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 for defining early modern history: the 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.

c) one of the following books:
1. Roger Chartier, La mano dell'autore, la mente dello stampatore. Cultura e scrittura nell'Europa moderna, Roma, Carocci, 2015.
2. Lucette Valensi, Stranieri familiari. Musulmani in Europa (XVI-XVIII secolo), Torino, Einaudi, 2013.
3. Sanjay Subrahmanyan, Vita e leggenda di Vasco da Gama, Roma, Carocci, 2016.
4. Jack Goldstone, Perché l’Europa? L’ascesa dell’Occidente nella storia mondiale, 1500-1850, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.
5. Thomas Kaufmann, I redenti e i dannati. Una storia della Riforma, Torino, Einaudi, 2018.
6. Vincenzo Ferrone, Il mondo dell'Illuminismo. Storia di una rivoluzione culturale, Torino, Einaudi, 2019.

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. Roger Chartier, La mano dell'autore, la mente dello stampatore. Cultura e scrittura nell'Europa moderna, Roma, Carocci, 2015.
2. Lucette Valensi, Stranieri familiari. Musulmani in Europa (XVI-XVIII secolo), Torino, Einaudi, 2013.
3. Sanjay Subrahmanyan, Vita e leggenda di Vasco da Gama, Roma, Carocci, 2016.
4. Jack Goldstone, Perché l’Europa? L’ascesa dell’Occidente nella storia mondiale, 1500-1850, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.
5. Thomas Kaufmann, I redenti e i dannati. Una storia della Riforma, Torino, Einaudi, 2018.
6. Vincenzo Ferrone, Il mondo dell'Illuminismo. Storia di una rivoluzione culturale, Torino, Einaudi, 2019.

c) Introduzione alla storia moderna, a cura di M. Bellabarba e V. Lavenia, Bologna, il Mulino, 2018.

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 of the recommended books. The students who do not attend the course will be requested to anwer a third question regarding the book Introduzione alla storia moderna.

Lectures. Sources will be presented and discussed.

Italian

written