Learning objectives

The body is a place / site of social and political conflict, but above all it is a cultural construction. The body of the hero is often recognized as an exceptional body endowed with almost miraculous qualities, such as to be able to defeat death. The body can represent a symbol of leadership, an object of worship or, on the contrary it can be seen as the place of the impotence and degradation of the opponent. During the Risorgimento, the citizen of the future Italian nation is described as endowed with a manly body, which / who is not afraid of war and martyrdom. After World War I the images of wounded, disfigured and killed bodies became the instrument of processing mourning, which was part of the collective imagination of the 20th century. The consideration of the body is at the basis of the identity of a social group or of a nation. In the longevity of the bodies, in the health rate and the body  shape imposed by sport and fashion, we can read the development of a society and its evolution. The study of the bodies / body offers us some greater insight on social living, more than through traditional historiographical approaches.

Programme

1. Introduction to the main concepts of a new historiography

2. The ‘Victorian’ body

3. Martyrologies and Italy as a nation-state

4. Mourning and memory

5. Charisma and leadership of Fascism / Fascists

6. The bodies of celebrities and sports stars

7. History teaching methods and strategies

1) Learning outcomes (Dublin descriptors)

1. for three-year degrees

Students must demonstrate:

· the mastery of basic knowledge;

· the understanding of the fundamental concepts of the discipline;

· the ability to use their knowlege and concepts to think critically about the problems and issues of the discipline

2. for Five-year Master’s degrees

Students must demonstrate:

· in-depth knowledge of the discipline;

· understanding of the advanced concepts of the discipline;

· the ability to use their knowlege and concepts to think critically and autonomously about the problems and issues of the discipline

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Support teaching activities:

An optional seminar on ‘History and computer’ is offered to help students draft articles and history essays and explore online data and resources.

Teaching

Teaching methods: lecture-style and multimedia lesssons; discussions by the site Blended Learning.

Course books

Textbooks:

D. Mengozzi, Corpi posseduti. Eroi e martiri dal Risorgimento a Pinocchio, Manduria-Bari-Roma, Lacaita, 2012, pp. 282.

J. Winter, Il lutto e la memoria. La Grande guerra nella storia culturale europea, tr. it., Bologna, Il Mulino, 1998, (the first four chapters), pp. 165

S. Luzzatto, Il corpo del duce. Un cadavere tra immaginazione, storia e memoria, Torino, Einaudi, 2011, pp. 342.

H. Juvin, Il trionfo del corpo, Milano, Egea, 2006, pp. 200.

L. Landi, Insegnare la storia ai bambini, Roma, Carocci, 2006, pp. 125.

It is highly recommended to study the historical background of the 19th and 20th centuries in a good high school textbook.

Course books

Textbooks:

D. Mengozzi, Corpi posseduti. Eroi e martiri dal Risorgimento a Pinocchio, Manduria-Bari-Roma, Lacaita, 2012, pp. 282.

J. Winter, Il lutto e la memoria. La Grande guerra nella storia culturale europea, tr. it., Bologna, Il Mulino, 1998, (the first four chapters), pp. 165

S. Luzzatto, Il corpo del duce. Un cadavere tra immaginazione, storia e memoria, Torino, Einaudi, 2011, pp. 342.

H. Juvin, Il trionfo del corpo, Milano, Egea, 2006, pp. 200.

L. Landi, Insegnare la storia ai bambini, Roma, Carocci, 2006, pp. 125.

It is highly recommended to study the historical background of the 19th and 20th centuries in a good high school textbook.

Assessment

Assessment: Written examination.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

* PLEASE NOTE  Those who want to repeat the examination or present a different programme must plan it with the professor at least a month before the exam.