00929 - Modern History (M-Z)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will know the main themes and turning points of the modern age and have acquired notions of methodology and the history of historiography. They will be able to consult the tools needed in gathering historical information (bibliographical repertories, historical atlases, historical journals, etc.) including digital format. They will have a good knowledge of the main themes of history of the modern age, possess precise spatial and temporal coordinates, and be able to assess the importance and novelty of a historian’s work, situating it in the broader cultural framework. They will detect connections, developments, hangovers and transformations in long-lasting historical processes. They will read history texts in at least one language besides Italian and, in speaking, use the appropriate technical terminology.

Course contents

The first part of the course aims to examine the main themes that characterize the early modern age, such as.

- the emergence of the modern state

- wars in the early modern period

- the organization of society

- the Reformation

- Press and Censorship

- the age of ghettos

- the economy in the different states

- the religious crisis.

A second part will deal with methodology.

A third group of lessons will deal with the topic of the Sephardic diaspora. Between 1492 (in Spain) and 1496 (in Portugal), the majority of Jews were forced to leave the Iberian Peninsula, and hundreds of them made their way to many different places in the Mediterranean. The Sephardic Jews organized themselves into new communities that gave a new shape to life and economy in the Mediterranean and in Europe in general.

Readings/Bibliography

D. ABULAFIA, La scoperta dell’umanità. Incontri atlantici nell’età di Colombo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010.

M. BELLABARBA, V. LAVENIA (a cura di), Introduzione alla storia moderna, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2018 (solo i capitoli I, II, VI, VII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI)

M. BLOCH, Apologia della storia o Mestiere di storico, Torino, Einaudi, 2009

E. BONORA, Aspettando l'imperatore. Principi italiani tra il papa e Carlo V, Torino, Einaudi, 2014

H. BOTS-F. WAQUET, La Repubblica delle Lettere, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2005

K. BRANDI, Carlo V, Torino, Einaudi, 2001

M. CAFFIERO, Storia degli ebrei nell'Italia moderna. Dal Rinascimento alla Restaurazione, Roma, Carocci, 2014

G. CARAVALE, Libri pericolosi: Censura e cultura italiana in età moderna, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2022

C. CASANOVA, Regine per caso. Donne al governo in età moderna, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2014

M. CAVINA, Maometto papa e imperatore, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2018

S.A. CONCA MESSINA, Profitti del potere. Stato ed economia nell'Europa moderna, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2016

M.P. DONATO, L'archivio del mondo. Quando Napoleone confiscò la storia, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2019

J. ISRAEL, Il grande incendio. Come la rivoluzione americana conquistò il mondo. 1775-1848, Torino, Einaudi, 2018.

E. IVETIC, Storia dell'Adriatico. Un mare e la sua civiltà, Bologna, il Mulino, 2019

T. KAUFMANN, I redenti e i dannati. Una storia della riforma, Torino, Einaudi, 2018

G. MAIFREDA, Italya. Storie di ebrei, storia italiana, Roma, Laterza, 2021

G. MARCOCCI, Indios, cinesi, falsari. Le storie del mondo nel Rinascimento, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2016

Nel solco di Teodora. Pratiche, modelli e rappresentazioni del potere femminile dall'antico al contemporaneo, a cura di M.T. GUERRINI - V. LAGIOIA - S. NEGRUZZO, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2019 (scegliere e studiare sette saggi contenuti nel presente volume)

E. NOVI CHIAVARRIA, Accogliere e curare. Ospedali e culture delle nazioni nella Monarchia ispanica (secc. XVI-XVII), Roma, Viella, 2020

J. POPKIN, Haiti. Storia di una rivoluzione, Torino, Einaudi, 2020.

J. POPKIN, Un nuovo mondo inizia. La storia della rivoluzione francese, Torino, Einaudi, 2021.

P. PRETO, Venezia e i turchi, Roma, Viella, 2013

P. PRODI, Il sovrano pontefice. Un corpo e due anime: la monarchia papale nella prima età moderna, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2006

A. PROSPERI, Tribunali della coscienza. Inquisitori, confessori, missionari, Torino, Einaudi, 1996

A. SPAGNOLETTI, Filippo II, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2018

T. TODOROV, La conquista dell'America. Il problema dell'altro, Torino, Einaudi, 2014

A. TRAMPUS, Il diritto alla felicità, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2008

Teaching methods

Lectures with collective discussions on materials provided to support the lectures

Assessment methods

Attending Students

The preparation is divided into the following three items: A, B and C:

A. General history of the period 1492-1815

Written exam

Manual Recommended:

Carlo Capra, Storia moderna (1492-1848), Firenze, Le Monnier, 2021 (first edition 2004) (to 1815).

or

Giorgio Spini, Storia moderna, a cura di Marcello Verga, Torino, UTET, 2016

It is advisable to complement the study of the manual with the use of a historical atlas.

B. Methodology

Oral examination

Preparation will be based on the lecture notes and materials provided during the course and one of the following books:

P. Prodi, Introduzione allo studio della storia moderna, Bologna, il Mulino, 1999;

G.P. Romagnani, Storia della storiografia, Roma, Carocci, 2019;

Nel laboratorio della storia. Una guida alle fonti dell'età moderna, a cura di Maria Pia Paoli, Roma, Carocci, 2013.

C. Monographic course

Oral exam

Students will read these texts:

- E. Benbassa e A. Rodrigue, Storia degli Ebrei sefarditi. Da Toledo a Salonicco, Torino, Einaudi, 2002.

- F. Trivellato, Il commercio interculturale. La diaspora sefardita, Livorno e i traffici globali in età moderna, Roma, Viella, 2016.

Not attending students

They will prepare the following three items A, B, C.

A. General history of the period 1492-1815

Written exam

Manual recommended

Carlo Capra, Storia moderna (1492-1848), Firenze, Le Monnier, 2021 (first edition 2004) (to 1815).

or

Giorgio Spini, Storia moderna, a cura di Marcello Verga, Torino, UTET, 2016

It is advisable to complement the study of the manual with the use of a historical atlas.

B. Methodology

Oral exam

One of the following books:

P. Prodi, Introduzione allo studio della storia moderna, Bologna, il Mulino, 1999;

G.P. Romagnani, Storia della storiografia, Roma, Carocci, 2019;

Nel laboratorio della storia. Una guida alle fonti dell'età moderna, a cura di Maria Pia Paoli, Roma, Carocci, 2013.

C. Monographic course

Oral exam

Students will critically read three texts chosen from the list under Testi/Bibliografia

The written exam (a one-hour assignment with two open-ended and two closed-ended questions) will test knowledge of the topics covered in the lectures or of the substitute texts for non-attenders, while the oral exam will test understanding of the historiographical works indicated in the bibliography.

The positive result of the written exam is valid until the next examination session.

The evaluation will take into account the ability of the student to orient herself within the sources and the bibliographic material, to illustrate themes and problems and to establish connections.

Attention will be given to:

- The ability to master the subject

- The ability to synthesize and analyze themes and concepts

- The ability to express oneself adequately and with language appropriate to the subject matter

The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the topics addressed in class together with their critical use, a good command of expression and specific language will be evaluated with marks of excellence.

A mnemonic knowledge of the subject, together with synthesis and analysis skills articulated in a correct but not always appropriate language, will lead to discrete evaluations.

Training gaps and / or inappropriate language - albeit in a context of minimal knowledge of the exam material - will lead to grades that will not exceed sufficiency.

Training gaps, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliographic materials offered during the course will be evaluated negatively.

Teaching tools

Presentations in Prezi format, sources, essays, online repertoires can be provided by the teacher. The materials will be made available in the specific section of the University website. There will also be an Instagram account stmoderna_mz_unibo [https://www.instagram.com/stmoderna_mz_unibo/], active from  January the 2nd.

Office hours

See the website of Guido Bartolucci