Public History
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
In the area of Public and Digital History, the course aims to draw the main application and the main historical communication tools in a non-academic context, both in the public and in the private sphere.
Expected learning outcomes
The course aims to provide students with the appropriate tools for the basic training of future public historians, that is to say, researchers and story-tellers in a non-academic and school environment. By the end of the course students will have obtained a specialised professional training and they will been able to apply the historical knowledge and methods correctly and efficiently in many professional fields. These skills will be acquired thanks to a direct and continuous exchange with the lecturer.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course will be articulated into two parts.
(1) "Public History: genesis, developments, perspectives, and critical points". The first part will focus on the concept of "public history", its origins, developments, and circulation; it will also examine main tools and media, including the recent "digital turn", reflecting at the same time on the communication practices of the new public professions of the historian. This part will also highlight the proper and improper uses, biases, and risks associated with public history.
(2) "Doing Public History: examples and narrative modalities". The second part will explore the new possibilities offered by public history through the analysis of the many different narratives and the in-depth study of practical examples. For this section, guided visits to museums, monuments, and memorials in Milan will be organised, as well as seminars with experts in the field on specific topics.
(1) "Public History: genesis, developments, perspectives, and critical points". The first part will focus on the concept of "public history", its origins, developments, and circulation; it will also examine main tools and media, including the recent "digital turn", reflecting at the same time on the communication practices of the new public professions of the historian. This part will also highlight the proper and improper uses, biases, and risks associated with public history.
(2) "Doing Public History: examples and narrative modalities". The second part will explore the new possibilities offered by public history through the analysis of the many different narratives and the in-depth study of practical examples. For this section, guided visits to museums, monuments, and memorials in Milan will be organised, as well as seminars with experts in the field on specific topics.
Prerequisites for admission
There are no specific requirements. However, a good knowledge of Contemporary History is preferable.
Teaching methods
Teaching methods
Attendance is not compulsory but is recommended. The course consists in 20 lectures aimed at the acquisition of knowledge, competences, and language appropriate to the discipline. Class debate will be fundamental in order to promote critical thinking and the ability to apply the expertise and knowledge acquired.
Attendance is not compulsory but is recommended. The course consists in 20 lectures aimed at the acquisition of knowledge, competences, and language appropriate to the discipline. Class debate will be fundamental in order to promote critical thinking and the ability to apply the expertise and knowledge acquired.
Teaching Resources
Handbook section (mandatory):
ALL STUDENTS, ATTENDING and NON-ATTENDING:
— Paolo Bertella Farnetti, Lorenzo Bertucelli, Alfonso Botti (a cura di), Public History. Discussioni e pratiche, Mimesis, Milan, 2017
Single subjects' section (mandatory):
ONLY ATTENDING STUDENTS:
— Lecture notes.
— A public history project. For the realisation and the presentation of the projects, groups of 5 members will be formed (the number depends on the class attendance). The modalities of realisation and presentation guidelines will be provided during the course and on the Ariel platform.
ONLY NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:
— A book to be chosen from the following:
- Massimo Baioni, Vedere per credere. Il racconto museale dell'Italia unita, Viella, Rome, 2020
- Massimo Baioni, Fulvio Conti, Maurizio Ridolfi, Celebrare la nazione. Grandi anniversari e memorie pubbliche nella società contemporanea, Silvana, Milan, 2021 [2012]
- Bruno Bonomo, Voci della memoria. L'uso delle fonti orali nella ricerca storica, Carocci, Rome, 2013
- Luca Falsini, La storia contesa. L'uso politico del passato nell'Italia contemporanea, Donzelli, Rome, 2020
- Filippo Focardi, Bruno Groppo (eds), L'Europa e le sue memorie. Politiche e culture del ricordo dopo il 1989, Viella, Rome, 2013
- Filippo Focardi, Nel cantiere della memoria. Fascismo, Resistenza, Shoah, Foibe, Rome, Viella, 2020
- Francesco Mineccia, La storia in edicola. divulgazione e uso pubblico della storia in Italia dall'Unità ad oggi, Pacini, Ospedaletto, 2022
- Maurizio Ridolfi, Verso la public history. Fare e raccontare storia nel tempo presente, Pacini, Ospedaletto, 2017
ALL STUDENTS, ATTENDING and NON-ATTENDING:
— Paolo Bertella Farnetti, Lorenzo Bertucelli, Alfonso Botti (a cura di), Public History. Discussioni e pratiche, Mimesis, Milan, 2017
Single subjects' section (mandatory):
ONLY ATTENDING STUDENTS:
— Lecture notes.
— A public history project. For the realisation and the presentation of the projects, groups of 5 members will be formed (the number depends on the class attendance). The modalities of realisation and presentation guidelines will be provided during the course and on the Ariel platform.
ONLY NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:
— A book to be chosen from the following:
- Massimo Baioni, Vedere per credere. Il racconto museale dell'Italia unita, Viella, Rome, 2020
- Massimo Baioni, Fulvio Conti, Maurizio Ridolfi, Celebrare la nazione. Grandi anniversari e memorie pubbliche nella società contemporanea, Silvana, Milan, 2021 [2012]
- Bruno Bonomo, Voci della memoria. L'uso delle fonti orali nella ricerca storica, Carocci, Rome, 2013
- Luca Falsini, La storia contesa. L'uso politico del passato nell'Italia contemporanea, Donzelli, Rome, 2020
- Filippo Focardi, Bruno Groppo (eds), L'Europa e le sue memorie. Politiche e culture del ricordo dopo il 1989, Viella, Rome, 2013
- Filippo Focardi, Nel cantiere della memoria. Fascismo, Resistenza, Shoah, Foibe, Rome, Viella, 2020
- Francesco Mineccia, La storia in edicola. divulgazione e uso pubblico della storia in Italia dall'Unità ad oggi, Pacini, Ospedaletto, 2022
- Maurizio Ridolfi, Verso la public history. Fare e raccontare storia nel tempo presente, Pacini, Ospedaletto, 2017
Assessment methods and Criteria
Method and Type of Examination = The final exam will consist of an oral interview; questions for attending students will focus on the project and the above-mentioned materials (handbook + notes), for non-attending students on the assigned materials (handbook + book of students' choice).
Evaluation criteria = The assessment (out of 30), will take into account the student's ability to demonstrate and elaborate the knowledge acquired; to read the sources proposed and investigated during the lessons; to reflect critically on the topics of the course; to present the course themes in a clear and effective manner, using specialised lexicon.
NB = The format of the exam for students with disabilities should be arranged in advance with the lecturer and the relevant office.
Evaluation criteria = The assessment (out of 30), will take into account the student's ability to demonstrate and elaborate the knowledge acquired; to read the sources proposed and investigated during the lessons; to reflect critically on the topics of the course; to present the course themes in a clear and effective manner, using specialised lexicon.
NB = The format of the exam for students with disabilities should be arranged in advance with the lecturer and the relevant office.
Professor(s)
Reception:
Wednesday, 9.30am-12.30pm. Students are invited to contact the professor via email to make an appointment.
Vecchio settore A, third floor, room 11 (see the link below)