History of International Relations
A.Y. 2022/2023
Learning objectives
The course aims to analyze the ideological, political, economic and psychological factors which combined to bring about the foreign policy of the states and defined the international relations dynamics during the years between the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 and the end of the bipolar era. The methodological approach will guide students towards the examination of the most qualified trends in historiography.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will be provided not only with the knowledge of events which characterized international relations during the XX Century; they will also acquire a method useful to analyze it, with the most appropriate vocabulary, and with the critical skills needed to better understand the current international arena.
Lesson period: First trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
A-K
Responsible
Lesson period
First trimester
Course syllabus
The first unit focuses on the interwar period and it traces the international relations evolution in the frame of the gradual ascendance of US' and USSR's global status and the parallel decline of European Powers.The second unit deals with a period spanning from the eruption of the WWII and the first stages of the Cold War. The consolidation and the subsequent dissolution of the Great Alliance between UK, US and the USSR; the origins of Bipolar confrontation and the decisions that paved the way to the divide along the lines of the Iron Curtain: all those topics will be analyzed in deep
The third unit is dedicated to the consequences the Cold War produced over the Third World from the late 1940s to the late 1980; it emphasizes the interplay between the Superpowers' quest for influence and the regional conflicts, between the decolonization process and the rivalries among states in the same area.
The third unit is dedicated to the consequences the Cold War produced over the Third World from the late 1940s to the late 1980; it emphasizes the interplay between the Superpowers' quest for influence and the regional conflicts, between the decolonization process and the rivalries among states in the same area.
Prerequisites for admission
A solid knowledge of Contemporary History, of its main actors and of the main events that characterized historic evolution during the 20th Century is required. Equally fundamental will be the ability to deal with the main concepts and notions from Political Science.
Is mandatory to have passed the exam in Contemporary History and no exceptions will be made to this rule.
Is mandatory to have passed the exam in Contemporary History and no exceptions will be made to this rule.
Teaching methods
The course's classes will be frontal, conventional lectures conducted with the support of telematic instruments.
Whoever may wish to discuss the final thesis in History of International relations is invited to attend classes.
Whoever may wish to discuss the final thesis in History of International relations is invited to attend classes.
Teaching Resources
Attending students:
Ennio Di Nolfo, Storia delle relazioni internazionali. Vol. I e vol. II, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2015
Or:
Ennio Di Nolfo, Storia delle relazioni internazionali. Dal 1918 ai giorni nostri, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2013 e successive, capitoli I-XIII
In addition to the book-texts indicated above, attending students are required to be familiar with the content examined during classes (primary and secondary sources, diplomatic documents, press, memoirs and so on). All content will be available to the class on the Professor Merlati's Ariel site. As many of those sources are in English, a good knowledge of that language is imperative for attending classes.
Non attending students:
Ennio Di Nolfo, Storia delle relazioni internazionali. Vol. I. Dalla pace di Versailles alla conferenza di Potsdam 1919-1945, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2015.
William R. Keylor, Un mondo di nazioni. L'ordine internazionale dal 1945, Milano, Guerini e Associati Editore, 2014
Ennio Di Nolfo, Storia delle relazioni internazionali. Vol. I e vol. II, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2015
Or:
Ennio Di Nolfo, Storia delle relazioni internazionali. Dal 1918 ai giorni nostri, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2013 e successive, capitoli I-XIII
In addition to the book-texts indicated above, attending students are required to be familiar with the content examined during classes (primary and secondary sources, diplomatic documents, press, memoirs and so on). All content will be available to the class on the Professor Merlati's Ariel site. As many of those sources are in English, a good knowledge of that language is imperative for attending classes.
Non attending students:
Ennio Di Nolfo, Storia delle relazioni internazionali. Vol. I. Dalla pace di Versailles alla conferenza di Potsdam 1919-1945, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2015.
William R. Keylor, Un mondo di nazioni. L'ordine internazionale dal 1945, Milano, Guerini e Associati Editore, 2014
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final exam will consist in an oral discussion on the whole program. The final oral exam will consist in questions that will test students' critical capability as well as their familiarity with historical facts. Students will be asked to exercise critical thinking in relation to the events scrutinized and in relations to interconnection between causes and consequences of the events.
Unità didattica 1
SPS/06 - HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unità didattica 2
SPS/06 - HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unità didattica 3
SPS/06 - HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
L-Z
Responsible
Lesson period
First trimester
Course syllabus
The first part of the program focuses on the interwar period, tracing the international relations' evolution in the frame of the US' and USSR's gradual ascendance to global status and the parallel decline of European Powers. The second section deals with a period spanning from the eruption of the WWII and the first stages of the Cold War. The consolidation and the subsequent dissolution of the Great Alliance between UK, US and the USSR; the origins of bipolar confrontation and the decisions that paved the way to the divide along the lines of the Iron Curtain: all those topics will be analyzed in deep.
The final module is dedicated to the consequences the Cold War produced over the Third World from the late 1940s to the late 1980s; it emphasizes the interplay between the Superpowers' quest for influence and regional conflicts, and between the decolonization process and local rivalries. It will also take into account the evolving relations among European States and the main stages of the European integration.
The final module is dedicated to the consequences the Cold War produced over the Third World from the late 1940s to the late 1980s; it emphasizes the interplay between the Superpowers' quest for influence and regional conflicts, and between the decolonization process and local rivalries. It will also take into account the evolving relations among European States and the main stages of the European integration.
Prerequisites for admission
A solid knowledge of Contemporary History, of its main actors and of the major events that characterized historic evolution during the XX Century is required. Equally fundamental will be the ability to deal with the main concepts and notions from Political Science.
In order to gain access to the exam in History of international relations it is mandatory to have previously passed the exam in Contemporary History. No exceptions will be allowed to this rule.
In order to gain access to the exam in History of international relations it is mandatory to have previously passed the exam in Contemporary History. No exceptions will be allowed to this rule.
Teaching methods
The course's classes will be frontal, "conventional" lectures.
Whoever may wish to discuss the final thesis in History of International relations is invited to attend classes.
Whoever may wish to discuss the final thesis in History of International relations is invited to attend classes.
Teaching Resources
Attending Students:
Ennio Di Nolfo, Storia delle relazioni internazionali. vol. I. Dalla pace di Versailles alla conferenza di Potsdam 1919-1945, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2015
AND
William R. Keylor, Un mondo di nazioni. L'ordine internazionale dal 1945, Milano, Guerini e Associati Editore, 2014.
In addition to the textbooks indicated above, attending students are required to be familiar with the content examined during classes (primary and secondary sources, diplomatic documents, press, memoirs and so on). All contents will be available on Professor Vignati's Ariel site. As many of those sources are in English, a good knowledge of that language is imperative for attending classes.
Not attending students:
Antonio Varsori, Storia internazionale. Dal 1919 ai nostri giorni, second edition, Bologna, il Mulino, 2020
AND one of the two following books:
- Melvyn P. Leffler, For the Soul of Mankind. The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War, New York, Hill and Wang, 2007
- Odd Arne Westad, La guerra fredda globale. Gli Stati Uniti, l'Unione Sovietica e il mondo. Le relazioni internazionali del XX secolo, Milano, Il Saggiatore, 2022.
Ennio Di Nolfo, Storia delle relazioni internazionali. vol. I. Dalla pace di Versailles alla conferenza di Potsdam 1919-1945, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2015
AND
William R. Keylor, Un mondo di nazioni. L'ordine internazionale dal 1945, Milano, Guerini e Associati Editore, 2014.
In addition to the textbooks indicated above, attending students are required to be familiar with the content examined during classes (primary and secondary sources, diplomatic documents, press, memoirs and so on). All contents will be available on Professor Vignati's Ariel site. As many of those sources are in English, a good knowledge of that language is imperative for attending classes.
Not attending students:
Antonio Varsori, Storia internazionale. Dal 1919 ai nostri giorni, second edition, Bologna, il Mulino, 2020
AND one of the two following books:
- Melvyn P. Leffler, For the Soul of Mankind. The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War, New York, Hill and Wang, 2007
- Odd Arne Westad, La guerra fredda globale. Gli Stati Uniti, l'Unione Sovietica e il mondo. Le relazioni internazionali del XX secolo, Milano, Il Saggiatore, 2022.
Assessment methods and Criteria
For attending students and not attending students alike, the exam will be oral. It will consist in questions demanding strong skills in exercising critical thinking in relation to the events scrutinized, and the ability of reasoning about the interconnections between causes and consequences. Students' critical capability, their familiarity with elaborating upon the dynamics and factors that prompted developments on a given issue, and their ability in adopting the most proper terminology will be carefully evaluated.
Unità didattica 1
SPS/06 - HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unità didattica 2
SPS/06 - HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unità didattica 3
SPS/06 - HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)