91680 - Political History of Italian Cultural Heritage since 1948

Learning outcomes

The aim of this course is to give the students some important ways to study, analyze and understand the importance of cultural heritage and of its political control, coordination and promotion in Italian modern history. First of all how were organized protection and conservation from the birth of the Italian kingdom till the Republican period. Secondly how the theme changed after the creation of the autonomous Ministry in 1974. And thirdly and finally to include all that in an European perspective, comparing the Italian case with other European ones. At the end of this course the students will be able to describe the evolution between cultural heritage and politics in Italian contemporary history. The students are going to control the most important scientific bibliography on the theme and they’re also going to implement the most important analysis check in studying the protection of cultural heritage and its political implication. And finally the students will learn to compare Italian case to other European matter.

Course contents

The course will deal with the origins of the definition of cultural and environmental good and their protection, starting from a survey of what this has meant from ancient times to the contemporary age. After this introductory phase, it will delve into the history of the initiatives undertaken after the Italian unification. fundamental for the legislative bases that were laid in the field of protection of the cultural and environmental heritage. The fascist era and the highly political use of cultural heritage will then be addressed, up to the launch of the Bottai law of 1939. Finally, the course will address the issues of republican Italy, namely how the protection and enhancement of heritage was faced by the constituent fathers after the Second World War, up to the debate which, starting from the 1960s, led to the launch of the Ministero of Beni Culturali in the 1970s.

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students will have to study the lecture notes and a book chosen from the following:

 

A. Ragusa, Alle origini dello Stato contemporaneo. Politiche di gestione dei beni culturali e ambientali tra Ottocento e Novecento, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2011.

A. Ragusa, I giardini delle muse. Il patrimonio culturale ed ambientale in Italia dalla Costituente all'istituzione del Ministero (1946-1975), Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2015.

A. Varni (a cura di), A difesa di un patrimonio nazionale, Ravenna, Longo, 2002.

P. Traniello, Storia delle biblioteche in Italia dall'Unità a oggi, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2014.

C. Tosco, I beni culturali. Storia, tutela e valorizzazione, il Mulino, 2014

 

Non-attending students will have to study two books chosen from those mentioned in the list.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons.

Assessment methods

The exam is oral, and includes a verification of basic knowledge with attention to the ability to understand the problems faced during the lessons; the knowledge of the discipline in its historical development will be verified, the ability to frame the objects studied in their context, and to discuss them critically. The quality of oral expression and the ability to construct a logical-argumentative speech will also be taken into account.


The final evaluation will follow the following indications:


- insufficient grade: lack of basic knowledge and inability to produce a correct interpretation of the texts and / or problems -


- sufficient grade: possession of basic knowledge; mainly correct interpretation, but conducted with imprecision and little autonomy.


- good grade: possession of intermediate level knowledge; fully correct interpretation, but not always precise and autonomous.


- excellent grade: possession of high level knowledge; interpretation of problems not only correct but conducted with autonomy and precision. Excellent oral expression skills.

Teaching tools

In support of class work, slides with images and reproduction of sources will be used.

Office hours

See the website of Alberto Malfitano