Contemporary History

The course reconstructs the main turning points of contemporary socio-political and cultural history, taking as its guiding thread the analysis of the processes of massification that have shaped the Western world between the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries. Particular attention will be devoted to the emergence of mass society, the gradual expansion of political participation, the development of modern ideologies, the transformation of communication and propaganda systems, and the dynamics that led to the rise of contemporary globalization.
To this end, the course will examine key concepts such as "nationalism", "imperialism", "revolution", "totalitarianism", "massification", "extermination", "gender", and "globalization", analysing their historical evolution and their role in the construction of contemporary societies. Particular emphasis will also be placed on the relationship between politics, public opinion, and the instruments of mass communication, from the press and political propaganda to contemporary media.
The course will retrace the major events and fundamental processes of the twentieth century, while also addressing the transformations that prepared their emergence in the nineteenth century and those that have reshaped their legacy in the twenty-first century.

By the end of the course, students will have become familiar with the main turning points and fundamental processes of the contemporary world. They will also be able to establish spatio-temporal connections and to understand the complex dynamics of the contemporary age, using appropriate terminology to express clearly and effectively concepts related to the political, institutional, economic, and cultural processes of contemporary history. At the end of the course, students will also be able to critically analyse historiographical works and to use the main research tools, including digital ones, for the study and analysis of sources. These specialised skills will be developed through continuous and direct engagement with the lecturer; during the lessons, discussion of the proposed sources will constitute not only a moment of collective critical reflection, but also a tool for methodological learning.