Political science and international relations

MAURIZIO ZINNI

The course aims to provide students with an articulate and critical knowledge of the events of the contemporary world,
It intends to favor the understanding of the roots of contemporaneity, the ability to contextualize historical events in time and space.
The knowledge of the methodology, the sources, the periodization and the main themes of the contemporary historiographical debate must allow the student to reach a sufficient competence to develop autonomy of judgment.
The student must acquire the ability to reasonably display the moments and the training processes of contemporary reality.
Through the course, students must acquire the essential knowledge and tools necessary for the development of a critical reading of the events of the contemporary age.

At the end of the course, students will be able to orient themselves within historical evolution and will be able to read the long-term processes that have shaped the current world.

A good knowledge of the main events of contemporary history from the nineteenth century to the present day is an important requirement for the use of the course.

The first part of the course will be dedicated to show the basic aspects of historical research (sources, periodization, methodology) and examining the historical processes that characterize the modern age.
The second will illustrate the main themes and problems of the history of the twentieth century with particular attention to the events following the Second World War and the new world order during the Cold War.
The third part will be focused on the political, economic, cultural, demographic and media characteristics of the end of the twentieth Century and the beginning of the new millennium and the general trend towards an increasing globalization of historical processes

- G. Sabbatucci, V. Vidotto, Storia contemporanea. L'Ottocento, Laterza, Bari-Roma, 2018;
- G. Sabbatucci, V. Vidotto, Storia contemporanea. Dalla Grande Guerra a oggi, Laterza, Bari-Roma, 2019.
- T. Detti, G. Gozzini, L'età del disordine. Storia del mondo attuale 1968-2017, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2020.

Traditional "face to face lessons" will be the core of the course, with the use of texts, audiovisual supports, seminars especially regarding the second and third parts of the course.

Attendance of the course is optional but strongly recommended.

The test will take place at the end of the course in oral form. The exam will focus on the texts indicated in the program. A number of questions will be asked to verify the student's level of preparation and to ascertain the achievement of the training objectives. In addition to the specific knowledge of the exam texts, the active participation in the teaching activity and the ability to reason and study autonomously can contribute to the evaluation.

Characteristics of mass society
Political cultures of the nineteenth century
What is totalitarianism
Causes of the Cold War
The "new wars"

• The course begins with an explanation of its structure, the teaching methods used, the course objectives, and an initial analysis of the basic concepts in the study of contemporary history. [2 hours]
  • Books: Materials and texts brought to class by the Professor.


• The characteristics of the contemporary age, their origin and evolution over time. [2 hours]
  • Books: Materials and texts brought to class by the Professor.


• The major processes that characterized the economic, political, social, and cultural revolution of the nineteenth century: the first industrial revolution, urbanization and the spread of communication networks, the rise of bourgeois society and romantic thought, the birth of the modern nation state, and a new way of understanding politics and the relationship between individuals and political power, the secularization. The main political families and their characteristics. [16 hours]
  • Books: In addition to materials and documents brought to class by the Professor, the textbook is G. Sabbatucci, V. Vidotto, Storia contemporanea. L'Ottocento, Laterza, Bari-Rome, 2018.


• The emergence of new national realities on a global level, the peak and beginning of decline for the Eurocentric political system, the irruption of the new mass reality: imperialism, new international balances,and the second industrial revolution, the emergence of the United States and Japan, the Belle Époque years and World War I as a watershed event of modernity. [10 hours]
  • Books: In addition to materials and documents brought to class by the Professor, the reference text is the first volume of the textbook G. Sabbatucci, V. Vidotto, Storia contemporanea. L'Ottocento, Laterza, Bari-Rome, 2018, and the first part of the second volume, G. Sabbatucci, V. Vidotto, Contemporary History: From the Great War to Today, Laterza, Bari-Rome, 2019.


• The world between the two wars, the comparison between representative democracies and totalitarianism, the new role of the state, the Second World War [14 hours]
  • Books: In addition to documents and materials brought to class by the Professor, the reference text is the second volume of the textbook, G. Sabbatucci, V. Vidotto, Storia contemporanea. Dalla Grande Guerra a oggi, Laterza, Bari-Rome, 2019.


• The legacy of the Second World War, the Cold War, and the process of decolonization,  the affluent society, and the season of protest movements, the end of the bipolar world [14 hours]
  • Books: In addition to documents and materials brought to class by the Professor, the reference text is the second volume of the textbook, G. Sabbatucci, V. Vidotto, Storia contemporanea. Dalla Grande Guerra a oggi, Laterza, Bari-Rome, 2019.


• The process of globalization and the characteristics of today's world: the end of the Bretton Woods system, the financialization of the economy and the neoliberal response, migration and climate issues, the multipolar world and religious fundamentalism, the new role of the media, and the emergence of new political actors. [14 hours]
  • Books: In addition to documents and materials brought to class by the Professor, the reference text is T. Detti, G. Gozzini, L'età del disordine. Storia del mondo attuale 1968-2017, Laterza, Roma-Bari, ultima edizione.