History and Geography of Contemporary Italy
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with basic knowledge of the contemporary history and geography of Italy. Such a temporal and spatial approach is useful from a learning perspective to understand the main historical and territorial processes of contemporary Italy and to provide the tools to introduce foreign students to Italy's complex material and immaterial heritage.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course the student must have acquired the capacity to interpret the Italian territory and heritage from a historical-geographical point of view, as well as having developed the ability to recognise the different Italian historical-territorial structures.
Lesson period: Second semester
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
Lesson period
Second semester
Prerequisites for admission
Basic knowledge of contemporary history and general geography, useful for contextualizing historical and territorial phenomena in Italy.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral interview on the topics covered in the course, aimed at assessing students' knowledge of the main historical and geographical processes that have characterized contemporary Italy. Students will be required to demonstrate critical analysis skills and mastery of basic disciplinary language. Particular attention will be paid to the ability to link historical phenomena to specific territorial transformations and to interpret Italian processes within a global framework. The exam program is valid for one academic year from the end of the course.
Geografia
Course syllabus
The course on Contemporary Italian History and Geography analyzes the historical, political, socioeconomic, and territorial evolution of the country from the post-World War II period to the present day, highlighting the main dynamics that have shaped contemporary Italy. The historical part will explore the major historical and political turning points and the main economic, social, and cultural transformations from the end of World War II to the 21st century, with a focus on the role of the Italian Republic in the international context. The geographical section explores the territorial, productive, demographic, and environmental transformations of contemporary Italy, with particular attention to territorial disparities, extensive urbanization processes, and the geographical interpretation of dynamics related to production systems, migration, and climate change. The aim is to offer an integrated view of recent Italian history and geography, highlighting the links between historical processes, territorial structures, and current socio-cultural issues.
Teaching methods
Lectures aimed at providing general and conceptual frameworks; participatory lessons with discussion of case studies, maps, historical sources, and statistics; dialogic lessons and seminar activities to stimulate critical debate.
Teaching Resources
EXAM PROGRAM FOR REGULAR STUDENTS:
Teaching unit - Geography (Prof.ssa Galimberti):
- notes taken during lessons and materials provided by the geography teacher;
- text study: Daniela Pasquinelli D'Allegra (2022), The Geography of Italy. Identity, Landscapes, Regions. New edition, Rome, Carocci (CHAPTER 3 ONLY).
- study of the text: Mauro Varotto (2025), Il primo libro di Geografia (The First Book of Geography), Turin, Einaudi (INTRODUCTION AND CHAPTER 1 ONLY).
EXAM PROGRAM FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:
Teaching unit - Geography (Prof.ssa Galimberti):
- complete study of the text: Daniela Pasquinelli D'Allegra (2022), La geografia dell'Italia. Identità, paesaggi, regioni. Nuova edizione, Rome, Carocci (THE ENTIRE BOOK).
- Text study: Mauro Varotto (2025), Il primo libro di Geografia (The First Geography Book), Turin, Einaudi (INTRODUCTION AND CHAPTERS 1, 4, 5, 6 ONLY).
- Text study: Emanuela Dattolo, Domenico D'Alelio (2023), Anthropica. Viaggio nell'Italia del cambiamento ambientale (Anthropica: Journey through Italy's environmental change), Milan, Hoepli. (PROLOGUE AND ONE CHAPTER OF YOUR CHOICE ONLY).
Teaching unit - Geography (Prof.ssa Galimberti):
- notes taken during lessons and materials provided by the geography teacher;
- text study: Daniela Pasquinelli D'Allegra (2022), The Geography of Italy. Identity, Landscapes, Regions. New edition, Rome, Carocci (CHAPTER 3 ONLY).
- study of the text: Mauro Varotto (2025), Il primo libro di Geografia (The First Book of Geography), Turin, Einaudi (INTRODUCTION AND CHAPTER 1 ONLY).
EXAM PROGRAM FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:
Teaching unit - Geography (Prof.ssa Galimberti):
- complete study of the text: Daniela Pasquinelli D'Allegra (2022), La geografia dell'Italia. Identità, paesaggi, regioni. Nuova edizione, Rome, Carocci (THE ENTIRE BOOK).
- Text study: Mauro Varotto (2025), Il primo libro di Geografia (The First Geography Book), Turin, Einaudi (INTRODUCTION AND CHAPTERS 1, 4, 5, 6 ONLY).
- Text study: Emanuela Dattolo, Domenico D'Alelio (2023), Anthropica. Viaggio nell'Italia del cambiamento ambientale (Anthropica: Journey through Italy's environmental change), Milan, Hoepli. (PROLOGUE AND ONE CHAPTER OF YOUR CHOICE ONLY).
Storia
Course syllabus
The course on Contemporary Italian History and Geography analyzes the historical, political, socioeconomic, and territorial evolution of the country from the post-World War II period to the present day, highlighting the main dynamics that have shaped contemporary Italy. The historical part will explore the major historical and political turning points and the main economic, social, and cultural transformations from the end of World War II to the 21st century, with a focus on the role of the Italian Republic in the international context. The geographical section explores the territorial, productive, demographic, and environmental transformations of contemporary Italy, with particular attention to territorial disparities, extensive urbanization processes, and the geographical interpretation of dynamics related to production systems, migration, and climate change. The aim is to offer an integrated view of recent Italian history and geography, highlighting the links between historical processes, territorial structures, and current socio-cultural issues.
Teaching methods
Lectures aimed at providing general and conceptual frameworks; participatory lessons with discussion of case studies, maps, historical sources, and statistics; dialogic lessons and seminar activities to stimulate critical debate.
Teaching Resources
EXAM PROGRAM FOR REGULAR STUDENTS:
Teaching unit - History (Prof.ssa Cerami):
- notes taken during lessons and slides provided by the history teacher;
- study of the text: Giovanni Sabbatucci - Vittorio Vidotto (2019-2025), Il mondo contemporaneo, Bari-Rome, Laterza (chapters 15, 17, 20, 26, 31)
- recommended reading: Guido Formigoni, Storia essenziale dell'Italia repubblicana, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2021 (chapters 9-10-11-12)
EXAM PROGRAM FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:
Teaching unit - History (Prof.ssa Cerami):
- text study: Giovanni Sabbatucci - Vittorio Vidotto (2019-2025), Il mondo contemporaneo, Bari-Rome, Laterza (chapters 15, 17, 20, 26, 31)
- complete study of the text: Guido Formigoni, Storia essenziale dell'Italia repubblicana, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2021.
Teaching unit - History (Prof.ssa Cerami):
- notes taken during lessons and slides provided by the history teacher;
- study of the text: Giovanni Sabbatucci - Vittorio Vidotto (2019-2025), Il mondo contemporaneo, Bari-Rome, Laterza (chapters 15, 17, 20, 26, 31)
- recommended reading: Guido Formigoni, Storia essenziale dell'Italia repubblicana, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2021 (chapters 9-10-11-12)
EXAM PROGRAM FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:
Teaching unit - History (Prof.ssa Cerami):
- text study: Giovanni Sabbatucci - Vittorio Vidotto (2019-2025), Il mondo contemporaneo, Bari-Rome, Laterza (chapters 15, 17, 20, 26, 31)
- complete study of the text: Guido Formigoni, Storia essenziale dell'Italia repubblicana, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2021.
Modules or teaching units
Geografia
M-GGR/01 - GEOGRAPHY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor:
Galimberti Beatrice
Storia
M-STO/04 - CONTEMPORARY HISTORY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor:
Cerami Carola