Philosophy

LISA ROSCIONI

Students are expected to acquire a good knowledge of the main lines of early modern history through an active and lively participation in the lessons, thanks also to an accurate reading of the texts indicated in the bibliography. Special attention will be given to the enhancement of critical attitudes and to the student’s skill of communicating the acquired knowledge.

At the end of the course the student will be able to: a) contextualize the major historical events of the modern age in the more general framework of political, economic, social and cultural life of early modern Europe in its interrelations with non-European countries; b ) demonstrate awareness of the complexity of the roots of contemporary Europe c) apply the knowledge gained to critical analysis and interpretation of historical sources and iconography relating to the events studied.

Basic cognitive requirements

The course consists of a critical excursus on the main themes and problems of the modern age, from the conquest of America to the age of Revolutions. After a methodological introduction to the study of the discipline, the course aims to offer students an overview of the main problematic nodes relating to the Early Modern Age by focusing attention with a comparative view on the political, social, cultural and economic phenomena that have characterized the path towards modernity. With the help of written and iconographic sources, the following macro-themes will be addressed for the period between the second half of the Fifteenth Century and the beginning of the Nineteenth Century: periodization, culture and society, religions, revolts and revolutions, emergence of capitalism, State and politics.

1. An annotated anthology of sources that will be made available in PDF on Classroomcodice (4ejpnmm)
2. P. Burke, Testimoni oculari. Il significato storico delle immagini, Roma, Carocci, 2002

3. One group (two books) from the following:

1. An annotated anthology of sources that will be made available in PDF on Classroomcodice (4ejpnmm)
2. P. Burke, Testimoni oculari. Il significato storico delle immagini, Roma, Carocci, 2002

3. One group (two books) from the following:

3.1
G. Maifreda, Sono una strega. Confessioni del sabba nel passato europeo, Torino, Einaudi, 2025
L. Roscioni, Virginia de Leyva. La monaca di Monza. Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2026

3.2
C. Ginzburg, Il formaggio e i vermi. Il cosmo di un mugnaio del '500, Milano, Adelphi, 2019
L. Roscioni, La badessa di Castro. Storia di uno scandalo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2019

3.3
N. Zemon Davis, Il ritorno di Martin Guerre. Un caso di doppia identità nella Francia del ‘500, Roma, Officina Libraria, 2022
L. Roscioni, Lo smemorato di Collegno. Storia italiana di un’identità contesa, Torino, Einaudi, 2009

3.4
T. Todorov, La conquista dell'America. Il problema dell'«altro», Torino, Einaudi, 2014
A. Chastel, IL sacco di Roma 1527, Torino, Einaudi, 1983 (pdf su classroom)

After a methodological introduction to the study of the discipline, the course aims to offer students an overview of the main issues related to the modern age, which will be approached through the analysis of historical documents with particular attention paid to iconographic sources.
During the course, selected texts from the study programme will be presented and discussed.

On class

During final exam the student must 1) demonstrate the acquired ability to critically analyze a textual source or iconographic studied
2) disclose in a reasoned and critical way the topics covered in the methodological and historiographical texts.
The final grade is formulated considering the whole exposure.

Discovery/conquest of America
Reform and Counter-Reformation
Revolts and revolutions
Politics: Birth of the Modern State
Industrial Revolution
Images as a historical document
Critical reading of the text chosen by the student