HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

The course will focus on a series of topics at the heart of XXth Century's history through the prism of the Indochinese area, which dramatic events crossed the century. The course will present a theoretical approach together a precise historic, economic, social and cultural reconstruction useful to verify theories and hypothesis considered.
The topics developed during the lessons will introduce students to history and, in particular, international-history research methodology, encouraging growing skills in conceptualizing and criticism. The critical approach to international history facts and contexts and the capacity to deal with comparative and alternative theoretical approaches aims to develop the students ability in understanding facts and their connections on a multidimensional base (economical, social, political and cultural), in their actual complexity. The analytic skills acquired by the course will give an useful stock of knowledge and stimuli for the ones who will experience professions and careers in the international arena.
During the lessons will be used books, articles, primary sources and videos in Italian, French, English and Vietnamese, to push the students to an active use of their linguistic skills, improving as well the interest in furtherly deepen their knowledges

1)Developing an advanced comprehension of Vietnamese Modern and Contemporary History in connection with global history and particularly with Asian History and the main historical processes (colonialism, decolonization; Third World genealogy).
2)Mastering a deeper comprehension and develop an analysis skill on the historical, political, social and economical conditions of Vietnam in an international context.
3)Developing a personal ability to value and critically discuss the main topics of the course and the text books, or the Others books suggested during the lessons.
4)Ability in 'storytelling' the relevant and general aspects of Contemporary East Asia History.
5)To develop autonomously the acquired skills on International history.

A good basic knowledge of contemporary history: it's strongly suggested to have attended Contemporary History courses. It's suggested to read introductory books as:
Enrica Collotti Pischel, Storia dell'Asia Orientale, Carocci, 2008.
Odd Arne Westad, The Global Cold War: Third World Interventions and the Making of Our Times, 2005.

The course aims to present historical and political phenomena related to colonization/decolonization through French colonization in South Eastern Asia, as well as the Vietnamese independence process and decolonization. Lessons will be organized in four steps which will present the following topics:
1- 1850-1911, French colonization in Asia and the birth of French Indochina. The first step will introduce the wider topic with an historical reconstruction of the colonization process and its motivations in Indochinese Peninsula, organized and not organized ways of the indigenous resistance. The course will establish the theoretical basis needed to deepen social, economic, cultural and psychological aspect of the colonial history.
2- 1911-1940, Paul Doumer, the ‘mise en valeur’, French colonial theory and the experiment of a capitalistic modernization of the French colony. The theorization of the ‘distruction’ of the traditional culture and environment as the premise of modernization and the social and ‘psychological’ crysis of the indigenous population: millenarian cults and the sects phenomenon; Buddhism and Cattolicism. Not religious reactions to the colonial modernization: Communism, Nationalism, Fascism. Economic, political and social transformations in the ‘30s and the French Left in power.
3- 1940-1954, the Second World War, the ‘Vichy’ colonial regime and the Japanese occupation. Birth of the Viet-Minh movement: origins, theory and practices. 1945: the ‘first’ and ‘second’ independence, Potsdam accords context and the return of the French. Indochina’s War began in 1945. Paul Mus and the ‘Sociologie d’un guerre’. La ‘guerre de la boue’ and the French war experience in Indochina: 1946-1950. 1950-1954: from the colonial war to the ‘Cold War Outpost’. The ‘People War’, the ‘peasants war’ and the French defeat.
4- 1954-1979, Diem regime and the transition between two wars: sociology of an impossible peace. The American involvement in Viet-Nam: 1943-1964. The National Liberation Front, North Viet-Nam and the South Vietnamese social and political crysis. The American War: 1964-1968; 1968-1972; 1973-1975. From Cambodia to the war with the People Republic of China.
5- Conclusions: the Viet-Nam’s wars and the ‘Long Twentieth Century’.

All the suggested texts available also in English and French, except for Montessoro's history of Vietnam.

Francesco Montessoro, Vietnam. Un secolo di Storia, Franco Angeli, 2000.
Jonathan Neale, A. Costa, Storia popolare della guerra del Vietnam, Il Saggiatore, 2008 (ed. or. inglese 2004).
Eric. R. Wolf, Guerre contadine nel XX secolo, ISEDI, 1971 (ed. or. inglese 1965): limited to 'introduction', 'conclusions' and the chapter ‘Viet-Nam’.

Letture consigliate:
Michael Herr, Dispacci, Rizzoli 2008 (ed. or. inglese 1977).
Octave Mannoni, Prospero and Caliban: The Psicology of Colonization, University of Michigan Press, 1990 (ed. or. francese 1957).
Aimé Cesaire, Una Tempesta, Mimesis, 2011 (ed. or. francese 1969).
Franz Fanon, Pelle nera, maschere bianche, Edizioni ETS, 2015 (ed. or. francese 1952).

The course's educational objectives will be tested through an oral examination lasting 15/20 minutes. The examination will aim to show the student skills in presenting a reconstruction and the wider historical context related to the course topics.
Oral text, 15/20 minutes.

Traditional lectures, video and photos.

Italian

It's requested to see the following movies/documentaries (Italian, French, English versions available):

La battaglia di Algeri
La 317e section
Indochine
The Quiet American
Apocalypse Now
Fog of War

oral

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