History of International Politics
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
To provide students with several tools to better understand the current state of Euro-American relations, the course will analyze the history of the political, economic and cultural relations between US and the European countries in the frame of the wider international developments of the XX century.
In particular, the course will explore the cooperation, competition and conflicts factors that have shaped the transatlantic relations since 1898 up to present days; it will be therefore devoted particular attention both to bilateral relations between US and the major European countries, and to relations between US and the European Community as part of the larger Atlantic Community.
Our methodological approach will privilege a critical examination of the most qualified trends in historiography and a rigorous analysis of the available primary sources, with the goal to make students able to apply acquired knowledge to the analysis of the complexity of the present world, also through the assignment of original research papers.
In particular, the course will explore the cooperation, competition and conflicts factors that have shaped the transatlantic relations since 1898 up to present days; it will be therefore devoted particular attention both to bilateral relations between US and the major European countries, and to relations between US and the European Community as part of the larger Atlantic Community.
Our methodological approach will privilege a critical examination of the most qualified trends in historiography and a rigorous analysis of the available primary sources, with the goal to make students able to apply acquired knowledge to the analysis of the complexity of the present world, also through the assignment of original research papers.
Expected learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will have acquired the tools necessary to apply their knowledge to the analysis of the complexity of the present world; with this aim, the methodological approach will privilege a critical examination of the most qualified trends in historiography and a rigorous analysis of the available primary sources, also through the assignment of original research papers.
Lesson period: Second trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second trimester
Course syllabus
The first unit will focus on international relations between Europe and the United States since the end of the 19th century up to the Second World War, with particular attention to the origins and the evolution of the Anglo-American special relationship. The following will be analyzed: American imperialism, its characters and implications on relations between the Old and the New world; the inheritances of the First World War on relations between the US and the UK; British contribution to the League of Nations project; British and American behaviour with regards to authoritarianism and totalitarianism in Europe and in the Pacific; how much personalities mattered in international politics between the 1920s and the 1940s, focusing on the personalities of Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt and their staff.
The second unit will focus on international relations between Europe and the Unites States during the first decades of the Cold War. Thanks to primary sources the following will be analyzed: political, economic and cultural cooperation between NATO members; how much Labour Party in Great Britain and personalities such as that of Ernst Bevin mattered in forging British post-war policy and British-American relationship; the moments of strength and weakness in the special relationship; British and American policies towards others countries and regions such as China, the Middle East and, in more general terms, the newly independent States; the special relationship in the years of Dwight Eisenhower and John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
The third unit will focus on international relations between the United States and Europe in the last decades of the XXth century and on the evolution of the special relationship after the end of the Cold War, with particular attention to the new conflicts of the post-bipolar era, such as the Gulf and the Kosovo wars.
The part played by the personalities and the main figures of american and british ambassadors in the XXth century will be analysed in depth.
The second unit will focus on international relations between Europe and the Unites States during the first decades of the Cold War. Thanks to primary sources the following will be analyzed: political, economic and cultural cooperation between NATO members; how much Labour Party in Great Britain and personalities such as that of Ernst Bevin mattered in forging British post-war policy and British-American relationship; the moments of strength and weakness in the special relationship; British and American policies towards others countries and regions such as China, the Middle East and, in more general terms, the newly independent States; the special relationship in the years of Dwight Eisenhower and John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
The third unit will focus on international relations between the United States and Europe in the last decades of the XXth century and on the evolution of the special relationship after the end of the Cold War, with particular attention to the new conflicts of the post-bipolar era, such as the Gulf and the Kosovo wars.
The part played by the personalities and the main figures of american and british ambassadors in the XXth century will be analysed in depth.
Prerequisites for admission
A basic knowledge of Contemporary History, of its main actors and events that characterized international history during the 20th Century is required
Teaching methods
Classes will be frontal lectures conducted with the support of telematic instruments, methodological seminars, laboratories, seminars with experts, analysis of historical documentaries and movies.
Whoever may wish to discuss the final thesis in History of International politics is invited to attend classes.
Whoever may wish to discuss the final thesis in History of International politics is invited to attend classes.
Teaching Resources
Mariele Merlati, Guerre umanitarie, Realpolitik e Special Relationship. La Gran Bretagna e il conflitto ispano-americano del 1898. EUROSTUDIUM3W, vol. n. 45, p. 100-115, 2017 (http://www.eurostudium.eu/Eurostudium45/merlati.pdf)
(due to an error on the review's website, the article is available on the professor's ARIEL page)
Richie Ovendale, Anglo-American Relations in the Twentieth Century, MacMillan 1998
Jussi M. Hanhimaki, Benedikt Schoenborn, Barbara Zanchetta (a cura di), Transatlantic Relations since 1945, Routledge, New York, 2012
John Dumbrell, A Special Relationship. Anglo-American Relations in the Cold War and After, Palgrave Macmillan, 2001
Attending students:
In addition to the book-texts indicated above, attending students are required to be familiar with the content examined during classes (historical literature, primary and secondary sources, diplomatic documents, press, memoirs and so on). All content will be made available to the class on Professor Merlati's Ariel site.
Within the scope of groups' works, attending students will be also required to read the volumes:
D. Jett, American Ambassadors : the Past, Present, and Future of America's Diplomats, Palgrave Macmillan, 2015;
Mariele Merlati, Ambassadors to India. Chester Bowles, John K. Galbraith e Robert F. Goheen a Nuova Delhi, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2000
(due to an error on the review's website, the article is available on the professor's ARIEL page)
Richie Ovendale, Anglo-American Relations in the Twentieth Century, MacMillan 1998
Jussi M. Hanhimaki, Benedikt Schoenborn, Barbara Zanchetta (a cura di), Transatlantic Relations since 1945, Routledge, New York, 2012
John Dumbrell, A Special Relationship. Anglo-American Relations in the Cold War and After, Palgrave Macmillan, 2001
Attending students:
In addition to the book-texts indicated above, attending students are required to be familiar with the content examined during classes (historical literature, primary and secondary sources, diplomatic documents, press, memoirs and so on). All content will be made available to the class on Professor Merlati's Ariel site.
Within the scope of groups' works, attending students will be also required to read the volumes:
D. Jett, American Ambassadors : the Past, Present, and Future of America's Diplomats, Palgrave Macmillan, 2015;
Mariele Merlati, Ambassadors to India. Chester Bowles, John K. Galbraith e Robert F. Goheen a Nuova Delhi, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2000
Assessment methods and Criteria
Attending students will be asked to work in teams to write a brief paper that will be presented to the class. Papers will focus on international diplomacy in the XXth century and on some of its main personalities. Groups' works should demonstrate students' methodological and terminological knowledge as well as team-work skills and will make up 30 % of the final evaluation. The final exam will be an oral one. Students will be asked to demonstrate not only the knowledge acquired but also an ability in critical and autonomous thinking as well as in using the adequate terminology.
Unità didattica 1
SPS/06 - HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unità didattica 2
SPS/06 - HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unità didattica 3
SPS/06 - HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)