The course aims first and foremost to enable non-American students to develop the knowledge and critical tools to decypher the history and politics of the United States as a leading global actor; to achieve this goal, the course is designed to provide the key elements to understand US history, the federal model and political system, and politics and their interconnections. In second place, the course aims to explain the changing relationship between the US and the world, the relationship between politics and security, and the influence of US domestic issues on global dynamics. Finally, it aims to show the relationship between the various elements, in terms of domestic and continental dynamics, links with European history and international relations.

Upon completing the course, students will be able to: • Approach the US from a broad range of perspectives, identifying the factors at play in various historical and contemporary situations; • Recognize US historical, institutional, societal and political drivers • Examine and understand the dynamics behind the 2020 US presidential elections • Analyse the situation and formulate scenarios for the 2024 presidential primary and election cycle. Successful students will be able to place emerging issues and trends of the 21st Century United States in a historical and cultural framework, with critical perspectives that go beyond often sensational reporting. At the end of the course, students will be able to sustain fact-based discussions of key concepts in the evolution and current situation of USA, as well as extrapolate informed analyses of contemporary issues from appropriate historical examples. This course will provide students with a clear understanding of terms required to communicate effectively and appropriately in English on all issues covered in the course, including political thought and institutions. Class discussions will provide practical experience in forming, articulating and expressing questions and opinions orally in real-time. This course will expand students’ interpretive toolkits to areas, issues and themes not usually covered in Euro-centric programs and syllabi. Students will learn to find, evaluate, interpret and use a broader range of sources and interdiscipinary viewpoints.

The course opens with a snapshot of the US in 2022, including the Trump trials, January 6 Capitol insurrection, racial tensions (White suprematism, BLM etc) and challenges faced by the Biden administration. It then spends a few weeks on an overview of US history to provide a background and basis for individual modules on specific themes (e.g. Foreign Relations, Slavery & race, the US Way of War etc.). Lectures and discussions look at the origins of the nation, its development and expansion, the evolution of the system, current political issues and future scenarios. By adopting a strongly thematic approach, the course provides from the outset the perspectives to understand the country as it seeks a new mission and a new understanding of itself (including racism in both its roots and current manifestations) and of its role in the global community.

A US history manual The preferred choice is Maldwyn Jones, The Limits of Liberty. American History, 1607-1992, London, OUP, 1995. (or any later edition) A constitutional history manual The preferred choice is Akhil Reed Amar, America’s Constitution: A Biography. Random House, New York, 2005. One additional book chosen among these Joe Bageant, Deer Hunting With Jesus. New York, Crown, 2007. Robert C. Benedict, Matthew J. Burbank and Ronald J. Hrebenar, Political Parties, Interest Groups and Political Campaigns. Oxford, Oxford UP, 2011 (2.a ed.). Lee, Drutman, The Business of America is Lobbying: How Corporations Became Politicized and Politics Became Corporate. Oxford, OUP, 2015. William M. Leogrande, and Peter Kornbluh, Back Channel to Cuba. Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press, 2014. James T Patterson, Freedom Is Not Enough. New York, Basic Books, 2010. Richard A. Posner, A Failure of Capitalism. The Crisis of ’08 and the descent into Depression. Cambridge, Harvard UP, 2009. Arthur M. Schlesinger, War and the American Presidency. New York, Norton, 2005 (2nd ed.). Stanford J. Ungar, The papers & The Papers. New York, Columbia UP, 1989 (2.a ed.). Craig Unger, House of Trump, House of Putin. New York, Dutton, 2018. In addition, students will receive PDFs presentation and handouts I am happy to discuss acceptable alternatives, but please note that I may not be able to provide chapter/page indications for every book. Manuals in languages other than English are acceptable in principle, but please note that I may not be able to interact with books in languages I am not fully conversant with.

Lectures (mainly online) Student presentations (mainly in classroom) Simulations & Role-playing (mainly in classroom) Discussions (mainly in classroom) Note: Perspectives from different countries/cultures are particularly appreciated.

Class attendance and active participation (20%). Presentation (20%) Written midterm (25%) Final test (35%)

Active participation Grade in top 15% of class Demonstrated writing ability All topics and approaches are welcome provided that (a) they can be adequately researched from sources available in Italy or online, or (b) the candidate can study/research abroad