.), The Routledge Hand Book of Contemporary Italy, Routledge, 2015 (section II-III-V)

C. Vaughn Findley, Islam, Nationalism and Modernity: A History 1789-2007, Yale UP, 2010

The final grade will be calculated in this way:

70% first part

30% on the book chosen

For non attending students

Oral exam:

J.M. Magone, The Politics of Southern Europe, Praeger, 2003 (compulsory)

Three books to choose among:

D. Bell-J. Gaffney, The Presidents of the French Fifth Republic, Palgrave Macmillan, 2013

J. Gaffney, Political Leadership in France. From de Gaulle to Sarkozy, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010

A. Mammone, E. Giap Parini, G. A. Veltri (eds.), The Routledge Hand Book of Contemporary Italy, Routledge, 2015 (section II-III-V)

A. Varsori-B. Zaccaria (eds.), Italy in the International System from Détente to the End of the Cold War, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018

P. Gozen Ercan (ed.), Turkish Foreign Policy. International Relations, Legality and Global Reach, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017

C. Vaughn Findley, Islam, Nationalism and Modernity: A History 1789-2007, Yale UP, 2010

The final grade will be calculated in this way:

25% each books

Teaching tools

Lectures with main topics discussed with students. Multimedia tools.

Office hours

See the website of Michele Marchi