LABOUR HISTORY

The course is among the Core Educational Activities of the Bachelor's degree course in History.
The aim of the course is the knowledge of Italian Labour History, from the Industrial Revolution to present time.

Knowledge and understanding:
- knowledge of the major features of Italian Labour History
- knowledge of the major events and processes of the historical period
- knowledge of the more relevant historical sources of Labour History
- comprehension of the interdisciplinary nature of labour issues (history, economics, sociology, anthropology)

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
- ability to critical analysis of Labour History sources
- ability to situate in time the labour changes
- ability to recognize the historical dimension of labour problems in present times

Communication skills:
- participating in a collective discussion with a proper terminology
- critically describing a source

General knowledge of Italian contemporary history.

The Workers in Italian History

The course sets out to provide the knowledge of Labour History in Italy from the Industrial Revolution to present time, focusing on the making of the working class and the cultures of labour. During the lessons, we will discuss types of workers belonging to different worlds (city and country; men and women; artisans, factory workers, service workers), drawing on a large range of documents, such as novels, films, inquiries and autobiographies.

1. Stefano Gallo, Fabrizio Loreto, Storia del lavoro nell’Italia contemporanea, il Mulino, Bologna 2023
2. A book of choice from the following:
[Plini Palma], Diario di un’operaia di fabbrica, Edizioni Dehoniane, Bologna 1968
Nanni Balestrini, Vogliamo tutto, Feltrinelli, Milano 1971
Tommaso Di Ciaula Di Ciaula, Tuta blu. Ire, ricordi e sogni di un operaio del sud, prefazione di Paolo Volponi, Feltrinelli, Milano 1978
Alberto Prunetti, Amianto. Una storia operaia, Agenzia X, Milano 2012
Vitaliano Trevisan, Works, Einaudi, Torino 2016
(other titles may be added before and during the lessons)

The examination will consist of an oral discussion not of a notional nature but aimed at testing the ability to describe the major processes of change in contemporary work with appropriate vocabulary. Students will be asked to present and comment on a freely chosen image or object related to the topics covered in the course, in addition to the bibliography.

70% lectures, 30% sources reading and discussion.

Italian

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development