HISTORY OF ITALY'S FOREIGN POLICY
Instructional goals
The course aims at giving to the attending students a definite knowledge of the major events, of the most relevant dynamics and of the most important turning points related to Italy's international role, especially as far as the period between the immediate postwar years and the present days is concerned. Moreover the student must achieve a critical and autonomous view of what he learned in the context of the course. In particular he must be able to link the political and diplomatic dynamics with the economic, social and cultural dimensions and he must possess the instruments through which he would be able to evaluate Italy's international role in the contemporary international scenario.
Intended learning outcomes
At the end of the course the student must possess a good knwoldege of the major events, of the most relevant tuirning points, of the main dynamics related to Italy's international role since the "liberal era" till today
Course Contents
The course, after a few introductory lessons dealing with the main characters of Italy's foreign policy during the "liberal" period and the fascist regime, will focus on the Italian Republic's international role, not only from the political and diplomatic viewpoint, but also from the economic, social and cultural viewpoints.
Reference Books
1) Antonio Varsori e Benedetto Zaccaria (eds), Italy in the International System from Detente to the End of the Cold War. The Underrated Ally, Cham (Switzerland), Palgrave/Macmillan, 2018
The student can choose one volume a volume among the following three books:
2) Kaeten Mistry, The United States, Italy and the Origins of the Cold War. Waging Political Warfare 1945-1950, Cambridge, Cam bridge University Press, 2014.
or
3) Emidio Diodato e Federico Niglia, Berlusconi. The Diplomat, Populism and Foreign Policy in Italy, Cham (Switzerland), Palgrave/Macmillan, 2019, 4) Mark Gilbert, Italy Reborn. From Fascism to Democracy, London, Allen Lane, 2024. 5)fo the foreign students it is suggested the reading of the book: Denis Mack Smith, Modern Italy. A political history, University of Michigan Press
Teaching Methods
The course wil be mainly based on "ex cathedra" lessons. The students will have to write a short paper. The papers will be the object of a general discussion
Assessment Method
For the attending students There will be a final oral exam. During the course there will some intermediary assessments. For the non attending and non compliant students the evaluation will be based on the final oral exam (100%)
Thesis assignment criteria
the student must have attended to course and passed the final exam
Week 1
Introduction to the course (historiography and sources). Italy in the international system from the Unification to the Liberal era (notes from the lessons)
Week 2
The aspiration at a great power role. From the Giolitti era to the First World War to the Versailles peace conference (1900-1919) (notes from the lessons)
Week 3
Fascist foreign policy. Italy and the Second World War. The Allies and Italy (1922-1944) (notes from the lessons)
Week 4
Italy and the Allies (1943-1944). The Italian peace treaty (1945-1947) (notes from the lessons)
Week 5
Italy's western and European choice (1947-1955) (textbook and Mark Gilbert's book)
Week 6
Italy's foreign policy from the "opening to the left" to the centre-left governments (1955-1968) (textbook)
Week 7
Italy and the crisis of the long 1970s (1968-1980) textbook)
Week 8
The renaissance of Italy's international role in the five-party coalition years (1980-1989) (1) (textbook)
Week 9
The renaissance of Italy's international role in the five-party coalition years (1980-1989) (2) (textbook)
Week 10
Italy's international position between the end of the Cold War and the Maastricht Treaty (1989-1992) (textbook)
Week 11
Italy and Europe after the collapse of the First Republic. Between Berlusconi and Prodi (1992-2011)
(volume Diodato/Niglia)
Week 12
Italy in the international arena from the economic crisis till today (2011-2024) (volume Diodato/Niglia)