CONTEMPORARY HISTORY II

The Contemporary History II course [FT0269-2] constitutes a related/integrative activity [C] for the third year of the Philosophy degree programme, Philosophy and History [FT2] curriculum; it is also borrowed from the Philosophy [FTR2] curriculum of the same degree programme. The course represents the continuation, as a subsequent module, of Contemporary History I [FT0269]; it therefore presupposes the contents, knowledge and skills envisaged by that first module, or in any case a fine-tuning of the outlines of the general history of the last two centuries. Framing itself within the overall objectives of the Philosophy degree programme, and situating itself in the advanced phase of the programme, the Contemporary History II course participates in the development of critical analysis through the tools of historical knowledge.

Knowledge and understanding:
Knowledge of the dynamics of the development of European history through the last two centuries, with particular reference to the sphere of statehood and politics;
Understanding of the dimension of temporality.
Understanding of the contextual character of texts and sources in a historical perspective
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
Ability to identify and situate in time and space the historical roots of the issues dealt with in the lecture;
Ability to distinguish, among the relations between phenomena, their causal and multi-causal relationships.
Ability to reconstruct in a coherent conceptual framework the themes of Italian and European history addressed in the lessons;
Practical and communicative skills:
Practical ability to actively follow the lectures, taking notes, formulating questions, comparing the notes with the assigned study texts;
Practical ability to establish connections between the iconographic and textual sources presented in the lecture and their temporal context;
Practical ability to expose in a coherent, clear and distinct way the topics subject of the oral test.

To have attended the Contemporary History I module [FT0269], or otherwise to have adequate knowledge of the outline of Italian and European history of the last two centuries

The Contemporary History II course builds on the conceptual issues focused on in the Contemporary History I module, particularly in the categories of citizenship, secularisation, war and fascism, emancipation, and crisis. The development of the political dimension of each of these is reconstructed in the context of the history of European statehood. Knowledge is advanced through direct access to texts - mainly primary sources - that will be presented and commented upon in class. Critical discussion is also promoted through a reasonable recourse to historiographical literature.

The following list presents an indicative and non-exhaustive selection of some of the texts that will be used during classes. Parts of them will be uploaded in Moodle, and precise indications regarding their use will be in class by the lecturer. The list can be updated.
Charles S. Maier, Leviatano 2.0. La costruzione dello Stato moderno, Einaudi, Torino, 2018.
Lo Stato moderno in Europa. Istituzioni e diritto, a cura di Maurizio Fioravanti, ll Mulino, Bologna, 2002, 2024
Wolfgang Reinhard, Storia dello stato moderno, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2010
Saino Cassese, Lo Stato fascista, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2010, 2016
Chiara Giorgi e Ilaria Pavan, Storia dello Stato sociale in Italia, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2021
Kiran K. Patel, Il New Deal. Una storia globale, Einaudi, Torino, 2018;
Valeria Deplano e Alessandro Pes, Storia del colonialismo italiano, Carocci, Roma, 2014
Victoria De Grazia, L' impero irresistibile. La società dei consumi americana alla conquista del mondo, Einaudi, Torino, 2006, 2020

The exam is oral, aimed at testing the acquisition of the contents and skills indicated in the objectives, and consists of at least three questions to be developed in approximately 30 minutes. In particular, the first question aims to test the ability to frame a broad theme in its spatial-temporal context, the mastery of related content and the ability to articulate the exposition in clear and effective terms; the second question aims to test the ability to make connections, to identify links of relationship and causality between the phenomena addressed, starting from the sources commented on in class; the third question aims to ascertain the ability to contextualise and conceptualise a phenomenon, and to initiate a critical discussion, again starting from the sources.

oral

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

Marking scheme:
30/30: excellent knowledge of the topics covered in class and in the manuals; excellent use of language and terminology.
28-30: excellent knowledge of the topics covered in class and in the manuals; good ability to prioritise information; confident use of appropriate terminology;
25-27: adequate knowledge of the topics covered in class and, to a lesser extent, in the manuals; fair ability to organise information and present it orally; familiarity with the appropriate terminology;
22-24: knowledge of the topics covered in class and in the manuals is not always in-depth or superficial; oral presentation is not always organised or sometimes unclear; use of appropriate terminology is not always correct or lacking;
18-21: incomplete knowledge of the topics covered in class and in the manuals; confused oral presentation; little or no use of appropriate terminology.
<18: very incomplete or absent knowledge of the topics covered in class and in the manuals; very confused oral presentation; no use of appropriate terminology. Exam failed.

Classes will be predominantly academic lectures. Within the limits imposed by the number of participants, comments, observations and questions regarding the texts presented in class are encouraged and appreciated.
All texts commented in class are uploaded in Moodle and constitute examination material, whether primary sources or historiographical literature. The exact selection of articles, chapters, texts and parts of texts constituting examination material is communicated in class. Also for this reason, class attendance is strongly recommended.
It is important to point out that the materials in Moodle do NOT contain summaries, point summaries, summaries of any kind of what the lecturer has presented in class. This is because it is believed that the ability to follow an academic lecture, grasp its essential elements and summarise them in the notes is an absolutely crucial component of training at university level. Lecture notes obviously complement and do not replace independent study of reference texts.

Further information on how the course and examination will be conducted will be provided during the first lecture. Class attendance is strongly recommended. Students who plan not to attend the classes are kindly requested to contact the lecturer by email (laura.cerasi@unive.it). Students wishing to take the topics covered in the course as a basis for their thesis work are encouraged to contact the lecturer, also by email, to agree upon an appointment during office hours.