Obiettivi formativi
The course provides an essential knowledge of the History of Europe and the world from the Congress of Vienna until the early nineties of the XXth Century.
Prerequisiti
A high-school level knowledge of European and, ideally, world history.
Risultati di apprendimento attesi
At the end of the course, students will have acquired a basic knowledge of key historical processes and events of the last two centuries, particularly within Europe and Italy. Also, the course aims to provide the essential tools to analyze and discuss specific historical categories, concepts, ideas, and political and social phenomenon (such as Nationalism, Imperialism, Decolonization, Socialism, Communism).
Contenuti Del Corso
The course deals with the main historical events of the last two centuries adopting a primarily chronological approach. Besides, there will be a series of classes devoted to specific subjects, countries, and regions, particularly Italian politics and institutions, and key conflicts that broke out outside the European continent during the Cold War.
At the end of the semester, upon interest of the students and possibility, there will be a joint visit to State archives in Rome.
Throughout the semester, the syllabus might be slightly modified.
Testi Di Riferimento
The course is based on two compulsory book:
1) Gildea, R. (2003). Barricades and borders: Europe 1800-1914. OUP Oxford.
2) Brose, E., A History of Europe in the Twentieth Century (2004)
In addition, the teacher will assign compulsory readings/podcasts/historical maps and other material that will be discussed in class on the third class on Friday each week
Metodologie Didattiche
Next to traditional teaching, students will get acquainted with the type and use of primary historical sources that will be discussed in class. Besides, the teacher will integrate traditional teaching with film excerpts, documentary, films, podcasts, regular references to the literature to provide students with a sense of the evolution of the cultural landscape and political ideas and ideals throughout the last two centuries.
Modalità di verifica dell'apprendimento
The exam is made of the following parts:
• 2 mid-term written exams accounting for the 30% of the evaluation each
• A final written exam on the entire program which accounts for the 40% of the final evaluation.
In case studens refuse the average evaluation of the first 2 written tests, their final written exam will deal with the entire programme of the course.
Please note that students CANNOT accept just one evaluation out of the two of the mid-terms exams. Either they accept the average of the evaluation of the two intermediate exams (in this case they will have to do only the final part which accounts for the 40%) OR they will have to do a final written exam on the WHOLE programme of the course.
Criteri per l’assegnazione dell’elaborato finale
Proved high interest in the subject, regular and very active participation.
It's highly suggested to contact the professor to ask for thesis supervision on time and way in advance.
Settimana 1
o Introduction: What is History? What is Contemporary History?
o The Congress of Vienna and the building of post-Napoleonic Europe
o The revolutions of 1830
o Mazzini and the National Idea
Settimana 2
o The Year 1848: a European revolution
o The Italian and German Unification processes
o Socialism and Marxism in the second half of the XIXth century
Settimana 3
o The Ottoman, the Russian, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the XIXth Century
o Imperialism and Colonialism
o Darwinism and the faith in Scientific Progress
Settimana 4
The road to and the outbreak of the First World War:
- The Berlin Congress
- The crises of 1900-1915
- The system of alliances and the outbreak of the IWW
- Giolitti’s Italy
Settimana 5
The First World War
o A “Total” War
o The Paris Peace Conference
o The End of the Empires
+ WRITTEN EXAM on the programme of the first 4 WEEKS (30% of the final evaluation)
Settimana 6
The 1920s
o The Russian Revolution and Civil War
o The Rise of Fascism
o Europe in the 20s
o Fascism and Italian society
Settimana 7
The 1930s
o The 1929 Crisis
o The Rise of Nazism
o Stalinism
o The Sino-Japanese War
o The Holodomor and famines in the USSR
Settimana 8
The Second World War
o The War
o The defeat of Nazism
o The peace treaty and the post-1945 US-led international order
o The Shoah, Nuremberg Trails, and the Foundation of Israel in 1948
Settimana 9
The 1950’s
o The Cold War before and after Stalin’s death in 1953
o Post-War Europe and Italy
+ WRITTEN EXAM on the program of weeks 5-8 (30% of the final evaluation)
Settimana 10
The 1960s and 1970s
o The Brezhnev Era
o The Vietnam War
o The 1973 Oil Crisis
o The “Years of Lead” in Italy
Settimana 11
The 1980s
o The neoliberal turn: Thatcher and Reagan
o The End of the Cold War
o The Collapse of the Soviet Union
o Craxi’s Italy and Tangentopoli
Settimana 12
The 1990s
o Europe after 1991
o European integration
o Ethnic wars in the Balkans
o Italy in the 1990s: the rise of Berlusconi