00932 - Contemporary History (A-L)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will acquire an outline of modern history, with a special attention to the social, cultural and political transformations, and the awareness of the complexity and problematic nature of the periodization principles. The student will also acquire a good knowledge of an important theme of the modern era, especially in relation to the historiography debate and the multiplicity of the sources. The student is able to analyze in an autonomous way documents, sources, and authors belonging to the contemporary World.

Course contents

The course will focus on the main aspects of modern history, from which take shape cultural representations, lifestyles, geographies and balances of power that characterize the different ideas of Europe between the 19th and 20th centuries within a global context.

The reconstruction of the general historical frameworks will be integrated with a monographic course on the different meanings of "resistance," in the history of conflict and law of war, in the history of labor and social change, and in colonial and political history. Beginning with the different semantic declinations assumed by the word "resistance" in current events (armed resistance, right of resistance, existential resistance, civil resistance) historical frameworks will be exemplified, where the category has proven to be a useful historical key to global interpretation of events from the 19th century to the present.

 

The course will address the following topics:

• Modern history: sources and scale effects
  
• Industrial Revolution
• French Revolution and profiles of citizenship (gender, class, race)
• Napoleonic Europe
• Nation and nationalism
• Working class movements, socialism and internationalism
• Imperialism and imperial geographies
  
• World War I.
• Soviet Revolution and International Communism
• Rise and development of Fascisms in Europe
• Crisis of the 1930s
• Stalinism
• New European order and new Mediterranean order
• Antifascist Europe and World War II
• Post-war period
• Geographies of the Cold War
• Long 1960s and social revolution
• Decolonization process
• Crisis of the 1970s
• Political violence and Transitions in southern Europe (Greece, Portugal, Spain)
• Neoliberal revolution
• Collapse of the Soviet system and revolutions in East Europe
• Globalization, fragmentation and new conflicts

Readings/Bibliography

Both attending and non-attending students are required to have a thorough knowledge of the following chapters of Handbooks:

A. Banti, L'età contemporanea: dalle rivoluzioni settecentesche all'imperialismo, Laterza

capp. 1, 3, 4, 5, 11, 15, 16, 18, 21.

A. Vittoria, Il Novecento. Dall’età dell’imperialismo alla globalizzazione, Roma, Carocci

capp. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19.

As an introduction to historical method also recommended: M. Bloch, Apologia della storia o Mestiere di storico, Einaudi 2009.

 

For attending students, in addition to the two Handbooks, a couple of texts from list A (1 monograph and 1 narrative text, as an example of literary source or historical writing in subjective perspective) will be required.

In substitution of List A texts, attending students may submit a written paper (min. 30.000 - max 40.000 characters) exploring one of the frameworks of the monograph course on "resistance," declined on a local scale. The sources and documents selected for the paper must be presented in class and discussed during the exam. More information will be provided during the first week of class.

 

For non-attending students, in addition to the two Handbooks, the study of the following texts will be required:

M. Mazower, Le ombre dell'Europa. Democrazie e totalitarismi del XX Secolo, Garzanti, 2009

+ a couple of texts from List A

 

List A

• A. Gibelli, L'officina della guerra. La grande guerra e le trasformazioni del mondo mentale, Bollati Boringhieri 2007 (ed.or.1990) + H. Barbusse, Il fuoco, Eliot 2015 (ed.or. Le Feu. Journal d'une escouade, 1916)
• E. Traverso, A ferro e a fuoco: la guerra civile europea 1914-1945, Bologna, il Mulino, 2007 + J.P. Sartre, Parigi occupata, Il melangolo 2020 (ed.or. 1944-1946)
• B. Bagnato, L’ Europa e il mondo. Origini, sviluppo e crisi dell’imperialismo coloniale, Mondadori Education-Le Monnier 2006 + F. Fanon, I dannati della terra, Einaudi, 2007 (ed.or. 1961)
• S. Pons, La rivoluzione globale. Storia del comunismo internazionale, Einaudi, 2012 + V. Grossman, Tutto scorre..., Adelphi, 2010 (ed.or. 1970)
• F. Romero, Storia della guerra fredda, Torino, Einaudi, 2009 + J. Lethem, il giardino dei dissidenti, Bompiani 2014
• T. Judt, Postwar. La nostra storia 1945-2005, Introduzione + Parte III Intervallo (1971-1989), Laterza 2020 + M. Battini, «Andai perché ci si crede». Il testamento dell’anarchico Serantini, Sellerio, 2022
• C. Pavone, Una guerra civile. Saggio storico sulla moralità nella Resistenza, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri 2006 (cap. 1, 4. 5, 6) + l. Meneghello, I piccoli maestri, Bur, 2013 (ed.or.1964) [in alternativa: C. Mazzantini, A cercar la bella morte, Marsilio, 2020 – ed.or. 1986)
• L. Baldissara, Italia 1943. La guerra continua, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2023 + R. Bentivegna, Senza fare di necessità virtù. Memorie di un antifascista, Torino, Einaudi, 2011 [In alternativa: C. Capponi, Con cuore di donna, Milano, Il Saggiatore, 2000]
  
• F. Amatori e G. Melis (a cura di), Luglio 1960. La tensione del cambiamento, Rubbettino, 2023 + H. Alleg, La tortura, traduzione di P. Spriano, introduzione di J-P. Sartre, Einaudi, 2022 (La question, ed.org.1958) [in alternativa: R. Nicolai, Reggio Emilia 7 luglio 1960, Roma: Editori riuniti, 1960]
• D. Bloxham, Lo sterminio degli ebrei. Un genocidio, Torino, Einaudi, 2010 + A. Wieviorka, L’era del testimone, Raffaello Cortina, 1999 (ed.or. L'ere du temoin, 1998) [in alternativa: A. Wieviorka, [https://www.ibs.it/auschwitz-spiegato-a-mia-figlia-libro-annette-wieviorka/e/9788806219130?inventoryId=50501598&queryId=bb817accd3694fe527e1273907d24323], Einaudi, 2014 (ed.or. Auschwitz expliqué à ma fille,1999)
• S. Patriarca, Il colore della Repubblica: figli della guerra e razzismo nell'Italia postfascista, Einaudi, 2021 + I. Scego, Adua, Giunti 2015
• A. Stanziani, Le metamorfosi del lavoro coatto. Una storia globale, XVIII-XIX secolo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2022 + F. Coin, Le grandi dimissioni. Il nuovo rifiuto del lavoro e il tempo di riprenderci la vita, Einaudi, 2023

Teaching methods

The course will alternate lectures with moments of discussion with students and analysis of sources. In order to stimulate a dynamic debate and active participation, students will be invited to prepare speeches on specific topics.

Assessment methods

Verification of learning will take place through oral examination.

In order to pass the exam, the student will have to demonstrate to:

• know the main events of contemporary history between the 19th and 20th centuries
• recognize the essential characteristics of transitions in European history
• be able to compare historical witnessing in different spatial and temporal contexts, identifying characteristics and specific relevance.

Contribute to the final grade:

• Mastery of subject content
• Ability to deal with the required topics in a cross-cutting and critical way
• Correctness, clarity, synthesis and fluency of expression
• Appropriate use of the specific language of the discipline, themes and authors
• Capacity of autonomous and personal re-elaboration of contents

Thorough in-depth knowledge of the topics covered in the course, together with analytical and critical skills and command of the specific language, will qualify for top marks (30-30L).

A good grasp of the topics covered in the course, together with good critical analysis and command of the specific language, will qualify for high marks (27-29).

A more mechanical and less articulate grasp, and/or correct use of language though not always appropriate, will qualify for a medium-range mark (23-26).

Weak analytical capacity and frequently inappropriate language – together with some knowledge of exam material – will receive a pass mark or little more (18-22).

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

Teaching tools

Written, literary, iconographic, and video sources as a starting point for presentation of topics and for discussion with students.

Office hours

See the website of Toni Rovatti