81960 - HISTORY OF CULTURAL EXCHANGES IN THE MODERN AGE (1) (LM)

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

At the end of the course students will demonstrate awareness of the cultural dimension of Modern economy and society. Special attention will be given to free and forced movements of people in relation to global phenomena such as geographical discoveries, colonialism, and capitalist expansion. At the end of the course students will have acquired a fundamental knowledge of the historical foundations of cultural interactions and conflicts typical of the global age.

Contenuti

Catastrophes, wars, revolutions. The early modern world was a period of transformation unprecedented in human history, marked by profound and structural instabilities. Yet, it was precisely within the chaos of these upheavals—and often as a direct result of them—that a rich mosaic of cultural encounters emerged. This course delves into these encounters, exploring how diverse cultures found ways to interact, influence, and understand each other, yet sometimes also misinterpret or even destroy one another. Such exchanges occurred across a variety of contexts—trade, exploration, warfare, study, slavery, diplomacy—evoking a wide range of reactions from excitement and interest to anxiety, hate, and fear. By examining these interactions, we gain a lens through which to view the premodern world's approach to confronting uncertainties and appreciate how these exchanges reshaped the deep structures of power and society, triggering profound shifts in people's mindsets.

This course unfolds in three dynamic segments, each designed to deepen your understanding of how global interactions have shaped our world.

Part 1: Foundations of Early Modern Global History – Here, we define and conceptualize early modern global history, providing an insightful overview of its principal themes and debates. We devote special attention to scrutinizing the foundational premises of global history and delving into its critical aspects. This examination reveals the early modern age's dual nature, marked by both widespread connections and significant disconnections. The section conclucdes by considering the benefits of combining the global perspective with the nuanced methods and objectives of micro-history.

Parts 2 and 3: Pivotal Phenomena of the Early Modern World –First, we explore the global spread of Catholicism through missions and conversions, focusing on the dynamics of adaptation, resistance, assimilation, and syncretism. This exploration includes the study of personal narratives of individuals whose lives were transformed by crossing borders, shifting religious affiliations, and redefining familial and community bonds. The second theme investigates the study of non-European languages and histories within Europe from the sixteenth century onward. We will examine how Europe's engagement with diverse cultures, traditions, and religions influenced its own political and moral crises and underscore the contributions of non-European actors in shaping European knowledge and perceptions

Testi/Bibliografia

Please note that this reading list is preliminary and may be subject to changes throughout the course to better align with class discussions and emerging topics of interest.

• Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Connected Histories: Notes Towards a Reconfiguration of Early Modern Eurasia, 1997 // Three Ways to Be Alien: Travails and Encounters in the Early Modern World, 2011

• Antonello Gerbi, The Dispute of the New World: The History of a Polemic, 1750-1900, University of Pittsburgh Press, 1973

• E. Natalie Rothman, The Dragoman Renaissance, Ithaca, NY, 2021

• Stefan Hanß, Narrating the Dragoman’s Self in the Veneto-Ottoman Balkans, c. 1550–1650, Routledge, 2023

• Osman of Timisoara, Prisoner of the Infedels: The Memoir of an Ottoman Muslim in Seventeenth- Century Europe, ed. and transl. by Giancarlo Casale, University of California Press, 2021

• Ângela Barreto Xavier, Ines G. Županov, Catholic Orientalism. Portuguese Empire, Indian Knowledge (16th-18th Centuries, Oxford University Press, 2018

• Zoltan Biedermann, (Dis)connected Empires Imperial Portugal, Sri Lankan Diplomacy, and the Making of a Habsburg Conquest in Asia, Oxford University Press, 2018

• Nabil Matar, Mediterranean Captivity through Arab Eyes, 1517-1798 . Brill, 2021

• Francesca Trivellato, Is There a Future for Italian Microhistory in the Age of Global History? California Italian Studies, 2 (1), 2011

• Charles Parker, Global Interactions in the Early Modern Age, 1400–1800, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2010

• The Chief Eunuch of the Ottoman Harem: From African Slave to Power-Broker, Cambridge University Press, 2018.

• Zoltán Biedermann, «Querying the Origins of Orientalism: Recent Approaches to the History of Representations», Ler História, 74( 2019), pp. 261-275 https://doi.org/10.4000/lerhistoria.4964

• William Dalrymple, The Anarchy, Penguin, 2019

• Giuseppe Marcocci, The Globe on Paper Writing Histories of the World in Renaissance Europe and the Americas

• Matthias van Rossum, "Slavery and Its Transformations: Prolegomena for a Global and Comparative Research Agenda", «Comparative Studies in Society and History» 63/3 (2021), pp. 566-598.

• Timothy Brook, Vermeer's Hat: The Seventeenth Century and the Dawn of the Global World, Bloomsbury Press, 2008

• Tara Alberts, Conflict and Conversion: Catholicism in Southeast Asia, 1500-1700, Oxford University Press, 2013

Metodi didattici

• Interactive Lectures: Engaging face-to-face lectures paired with in-class discussions create a dynamic learning environment where students are encouraged to explore and question the course material actively.

• Dedicated Reading Sessions: Each week, one lecture is specifically devoted to the close reading and discussion of an academic essay or a primary source.

• Visual and Primary Source Analysis: We incorporate in-class examination of images and primary sources, allowing students to directly engage with historical evidence and develop their analytical skills.

• Multimedia Presentations: Key concepts, timelines, and case studies are enriched through PowerPoint presentations, which provide visual support to enhance students' learning experience.

• Digital Humanities Integration: The course includes the use of digital humanities resources and tools, offering students practical experience with cutting-edge methods for historical analysis and interpretation.

• Student-Led Sessions: Depending on the number of students enrolled in the course, we will organize opportunities for students to give short presentations on selected topics and texts. This aims to deepen understanding of the subject matter while also cultivating public speaking and presentation skills.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Course Participation:

To be considered attending, students must be present for at least 75% of the lessons. Active participation in class discussions is encouraged, contributing to a dynamic learning environment.

Final Exam:

As an integral part of the course assessment, each student is required to write a paper (approximately 4,000 words) on one of the topics discussed in class or on a theme of their choosing, in agreement with the instructor. The paper should be based on the reading of at least one monograph, four articles/chapters and one primary source. The final oral exam will consist of a discussion of the paper itself, focusing on the student's ability to critically analyze and connect the studied themes with the assigned readings, in addition to addressing some general themes covered in the course.

This process aims to evaluate the student's critical understanding of the course material and their individual reflection, based on the assigned texts. The assessment will consider the student's ability to master the course content, understand historical concepts, navigate the bibliography, undertake critical analysis, formulate and test concepts and hypotheses, read a primary source, make connections between the acquired information, and present what they have learned concisely and effectively.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

The course platform will host a carefully curated selection of reading materials, including articles, book sections, images, and maps, all available as PDFs for easy access.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Chiara Petrolini