Learning objectives
At the end of the course the student will be able to: a) contextualize the major historical events of the modern age in the more general framework of political, economic, social and cultural life of early modern Europe in its interrelations with non-European countries; b ) demonstrate awareness of the complexity of the roots of contemporary Europe c) apply the knowledge gained to critical analysis and interpretation of historical sources and iconography relating to the events studied.
Prerequisites
Basic cognitive requirements
Course unit content
The course consists of a critical overview of main issues and problems of the early modern age, from discovery of America at the age of Revolutions.
Full programme
The course consists of a critical overview of main issues and problems of the early modern age, from discovery of America at the age of Revolutions. After a methodological introduction to the study of the discipline, the course aims to offer students an overview of the main problematic issues related to the modern age focusing attention with a comparative cut on the political, social, cultural and economic phenomena that characterized the path towards modernity. With the help of written and iconographic sources, the following macro-themes will be addressed for the period between the second half of the fifteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century: periodization, the measurement of time, the society and the environment, consumption and trade networks, work and slavery, migration, the emergence of capitalism, wars and violence, the forms of the sacred, communication. In the final part of the course will be presented and commented the texts for the oral exam.
Bibliography
WRITTEN PAPER
- M. Bellabarba, V. Lavenia (a cura di). Introduzione alla storia moderna, Bologna, il Mulino 2018.
- Documents offered in a blended way on the distance learning platform called Elly
ORAL EXAM
1) A book of your choice among the following:
- S. Luzzatto (a cura di), Prima lezione di metodo storico, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2010
- P. Burke, Testimoni oculari. Il significato storico delle immagini, Roma, Carocci, 2002
2) A second book among the following:
- L. Roscioni, La badessa di Castro. Storia di uno scandalo, Bologna , il Mulino, 2017
- T. Todorov, La conquista dell'America. Il problema dell'altro, Torino, Einaudi,
2005
- A. Chastel, Il sacco di Roma. 1527, Torino, Einaudi, 2010
Teaching methods
Lectures with reading and commenting on texts and sources; at the end of the course there will be some written test aims at the acquisition of the main tools for analyzing and interpreting historical textual and iconographic sources described in the first part.
Participation in the three test during the course allows to have direct access to the oral exam
The course will also be offered in a blended way on the distance learning platform called Elly
Assessment methods and criteria
The final exam is divided into two parts:
1)a written paper in which the student must demonstrate the acquired ability to critically analyze a textual source or iconographic. The written paper is divided into three commentary of a historical document published on Elly (UD 1-15). The time available for the written paper is two hours. It’s considered sufficient a paper in which the candidate has correctly answered all questions without significant error in the exposition and in the analysis of the source.
2) an oral exam in which the student must disclose in a reasoned and critical way the topics covered in the texts.
The final grade is formulated considering the whole, the written test and oral exposure.
Other information
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