The course aims to develop critical comprehension of European modern history’s most relevant themes and problems, from the geographical discoveries to the European Restoration (1492-1815). By using a wide variety of bibliographic and documentary sources, it also intends to promote a thorough knowledge of cultural and political climate in which the Enlightenment movement is situated – a crucial phase in European History where the premises of contemporary modernity were laid.  

The course is developed in two parts: a general and a monographic part. In the general part, after discussing methodology and history of historiography’s matters, attention will be focused on early modern ages’ principal themes and on the problems of its political, economic, social, cultural and religious history during the period of time which goes from the geographical discoveries to the European Restoration (1492-1815). Special attention will be paid to: Italian Renaissance states and the constitution of the Western European national states; the geographical discoveries and the colonial growth of the New World; the Protestant Reformation and the Counter-Reformation; the crisis of the seventeenth century; the peak of the absolutism in France; the great Atlantic revolutions; the Napoleonic era and the European Restoration. The monographic part, which is centred on the age of the Enlightenment, will be focused on studying cultural and political aspects of the Italian and European society in the XVIII century. With broad references to the contemporary historiographical debate and to documentary sources of that epoch, the following themes will be addressed: different kinds of Enlightenment in Europe and the reform of monarchical power; different forms of social relations and communication mechanisms.

Knowledge and understanding
To know historical research methodologies, chronological criteria and the typology of sources.
To know and understand general guidelines of European modern history from the geographical discoveries to the European Restauration.
To develop specific understanding on a thematic of considerable importance in the early modern age by referring to the contemporary historiographical debate and to primary sources.

Applying knowledge and understanding
To be able to contextualise the studied historic events and phenomena by an appropriate use of spatial and temporal coordinates.
To be able to connect and distinguish differences between events.
To identify persistence and changes in long term historical processes.

Making judgements
To acquire the understanding about the ideological conditioning of historical narration and to be able to autonomously elaborate the acquired knowledge.

Communication
To be able to clearly enunciate the studied and acquired contents by using with proficiency the specific and technical language of the historical discipline.

Learning skills
The learning ability will be reinforced by using complementary learning activities: general history lectures, monographic lectures, reading and analysing primary and secondary sources.
Factual knowledge of political, economic, social and cultural dynamics about previous European societies will have to allow the development of a historical background which aims to a better understanding of the contemporary world.

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

Teaching

Lectures

Course books

In preparation for the general part, it is advised: C. Capra, Storia moderna (1492-1848), Firenze, Le Monnier, 2011.

In preparation for the monographic part, it is advised to choose a book between those indicated in the first group and another one between those indicated in the second group:
1. F. Venturi, Utopia e riforma nell'Illuminismo, Torino, Einaudi, 2001; I.Hof, L'Europa dell'Illuminismo, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005; L. Guerci, L'Europa del Settecento. Permanenze e mutamenti, Torino, Utet, 2006; V. Ferrone D. Roche, L'Illuminismo. Dizionario storico, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2007; V. Ferrone, Lezioni illuministiche, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2010; E. Tortarolo, L'Illuminismo. Ragioni e dubbi della modernità, Roma, Carocci, 2011; D. Outram, L'Illuminismo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2014.

2. D. Roche, La cultura dei lumi: letterati, libri, biblioteche nel XVIII sec, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1992; R. Darnton, Libri proibiti. Pornografia, satira e utopia all'origine della Rivouzione francese, Milano, Mondadori, 1997; D. Roche, Il popolo di Parigi. Cultura popolare e civiltà materiale alla vigiglia della Rivoluzione, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2000; J. Brewer, I piaceri dell'immaginazione. La cultura inglese del Settecento, Roma, Carocci, 2005; A. Lilti, Le monde des salons. Sociabilité et mondanité à Paris au XVIIIe siècle, Paris, Fayard, 2005; P. Delpiano, Il governo della lettura. Chiesa e libri nell'Italia del Settecento, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2008; E. Tortarolo, L'Invenzione della libertà di stampa. Censura e scrittori nel Settecento, Roma, Carocci, 2011.

Assessment

Oral exam which will assess students' knowledge regarding the subjects of study, their ability to put in context and to make critical analysis of the historical events and their speaking skills.

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.

Course books

Non-attending students should add to the above mentioned books the following one: R.Bizzocchi, Guida allo studio della storia moderna, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2014

Assessment

Oral exam which will assess students' knowledge regarding the subjects of study, their ability to put in context and to make critical analysis of the historical events and their speaking skills.

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.