• Teaching hours: 64 • Language: English

The course provides an essential knowledge of the history of Europe and the world from the Congress of Vienna to the present day. 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. The course also aims to provide the essential tools to analyse and discuss specific historical categories, concepts, ideas, and political and social phenomena – such as nationalism, imperialism, decolonisation, socialism, communism, totalitarianism, and the post-1945 international order.

The course deals with the main historical events of the last two centuries, primarily through a chronological approach. The first half of the course (Weeks 1–6) covers the long nineteenth century and the interwar period; the second half (Weeks 7–12) is devoted to the Second World War, the Cold War, and the contemporary international order. Throughout the semester, the syllabus may be slightly modified.

Main textbook (entire course): • John Merriman, A History of Modern Europe: From the Renaissance to the Present (most recent edition). Required reading for the post-1945 period (Weeks 8–12): • Ian Kershaw, Roller-Coaster: Europe, 1950–2017 (Allen Lane, 2018) – selected chapters as specified by week. In-class primary sources. Each instructor may also introduce primary sources in class – for example, excerpts from Marx’s Communist Manifesto, contemporary speeches, declarations, treaties, or short audio/podcast materials. Primary sources discussed in class form part of the examined programme. Each instructor reserves the right to assign additional readings for in-class discussion during the semester.

Alongside traditional teaching, students will be introduced to the use of primary historical sources discussed in class. Each instructor will integrate lectures with film excerpts, documentaries, podcasts, and references to the literature in order to give students a sense of the evolution of the cultural landscape, political ideas, and ideals throughout the last two centuries.

The examination consists of a mid-term and a final exam, structured as follows. Mid-term examination • Held during the didactic break week, covering Weeks 1–6. • Format: 1 hour, scored out of 31/30. • 10 multiple-choice questions (1 point each) = 10 points. • 5 definitions (2 points each) = 10 points. • 3 open questions based on an excerpt, map, or cartoon (3, 4, and 4 points) = 11 points. Final examination A written exam divided into two parts on the same day: • First stage: 10 multiple-choice questions in 10 minutes. A score of 7/10 yields a mark of 18/30 and enables the student to proceed to the second stage (or to accept the 18/30 as a final result). • Optional second stage (1 hour 30 minutes total): 3 open questions. Each open question is scored out of 31/30; the final mark is the average of the three scores. Candidates manage their time as they wish within the 90-minute window. Programme covered by the final examination • Students who took and passed the mid-term: the final examination covers only the second half of the programme (Weeks 7–12). • Students who did not take, did not pass, or did not accept the result of the mid-term: the final examination covers the entire programme (Weeks 1–12).

Proven high interest in the subject, regular and active participation in class. Students are strongly advised to contact the instructor well in advance to discuss the possibility of thesis supervision.