91673 - History of Scientific Institutions

Learning outcomes

History of scientific institutions. At the end of the course the student will gain the competencies required to follow the development of modern and contemporary scientific knowledge and its relations with the civil, economic and social scene, with special reference to Italy, through the history of scientific and cultural institutions, analysed primarily on the basis of archival and museum sources.

Course contents

"Title: Women, gender and science.

The course aims to historically analyze the marginalization generally suffered by women in science and its institutions and, consequently, the handing down of their invisibility in the history of science. After all, scientific historiography has long been written by a selected elite of men, whose ideology was to consider scientific disciplines the exclusive heritage of strong and robust male minds. Even when such historiography gave some information on capable female researchers, such as Maria Ardinghelli, Eleonora Barbabiccola, Madame du Châtelet, who had tried their hand at translating monumental works such as those of Descartes and Newton, gaining fame among their contemporaries, or on the first "professional female scientists" (Anna Morandi Manzolini, Laura Bassi), the former were considered drawing room phenomena; the latter of the exceptions. In both cases, their figures were described in a stereotyped way, as heroines and/or dangerous rebels, so as to make their scientific contribution so blurred as to place them outside official science.

 

Main topics

The course will open with an introduction to scientific institutions (Beretta, 2017).

He will then dwell on those images of nature which, referring to the social roles of women in different eras and cultures, have had a determining weight in the exclusion of women from scientific knowledge (Noble, 1994; Babini, Minuz, Tagliavini, 1986).

Furthermore, through some case studies, the multiple ways in which women - despite their traditional exclusion - have practiced research in the last three centuries and often participated in real scientific undertakings will be investigated (R. Simili, 2006).

The last part of the course will consist in working on a bibliographic update and/or implementation (with materials provided by the teacher and/or proposed by the students) of the "Scienza a due voci" website https://scienzaa2voci.unibo.it

Scienza a due voci is a site - the result of a program agreement between the then Ministry of Research and Education and the University of Bologna - in which a first copy of the biographical dictionary of "Italian women scientists" from 1700 to the 20th century has been made available to the general public (at the moment, women born before 1925 have been included).

 

An online meeting will be held on Thursday 5 October 2023 from 5pm to 6pm  intended mainly for non-attending students in which the program will be illustrated and useful instructions for studying and learning will be provided. exam preparation. Students who intend to participate in the meeting are asked to inform the teacher by writing to her email address.

 

Students who, for reasons related to disabilities or specific learning disorders (DSA), need compensatory tools will be able to communicate their needs to the teacher in order to be directed to the contact persons and agree on the adoption of the most appropriate measures.
https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it/per-studenti

Readings/Bibliography

 

The program for attending students consists of studying the notes of the lectures and the following textbooks

M. Beretta, Storia materiale della scienza, Roma, Carocci, 2017, capitoli 3 “Scienza e comunicazione”, 7 “Le Accademie”; 8 “Le scienze e l’università”; 13 “Professione scienziato”; 14 “I Congressi”; 16 “I laboratori”.

D. F. Noble, Un mondo senza donne e la scienza occidentale, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1994, pp. 9-60, 205-352.

V.P. Babini, F. Minuz, A. Tagliavini, La donna nelle scienze dell’uomo. Immagini del Femminile nella cultura scientifica italiana di fine secolo, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 1986, pp. 1-77 e pp. 114-160.

R. Simili (a cura di), Scienza a due voci, Firenze, Olschki, 2006, pp. 13-163; pp. 247-278.

S. Linguerri, “Matematiche, astronome, naturaliste”, in Dizionario biografico delle scienziate italiane (secoli XVIII-XX) vol. 2, Bologna, Pendragon, pp. 11-24.

M. Focaccia, “Architette, chimiche, fisiche, dottoresse”, in Dizionario biografico delle scienziate italiane (secoli XVIII-XX) vol. 1, cit., pp. 11-22.

 

Non-attending students

To the above texts they will have to add a written in-depth analysis on a character of their choice (for the bibliography and for a general discussion on the program contact the teacher).

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons.

Active participation is encouraged, including asking questions and discussing issues to be expanded on. Lectures will alternate with seminars; students will have the opportunity to attend conferences given by experts, to watch videos and explore websites, and to visit museums and/or libraries. At the end of each lesson, 15 minutes will be dedicated to questions, requests for clarification, etc.

Online reception for non-attending students:


An online meeting will be held on Thursday 5 October 2023 from 5pm to 6pm (a sort of "extended" reception for more students) intended mainly for non-attending students in which the program will be illustrated and useful instructions for studying and learning will be provided. exam preparation. Students who intend to participate in the meeting are asked to inform the teacher by writing to her email address.

 

Receipt for attending students:

During the period of the lessons the teacher receives, by appointment to be fixed by writing to the address sandra.linguerri@unibo.it, on Tuesday from 11 to 12 pm at the lecture venue. 

Outside the lectures period the teacher receives Monday from 10 to 11 - by appointment to be fixed by writing to the address sandra.linguerri@unibo.it - in his own studio in Via Zamboni 38, Bologna, II floor (studio 4.07)

Period: I semester

Schedules, classrooms, start date of lessons: The course follows the educational calendar of the School of Arts and Cultural Heritage. Beginning of the course, schedules and classrooms will be published by the Educational Office of the School

It is strongly recommended that you look assiduously at the notices that the teacher puts on his site to report any changes to the calendar.

Assessment methods

 Oral exam, lasting about 30 minutes, includes a check: - basic knowledge of the program: the assessment is carried out on the basis of the texts indicated in the bibliography - the ability to understand the problems faced during the lessons - knowledge of the discipline in its historical development - the ability to frame the objects / problems studied in their context, and to discuss them critically - the quality of oral expression and the ability to construct a logical-argumentative type of speech

The exam for attending students will be structured in two parts: 1) Two/three general-interpretative open questions; 2) evaluation of the work carried out individually on the "Science for two voices" site.


The exam for non-attending students will be divided into two parts: 1) Two/three general-interpretative open questions; 2) evaluation of the written study of a character of your choice. 

The assignment will be marked on the basis of the student’s ability to gather and select the appropriate information to be able to effectively illustrate and link topics and issues

Specifically :

The achievement of an organic and articulate view, the detailed knowledge of the sources, the ability to critically analyze the arguments put forward and the appropriate use of language will result in excellent marks (28-30L). A correct knowledge of the sources, but no critical analysis, and an appropriate use of the language, but at times imprecise, will result in a good mark (25-27). Mnemonic learning of the subject, ability to synthesize but inability to critically elaborate on the topic, appropriate use of language but no use of specific language will result in a fair mark (22-24). Minimal knowledge of the course and/or inappropriate use of language will result in low marks (18-21). Severe lack of knowledge, severely inappropriate use of language and lack of critical thinking and organization skills will result in a fail.

The use of textbooks, notes or any electronic device is not allowed during the examination.

Teaching tools

During the lesson, the teacher uses PowerPoint slides (uploaded on the Virtual platform; they constitute an aid to the lesson that supplements but does not replace the teaching material indicated under the heading Texts / Bibliography), films and scientific documentaries.

Office hours

See the website of Sandra Linguerri