Contemporary History

The course reconstructs the main junctures of contemporary socio-political and cultural history in order to analyse the dynamics of massification and globalisation in the contemporary world. To this end, lectures will explore key-concepts such as "nationalism", "imperialism", "revolution", "totalitarianism", "massification", "extermination", "gender", and "globalisation". The course will retrace the major events and fundamental processes of the twentieth century with reference to some of the major transformations of the preceding and succeeding centuries.

By the end of the course, students will have become familiar with the main turning points and fundamental processes of the contemporary world. Students will also will have become able to make spatio-temporal connections and understand the complex dynamics of the contemporary world, using a specific vocabulary to express clearly and effectively concepts related to the sphere of political, institutional, economic and cultural processes of the contemporary age. At the end of the course, they will also be able to read historiographical works critically and to use the main tools, including digital ones, to research and analyse sources. These specialised skills will be acquired through a continuous and direct lecturer-led discussion, insofar as, during the lessons, the debate on the proposed sources will not only be a moment for collective critical reflection, but also a tool for methodological learning.