HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

This course is a "characterizing" course of the MA in Comparative International Relations (RIC) for the Americas, East Asia and Eastern Europe paths. It provides students with advanced knowledge of the History of International Relations of the 20th and 21st centuries, with an emphasis on the epistemology and methods of inquiry of the discipline, and on "oil politics". In addition to imparting a range of notions, the course aims to foster critical reflection on some of the major turning points in 20th-century international history and their legacies in more recent times. With its focus on defining the concepts under consideration, the course offers students the opportunity to refine their communication skills with reference to the history of international relations. Finally, with its emphasis on the historical method of inquiry, the course offers students a method to analyze events and processes in the international arena, and to develop original interpretations based on them, beyond the specific subject matter of the course itself.

The expected learning outcomes are:
(a) the consolidation and deepening of critical knowledge of some of the major turning points in the international history of the 20th and early 21st centuries;
(b) a secure knowledge of the literature on international politics and energy issues during the 20th century, with emphasis on the 1970s;
(c) the development of an ability to formulate original and grounded interpretations of the interactions of various international actors with the changing energy landscape of the 1970s;
(d) the development of the ability to critically create, read and interpret a bibliography of international history, and to make critical judgments about international affairs based on sound historical knowledge, beyond the specific subject matter of the course itself;
(e) the development of the ability to communicate one's knowledge with coherence, clarity and precision, and to participate in informed debates about international affairs;
(f) the development of the ability to deepen one's knowledge in the field of international history independently.

This course requires a knowledge base in History and Political Science as per RIC admission requirements, and a basic knowledge of modern and contemporary history as per high school curricula. A good level of English language proficiency (at least B2) is also required. A deep interest in the subject and a serious approach to lectures and readings are not formal requirements, but usually help.

This year's course is devoted primarily to understanding the origins, developments and legacies of the 1973 "oil crisis." The course is divided into three interconnected parts: in the first, we will quickly examine what are normally considered the basic coordinates of international history in the 20th and early 21st centuries to provide the necessary context for our main investigation. In the second, students will become familiar with the international politics of the "oil crisis." In the final part of the course, which will be based on the presentation of independent research papers prepared by students, we will address how, in the current state of historiographical debate, different international actors reacted to the "oil crisis." For the detailed syllabus of the lectures, indicating the readings relevant to each, see the appropriate file in the Moodle space.

In general, students who attend class regularly will prepare the in itinere activities and/or final papers (see below) based on their class notes, the slides and any additional documents uploaded by the teacher on Moodle, the sources needed for their final papers, and a number of articles and book chapters indicated below as "recommended" readings. A detailed syllabus with the readings for each class will be made available by the start of the course. Students who miss a class will have essentially the same syllabus (slides and any documents on Moodle, sources for the paper, and articles/book chapters of recommended texts), but will find a list of suggested readings to make up for the missed lecture.

Recommended readings (nb: provisional list)
R. Graf, "Energy history and energy histories," Docupedia-Zeitgeschichte, 2023
R. Graf, "Making Use of the 'Oil Weapon': Western Industrialized Countries and Arab Petropolitics in 1973-1974," Diplomatic History, 2012
F. Petrini, "Public interest, private profits: multinational corporations, governments and the advent of the first oil crisis," Business and Economic History Online, 2014
G. Garavini, "Completing decolonization: the 1973 'oil shock' and the struggle for economic rights," Journal of International History, 2011.
G. Garavini, After Empires. European integration in the North-South clash, 2009, pp. 243-272 (and notes)
D. Basosi, Finance and Oil. The United States, black gold and the international political economy, 2012
D. Basosi, "World Power in the U.S. 'Crisis' Years, 1968-1980," in M. Campus (ed.), Development, Crisis, Integration. Topics in the history of international relations for the 21st century, 2012
D. Basosi, "Oil, Dollars and U.S. Power in the 1970s: Re-Viewing the Connections," Journal of Energy History, 2020
Francisco Parra, Oil Politics, 2004 (selected pages)
Fiona Venn, The Okay Crisis, 2002 (selected pages)

Suggested readings (NB: tentative list))
F. Romero, International History of the Contemporary Age, 2012, chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

The assessment of learning can take two forms (at their discretion): in itinere with "short" final exam or by a "long" final exam. The two different modes of assessment are specifically described in the detailed course syllabus available on Moodle. IN any case, both modes require writing and discussing a final paper on a topic to be agreed upon with the professor well in advance of the examination dates.

The course includes lectures by the teacher and interactive classes in which the students will discuss the assigned readings or present their own research. Attendance is not compulsory but is highly recommended and requires in-depth individual study of the recommended readings before each class (see detailed program below). The in itinere tests will not only be used to determine the final grade, but will also serve as teaching tools to improve one's study over the course of the semester. A dedicated forum and specific materials, as well as specific assessment activities, will be made available on Moodle for students with enrollment code "701".

Italian

Questo syllabus non è definitivo e potrà subire modifiche prima dell'inizio del semestre. A detailed class schedule containing the indication of lesson topics and pertaining readings is available in the Moodle space of the class. Students with disabilities can contact the Disability and Accessibility Office (disabilita@unive.it) to take advantage of the services available (e.g. alternative examination methods, readers, etc.). The teacher is easily available for questions concerning the course at his office hours and by email at duccio.basosi@unive.it. Emails have to be written in a formal style. Please use my e-mail address parsimoniously and do not think of it as an instant messaging app, nor as a customer care service: it is neither. Emails should not ask questions whose answer can be found in the information contained in this syllabus (e.g.: "what are the readings for this course?", etc.). Students interested in carrying out a master's degree thesis in History of international relations can ask the teacher, after passing the exam, for the guidelines for the thesis (by writing directly to duccio.basosi@unive.it).

oral

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