CONTEMPORARY HISTORY 1

The present course is one of the basic courses for the degree in Languages, Civilisation and the Science of Language. It aims to provide students with the first methodological tools in contemporary history. Objectives of the course are: to develop a capacity for reflection on contemporary European history and to provide basic methodological tools for the historical analysis of the present and for the comparison of national histories. Achieving these goals allows the student to acquire the basic knowledge for the historical understanding of present Europe, and to reflect on its conditions independently.

The course aims at the following learning objectives:
a) knowledge and basic understanding of the main political, social and cultural changes in European contemporary history;
b) ability to apply this knowledge to the understanding and interpretation of the contemporary world;
c) enhancement of autonomous judgement through classroom discussions;
d) improvement of communication capabilities by classroom presentations on a voluntary basis;
e) development and consolidation of skills in the reading of scholarly texts and sources, and of awareness regarding the history of concepts.

Knowledge of contemporary history at high school level.

The course, in addition to providing basic knowledge of events and periods of European contemporary political history between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, will put the accent on the formation of the concepts of nation and Europe. Some of these aspects can be explored through the reading and discussion in the classroom of various sources and other material.
Among the topics addressed:
- On the concept of Europe: origins and present uses
- The French Revolution and the Napoleonic age
- Revolution and reaction
- From the Restoration to the revolution of 1848
- On the concept of Nation
- Nation States after 1850
- The creation of national identities
- Russia and the concept of Eastern Europe
- World War I
- The nineteen twenties and thirties
- Fascism, Nazism, Shoah
- After the Second World War
- Europe between nation, region and globalization

Compelling readings:
R. PETRI: Meanings of Europe and Meanings in History, in: “History: The Journal of the Historical Association” 103 (2018), n. 356, pp. 401-417;
R. PETRI: The Resurgence of the Region in the Context of European Integration, in Arndt Bauerkämper, Hartmut Kaelble, Gesellschaft in der europäischen Integration seit den 1950er Jahren, Stuttgart, Franz Steiner Verlag, 2012, pp. 159-171 (download from the Moodle page related to this course);
A. M. THIESSE: La creazione delle identità nazionali in Europa, Bologna, Mulino, 2004, pp. 19-125.

Textbook: Storia contemporanea. Dal Congresso di Vienna ai giorni nostri, Edizioni Simone: Napoli 2015, Chapters IV, VI (paragraphs 1-7), VIII (par. 4-6), X-XIV, XV (par. 9-14) and XVI (par . 3). In the 2015 edition, these correspond to the pages 5-71, 73, 86-96, 104-180, 192-202, 205-207, 212-214.

Students who cannot attend the lectures add the reading the following chapters by S.Woolf (Introduction), E.Renan, F.Chabod and J.Breuilly in: S. WOOLF (ed.), Il nazionalismo in Europa, Milano, Unicopli, 1994.

The proficiency test is graded up to 30 points. It consists of two parts, with a maximum grade of 15/30 each. Laud can be obtained with a particularly brilliant second part and a 15/30 valued first part:
1) the knowledge check regarding the events and data of European history between 1814 and 2000 should demonstrate basic chronological knowledge of European history;
2) the second part consists of handwritten paper on a topic chosen from three or four different topics, based on the obligatory readings in the reading list.
For more details regarding the PROFICIENCY TEST, please check the from the Moodle page related to this course.

NOTA BENE: Students intent on applying for final exam, Erasmus etc. are asked to inquire with the offices on the deadline for recording the grade useful for the application, and to register for exams not too close to those deadlines. Note that this teacher will examine only students regularly signed in to the exam through the online procedure, and perform only those recording operations that the software esse3 allows himto perform autonomously.

The prevailing teaching method is lecturing. Students are invited to contribute with critical questions and comments to the classroom discussion. They will also have the opportunity of presenting texts on a voluntary basis.

Italian

It is recommended that you download and carefully read the moodle materials related to this course.

written