CONTEMPORARY HISTORY 2

The course presents an in-depth study of the significance and consequences of US-Soviet bipolarism in the international politics of the 20th century. It allows students to develop their knowledge of the methods of historical analysis (with particular reference to the use of diplomatic documents), to deepen their knowledge about colonialism and decolonization processes, to achieve a good degree of knowledge and understanding of the main dynamics of globalization, as well as to achieve a good degree of knowledge and understanding of the modalities of interaction between political cultures of European origin and the colonial and post-colonial world in the 20th century.

In this framework, the course contributes to develop the students' ability to articulate a coherent historical framework of the events at the origin of the contemporary world, to identify the various factors of such historical developments and of today's approach to globalized modernity, and to analyze international political dynamics. It also contributes to developing the students' ability to make use of historical sources, to consciously use the historiographic categories of international relations and to autonomously initiate investigations on specific cases of study, also in relation to the topic of the final dissertation.

At the end of the course students will have a good knowledge of the causes, dynamics, processes, protagonists and consequences of the interactions between the United States, the Soviet Union and the "Third World" during the 20th century. In particular, students will have acquired:

a) a good knowledge of the main facts, protagonists and processes of the interactions between the two "superpowers" and the "Third World";
b) a good knowledge of the main interpretative currents relating to causes and consequences of such interactions;
c) the fundamental methodological tools for the organization of autonomous research paths in the field of contemporary history;
d) a good linguistic competence aimed at the communication of historical-contemporary contents.

Having taken the exam of Contemporary History Mod. I of the LCSL program is not a formal prerequisite, but the course assumes that students do possess a degree of knowledge of 19th and 20th century history in line with the knowledge and competence acquired at the end of the courses of Contemporary History Mod. I.

The United States and the extra-European world; the Soviet Union and the extra-European world; anticolonial movements in the 20th century; the birth of the "Third World"; Cuba and Vietnam in international affairs in the second half of the 20th century; decolonization in southern Africa; decolonization in the Horn of Africa; the Islamist challenge in Iran and Afghanistan; Ronald Reagan and the Third World; the crisis of the Soviet Union and the Third World.

All students:

1) Odd Arne Westad, La guerra fredda globale, Il Saggiatore, 2015

The oral exam lasts about 30 minutes. It focuses on at least two topics covered during the lessons and aims at verifying the preparation of the students and their ability to communicate their knowledge (completeness, synthesis, consistency, clarity, precision), as well as their ability to link, where relevant, different themes among those covered in the program.

In carrying out the exam the students will have to demonstrate to:
a) be able to give a coherent historical picture of the main events and processes characterizing the interactions between the United States, the Soviet Union and the "Third World" in the 20th century;
b) properly frame the origins, dynamics and consequences of such interactions;
c) have a good knowledge of the sources used in contemporary historical-international research;
d) know how to use consciously the historiographic categories used in the texts and during the lessons;
e) know how to conduct autonomous reflections on the topics of the course.

Frontal lectures. Questions and critical comments in class are warmly welcome.

Italian

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "International cooperation" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development