EARLY MODERN HISTORY I

The course aims to introduce students to historical phenomena placed at the core of “Western modernity”, such as the modern state, confessionalization, individualism, etc. Some sources and the historiographical debate on these themes will be briefly presented during the course. Although the course will focus on the European society, the analysis will take into account a global perspective.

The main goal of the course is to provide students with basic heuristic tools, capable of giving them a better comprehension of the historical processes occurred between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries.

No specific prerequisites required.

The course focuses on some thematical areas that scholars consider pivotal to defining early modern history: communication revolution, globalisation, confessionalization, modern state, Enlightenment and the age of revolutions.

STUDENTS WHO ATTEND CLASSES
a) a thorough handbook of early modern history. Recommended: Carlo Capra, Storia moderna (1492-1848), Milano, Mondadori, 2011;

b) Notes taken during the course.


STUDENTS WHO DO NOT ATTEND CLASSES
a) a thorough handbook of early modern history. Recommended: Carlo Capra, Storia moderna (1492-1848), Milano, Mondadori, 2011.

b) one of the following books:
1. Stephen Greenblatt, The Swerve. How the World Became Modern, New York, Norton, 2011.
2. Lucette Valensi, Stranieri familiari. Musulmani in Europa (XVI-XVIII secolo), Torino, Einaudi, 2013 (first edition in French).
3. John Thornton, African and the Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World, 1400-1800, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1998.
4. Thomas Kaufmann, I redenti e i dannati. Una storia della Riforma, Torino, Einaudi, 2018 (first edition in German).

The students' competence will be verified through a written exam consisting of two questions (with limited space for each answer), the former concerning the handbook and the latter one about the topics of the course. The students who do not attend the course will be requested to answer two questions: the former regarding the handbook and the latter one of the books indicated in the syllabus.

Lectures. Sources will be presented and discussed.

Italian

written