00929 - Modern History

Learning outcomes

The course concerns the reconstruction of the main events in Early Modern History, in the light of the latest historical interpretations. After completing the course, students will be able to place the facts and issues in the context of international events and will be able to show sound knowledge and understanding of the main phases of European and World history from the end of the 15th to the end of the 18th Centuries.

Course contents

The course features a long lesson part dedicated to the fundamental issues of the modern era. The modern state and its birth; the religious crisis (reform, counter-reform); discoveries and explorations in the New World and in Asia; monarchies and absolutism; social organisation, conflictual dynamics (European wars and military campaigns) and practices of tolerance; enlightened despotism and revolution.

A ropart of the course, more monographic, will be dedicated to the analysis of issues concerning gender history in the modern age. The role of women and female power; the family and marriage; sexual disciplining and masculinity in conversation with the images and the iconography.

Classroom attendance is advisable.

Readings/Bibliography

(A)

To add to the materials offered in class it is mandatory to prepare (both attending and non-attending students) these set handbooks:

• Carlo Capra, Storia moderna (1492-1848), Firenze, Le Monnier, 2004 (study up to 1815)

  - Marco Bellabarba, Vincenzo Lavenia (a cura), Introduzione alla storia moderna, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2018 (chapters I, III, IV, XII, XIV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XXIX, XXX).

  (B)

  and a reading (both attending and non-attending students):

• Paolo Prodi, Introduzione allo studio della storia moderna, Bologna, il Mulino, 1999; 
•  
• (C)

• Along with the set handbook and the methodology reading, one text of your choice is to be added (both attending and non-attending students) from among:

  
  
• Peter Burke, La storia culturale, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2009;
  
• Ottavia Niccoli, Vedere con gli occhi del cuore. Alle origini del potere delle immagini, Bari-Roma, Laterza, 2011;
  
• Cesarina Casanova, Regine per caso. Donne al governo in età moderna, Bari-Roma, Laterza, 2014;
• Marina Caffiero, Storia degli ebrei nell'Italia moderna. Dal Rinascimento alla Restaurazione, Roma, Carocci, 2014;
• Elena Bonora, Aspettando l'imperatore. Principi italiani tra il papa e Carlo V, Torino, Einaudi, 2014;
• Giuseppe Marcocci, Indios, cinesi, falsari. Le storie del mondo nel Rinascimento, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2016;
• Adriano Prosperi, Il seme dell'intolleranza. Ebrei, eretici, selvaggi: Granada 1492, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2017;
• Maria Pia Donato, L'archivio del mondo. Quando Napoleone confiscò la storia, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2019;
  
• Simona Negruzzo, La «cristiana impresa». L'Europa di fronte all'Impero ottomano alle soglie del XVII secolo, Milano, Cisalpino, 2019;
• Daniele Di Bartolomeo, Francesco Benigno, Napoleone deve morire L'idea di ripetizione storica nella Rivoluzione, Roma, Salerno, 2020.

  (D)

  One volume of your choice (TWO for the non-attenders), for the monographic part, chosen from among:
  
• Daniela Lombardi, Storia del matrimonio dal medioevo a oggi, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008;
• Cesarina Casanova, Famiglia e parentela nell'età moderna, Roma, Carocci, 2009;
• Sandro Bellassai, Maria Malatesta, Genere e Mascolinità. Uno sguardo storico, Roma, Bulzoni, 2000;
• Lucetta Scaraffia, Margherita Pelaja, Due in una carne: Chiesa e sessualità nella storia, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2014;
  
• Simona Feci - Laura Schettini (a cura), La violenza contro le donne nella storia. Contesti, linguaggi, politiche del diritto (secoli XV-XXI), Roma, Viella, 2017;
• Wiesner Hanks Merry, Le donne nell'Europa moderna 1500-1750, Torino, Einaudi, 2017;
• Fernanda Alfieri, Vincenzo Lagioia, Infami macchie. Sessualità maschili e indisciplina in età moderna, Roma, Viella, 2018;
• Georges Vigarello, L'abito femminile. Una storia culturale, Torino, Einaudi, 2018;
• Umberto Grassi, Sodoma. Persecuzioni, affetti, pratiche sociali (secoli V-XVIII), Roma, Carocci, 2019;
  
• Vincenzo Lagioia, Maria Pia Paoli, Rossella Rinaldi (a cura), La fama delle donne. Pratiche femminili e società tra Medioevo ed Età moderna, Roma, Viella, 2020 (seven chapters of your choice).

Teaching methods

To support the lectures the lecturer will provide teaching materials available online in the dedicated section (Alma-DL) pf the University website http://campus.cib.unibo.it/ . Seminars will also be organised to aid students’ participation and to deepen specific themes with the help of images, geographical maps and readings from the sources.

Assessment methods

The examination will be oral and the students will prepare by choosing the texts indicated in the Bibliography. For the non-attending students there is one extra text to read in point D).

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.

Teaching tools

As a teaching aid the lecturer will use Power Point presentations that will be available in the section dedicated to the Materials. There will be lectures and visits to libraries and sites of historical interest in the city of Ravenna. To refine the historiographical research online instruments will be presented along with updates relevant to enhancing the preparation.

Office hours

See the website of Vincenzo Lagioia