Contemporary History
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
The course primarily aims to provide students with a critical understanding of 19th and 20th century contemporary history with an eye towards knowledge of the history of Italian, European and international political institutions.
A key focus is placed on examining the main strands of contemporary historiographical debate from three angles: analysing the economic, social and cultural aspects of the major changes that occurred in the 19th and 20th centuries; developing a cross-cutting approach to the core issues of contemporary history; adopting a global approach that looks beyond the traditional Eurocentric perspective but rather is geared towards understanding international dynamics.
Face-to-face lectures encourage students to critically engage in classroom discussions and their active participation is sought so that they may acquire the fundamental methodological tools to understand historiographical debate and use the most appropriate terminology to accurately present what they have learnt.
A key focus is placed on examining the main strands of contemporary historiographical debate from three angles: analysing the economic, social and cultural aspects of the major changes that occurred in the 19th and 20th centuries; developing a cross-cutting approach to the core issues of contemporary history; adopting a global approach that looks beyond the traditional Eurocentric perspective but rather is geared towards understanding international dynamics.
Face-to-face lectures encourage students to critically engage in classroom discussions and their active participation is sought so that they may acquire the fundamental methodological tools to understand historiographical debate and use the most appropriate terminology to accurately present what they have learnt.
Expected learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will know and understand the core issues of 19th and 20th century contemporary history, the political institutions at play and the economic, social and cultural aspects.
Furthermore, students will learn to think critically and comprehensively with a broad view of major contemporary issues and an approach that tends towards analysing the international dimension.
By actively participating in lectures, students will also acquire the subject-specific methodology and develop their communication skills by adopting the appropriate vocabulary.
Furthermore, students will learn to think critically and comprehensively with a broad view of major contemporary issues and an approach that tends towards analysing the international dimension.
By actively participating in lectures, students will also acquire the subject-specific methodology and develop their communication skills by adopting the appropriate vocabulary.
Lesson period: First trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
A-K
Responsible
Lesson period
First trimester
Course syllabus
The course is structured into three modules:
1)
Introduction to contemporary history.
The "age of empires": main aspects
Liberalism, socialism, nationalism
The second industrial revolution and colonialism
2)
The First World War: causes and consequences.
The Russian Revolution
Perfect and imperfect totalitarianism: essential aspects.
The Second World War
3)
The First Republic.
The origins of the Cold War
Tensions and conflicts in the Middle East: The State of Israel and the Arab-Israeli wars.
Decolonization
The Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War and '68
The 1970s in perspective: a decade of change
The end of the Cold War: issues, interpretations, periodization.
The main challenges of the 21st century
1)
Introduction to contemporary history.
The "age of empires": main aspects
Liberalism, socialism, nationalism
The second industrial revolution and colonialism
2)
The First World War: causes and consequences.
The Russian Revolution
Perfect and imperfect totalitarianism: essential aspects.
The Second World War
3)
The First Republic.
The origins of the Cold War
Tensions and conflicts in the Middle East: The State of Israel and the Arab-Israeli wars.
Decolonization
The Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War and '68
The 1970s in perspective: a decade of change
The end of the Cold War: issues, interpretations, periodization.
The main challenges of the 21st century
Teaching methods
The duration of the course is 40 hours, with lectures of two hours each. Seminar lessons are planned with the presence of scholars and experts. Each lesson involves the use of multimedia material and the use of online resources. Course attendance, class discussion and student participation are particularly recommended
Teaching Resources
ATTENDING STUDENTS
The course textbook:
Fulvio Cammarano, Giulia Guazzaloca, M. Serena Piretti, Storia contemporanea. Dal XIX al XXI secolo, Mondadori Education, 2° edizione, 2015, Mondadori Education, 2nd edition, 2015.
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
For the general part, the course textbook:
Fulvio Cammarano, Giulia Guazzaloca, M. Serena Piretti, Storia contemporanea. Dal XIX al XXI secolo, Mondadori Education, 2° edizione, 2015., Mondadori Education, 2nd edition, 2015
Also one of the following books:
- David Reynolds, Summit. I sei incontri che hanno segnato il ventesimo secolo, Corbaccio Editore, 2007
- Federico Romero, Storia della guerra fredda. L'ultimo conflitto per l'Europa, Torino, Einaudi, 2009.
The course textbook:
Fulvio Cammarano, Giulia Guazzaloca, M. Serena Piretti, Storia contemporanea. Dal XIX al XXI secolo, Mondadori Education, 2° edizione, 2015, Mondadori Education, 2nd edition, 2015.
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
For the general part, the course textbook:
Fulvio Cammarano, Giulia Guazzaloca, M. Serena Piretti, Storia contemporanea. Dal XIX al XXI secolo, Mondadori Education, 2° edizione, 2015., Mondadori Education, 2nd edition, 2015
Also one of the following books:
- David Reynolds, Summit. I sei incontri che hanno segnato il ventesimo secolo, Corbaccio Editore, 2007
- Federico Romero, Storia della guerra fredda. L'ultimo conflitto per l'Europa, Torino, Einaudi, 2009.
Assessment methods and Criteria
ATTENDING STUDENTS
The final exam will be an oral test on the most relevant episodes and turning points in contemporary history from the 19th to the 21st century. The main aim of the exam will be knowledge of the topics covered during the course and analysed in the textbook.
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
The final exam will be an oral test on the most relevant episodes and turning points in contemporary history from the 19th to the 21st century. The main aim of the exam will be knowledge of the topics covered in the textbook and in one of the selected readings.
The final exam will be an oral test on the most relevant episodes and turning points in contemporary history from the 19th to the 21st century. The main aim of the exam will be knowledge of the topics covered during the course and analysed in the textbook.
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
The final exam will be an oral test on the most relevant episodes and turning points in contemporary history from the 19th to the 21st century. The main aim of the exam will be knowledge of the topics covered in the textbook and in one of the selected readings.
L-Z
Responsible
Lesson period
First trimester
Course syllabus
Through a social and cultural perspective, the course will be divided in three main parts talking about contemporary history, according to the periodization formulated by the British historian Eric J. Hobsbawm. The course's first part will be dedicated to the history of the Nineteenth century from the three industrial, American and French revolutions to the outbreak of the first world war. The second part, instead, will concern the development of totalitarianism in Russia, Italy and Germany during the first post-war period and the second world war. Finally, the third part will focus on the cold war period and the rise of global bipolarism between the United States and Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991 and the making of Islamic terrorism. Therefore, the course will emphasize the following topics:
- the modern ideologies: liberalism, socialism, nationalism
- the rise of the political parties and national identities (Italy, Germany, United States, Japan)
- second industrial revolution and colonialism
- Great War, Russian Revolution and Fascism
- Nazism and the Second World War
- the Truman Doctrine and decolonization
- the Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam War and '68
- the Oil Shock and the far-left and far-right terrorisms
- neoliberalism, glasnost and perestroika
- from the fall of Berlin wall to September 11
- the modern ideologies: liberalism, socialism, nationalism
- the rise of the political parties and national identities (Italy, Germany, United States, Japan)
- second industrial revolution and colonialism
- Great War, Russian Revolution and Fascism
- Nazism and the Second World War
- the Truman Doctrine and decolonization
- the Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam War and '68
- the Oil Shock and the far-left and far-right terrorisms
- neoliberalism, glasnost and perestroika
- from the fall of Berlin wall to September 11
Prerequisites for admission
No requirements.
Teaching methods
The course will be held through frontal lectures with the use of power points by the teacher.
Teaching Resources
For the attending students:
- Giovanni Sabbatucci, Vittorio Vidotto, Il mondo contemporaneo, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2019, chapters 1-17.
- Federico Romero, Storia della guerra fredda. L'ultimo conflitto per l'Europa, Torino, Einaudi, 2009.
For the non-attending students:
- Giovanni Sabbatucci, Vittorio Vidotto, Il mondo contemporaneo, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2019, capitoli 1-17.
- Federico Romero, Storia della guerra fredda. L'ultimo conflitto per l'Europa, Torino, Einaudi, 2009.
- Guido Crainz, Il paese reale. Dall'assassinio di Moro all'Italia di oggi, Roma, Donzelli, 2013.
- Giovanni Sabbatucci, Vittorio Vidotto, Il mondo contemporaneo, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2019, chapters 1-17.
- Federico Romero, Storia della guerra fredda. L'ultimo conflitto per l'Europa, Torino, Einaudi, 2009.
For the non-attending students:
- Giovanni Sabbatucci, Vittorio Vidotto, Il mondo contemporaneo, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2019, capitoli 1-17.
- Federico Romero, Storia della guerra fredda. L'ultimo conflitto per l'Europa, Torino, Einaudi, 2009.
- Guido Crainz, Il paese reale. Dall'assassinio di Moro all'Italia di oggi, Roma, Donzelli, 2013.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral exam with questions on the books and the slides that have been faced during the course's lessons.
M-STO/04 - CONTEMPORARY HISTORY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Landolfi Francesco
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)