CONTEMPORARY HISTORY 1

The present course is one of the basic courses for the degree in Languages, Civilisation and the Science of Language. It aims to provide students with the first methodological tools in contemporary history. Objectives of the course are: to develop a capacity for reflection on contemporary European history and to provide basic methodological tools for the historical analysis of the present and for the comparison of national histories. Achieving these goals allows the student to acquire the basic knowledge for the historical understanding of present Europe, and to reflect on its conditions independently.

The course aims at the following learning objectives:
a) knowledge and basic understanding of the main political, social and cultural changes in European contemporary history;
b) ability to apply this knowledge to the understanding and interpretation of the contemporary world;
c) enhancement of autonomous judgement through classroom discussions;
d) improvement of communication capabilities by classroom presentations on a voluntary basis;
e) development and consolidation of skills in the reading of scholarly texts and sources, and of awareness regarding the history of concepts.

Knowledge of contemporary history at high school level.

The course, in addition to providing basic knowledge of events and periods of European contemporary political history between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, will put the accent on the formation of the concepts of nation and Europe. Some of these aspects can be explored through the reading and discussion in the classroom of various sources and other material.
Among the topics addressed:
- On the concept of Europe: origins and present uses
- The French Revolution and the Napoleonic age
- Revolution and reaction
- From the Restoration to the revolution of 1848
- On the concept of Nation
- Nation States after 1850
- The creation of national identities
- Russia and the concept of Eastern Europe
- World War I
- The nineteen twenties and thirties
- Fascism, Nazism, Shoah
- After the Second World War
- Europe between nation, region and globalization

Compelling readings:
R. PETRI: Meanings of Europe and Meanings in History, in: “History: The Journal of the Historical Association” 103 (2018), n. 356, pp. 401-417;
R. PETRI: The Resurgence of the Region in the Context of European Integration, in Arndt Bauerkämper, Hartmut Kaelble, Gesellschaft in der europäischen Integration seit den 1950er Jahren, Stuttgart, Franz Steiner Verlag, 2012, pp. 159-171 (download from the Moodle page related to this course);
A. M. THIESSE: La creazione delle identità nazionali in Europa, Bologna, Mulino, 2004, pp. 19-125.

Textbook: Storia contemporanea. Dal Congresso di Vienna ai giorni nostri, Edizioni Simone: Napoli 2015, Chapters IV, VI (paragraphs 1-7), VIII (par. 4-6), X-XIV, XV (par. 9-14) and XVI (par . 3). In the 2015 edition, these correspond to the pages 5-71, 73, 86-96, 104-180, 192-202, 205-207, 212-214.

The proficiency test consists of two parts, which account for 50 percent of the vote each:
• i) answers of about 100 words to five different questions, referable to the events covered in the indicated pages of the textbook "Dal Congresso di Vienna ai giorni nostri" (up to 15 points);
• ii) a classroom essay on a subject communicated by the teacher at the beginning of the exam, which must be treated on the basis of one or more of the compulsory readings in the reading program (up to 15 points).

Given the Covid-19 health emergency, the proficiency test will be held ONLINE in the open book modus, through the use of the Moodle platform, and interaction with the teacher requiring also the use of google Meet and your @stud.unive account.

IMPORTANT! The examination is strictly limited to students who are regularly registered to the exam via the online registration procedure.

The prevailing teaching method is lecturing. Students are invited to contribute with critical questions and comments to the classroom discussion. They will also have the opportunity of presenting texts on a voluntary basis.

Italian

It is recommended that you download and carefully read the moodle materials related to this course.

written