B5211 - Historiography of Contemporary Age (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be aware of interdisciplinary methodologies and international developments in historiography. Students will be able to identify the main historiographical schools, read the relevant literature critically and evaluate the main historiographical approaches on the basis of their epistemological paradigms. They will be able to evaluate changes in categories and concepts in relation to research orientations and contemporary debates. Students will also be able to use their knowledge for professional purposes (communication, teaching, dissemination, conservation).

Course contents

The course focuses on the historiography on Italian fascism. In the last years, the discussion around what is fascism led to a vast reconsideration of the meaning and the experience of Italian fascism in the European and global context. The lessons will interrogate the history of Fascism to understand in which way Fascism was able to mould the historical context in which it was born, how and if it transformed political, cultural, social elements that were already present in Italy.

The themes considered are violence, empire, politics, economy, culture, but also the impact of Fascism abroad in the Twenties and in the Thirties. The study of the incredibly complex and diverse nature of historical transformations during the interwar years provides an excellent perspective on historiography’s recent developments.

After a general course introduction, students (guided by the teacher) will be asked to read, and comment in depth some relevant texts in recent historiography.

Readings/Bibliography

This bibliography provides general reference texts that will be used during the course. For the bibliography relating to the final exam, consult the section "Assessment methods".

 

Giulia Albanese (a cura di), Il fascismo italiano Storia e interpretazioni, Carocci, Roma 2021.

Paul Corner, Mussolini e il fascismo. Storia, memoria e amnesia, Viella, Roma 2022

Antonio Costa Pinto, Aristotle Kallis (eds), Rethinking Fascism and Dictatorship in Europe, Palgrave Macmillan, London 2014.

Constantin Iordachi, Comparative Fascist Studies. New Perspectives, Routledge, London-New York 2009.

Alessio Gagliardi, Fascist Italy in the Age of Corporatism. Searching for a Third Way, Routledge, London-New York, 2024

Renzo De Felice, Le interpretazioni del fascismo, Laterza, Roma-Bari (qualsiasi edizione).

Andrea Di Michele, Filippo Focardi (eds), BerlinRethinking Fascism. The Italian and German Dictatorships, de Gruyter, Boston 2022.

Emilio Gentile (a cura di), Modernità totalitaria. Il fascismo italiano, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2008

Giovanni De Luna (a cura di), Fascismo e storia d’Italia. A un secolo dalla marcia su Roma. Temi, narrazioni, fonti, «Annale della Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli», LVI, 2022

Paul Corner, La dittatura fascista. Consenso e controllo durante il Ventennio, Carocci, Roma 2017

Angelo Del Boca, Massimo Legnani, Mario G. Rossi (a cura di), Il regime fascista, Laterza, Roma-Bari 1995

Alessio Gagliardi, Matteo Pasetti (a cura di), Fascism in the Public Sphere of Post-Fascist Italy, "Journal of Modern Italian Studies", 29 (2024), n. 3.

Teaching methods

After a few introductive lessons, the course will be articulated through lectures and seminars discussions. Students are expected to participate actively by attending all lessons, reading the assignated texts and take an active part in class discussions.

Those unable to do so can always opt for an oral exam at a later stage, as foreseen by the programme.

Assessment methods

Students who attend at least 12 lessons are considered to be attending.

ATTENDING STUDENTS will read and discuss the assignements every lesson. At the end they will write a paper (10.000 signs).

Evaluation will be based on three elements: a) written review; b) study of Giulia Albanese (a cura di), Il fascismo italiano Storia e interpretazioni, Carocci, Roma 2021; c) participation in the seminar discussion, speeches and presentations.

For NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS the exam will be oral. They will prepare the exam on the following texts:

a) Giulia Albanese (a cura di), Il fascismo italiano Storia e interpretazioni, Carocci, Roma 2021.

b) Paul Corner, Mussolini e il fascismo. Storia, memoria e amnesia, Viella, Roma 2022

c) one of the these following books:

- Renzo De Felice, Le interpretazioni del fascismo, Laterza, Roma-Bari (qualsiasi edizione)

- Antonio Costa Pinto, Aristotle Kallis (eds), Rethinking Fascism and Dictatorship in Europe, Palgrave Macmillan, London 2014.

- Andrea Di Michele, Filippo Focardi (eds), Rethinking Fascism. The Italian and German Dictatorships, de Gruyter, Berlin-Boston 2022.

- Constantin Iordachi, Comparative Fascist Studies. New Perspectives, Routledge, London-New York 2009.

 

THE EVALUATION WILL RESULT FROM FOLLOWING ASSESSMENT SCALE:

Thorough in-depth knowledge of the topics covered in the course, together with analytical and critical skills and command of the specific language, will qualify for top marks (30-30L).

A good grasp of the topics covered in the course, together with good critical analysis and command of the specific language, will qualify for high marks (27-29).

A more mechanical and less articulate grasp, and/or correct use of language though not always appropriate, will qualify for a medium-range mark (23-26).

Weak analytical capacity and frequently inappropriate language – together with some knowledge of exam material – will receive a pass mark or little more (18-22).

Mistakes of spelling and syntax (by native Italian students) will be heavily penalized, as befits a university examination, especially in a humanistic subject.

Teaching tools

Readings, analysis and discussion of articles and book chapters

 

Students who require specific services and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD), must first contact the appropriate office: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students

 

 

Office hours

See the website of Alessio Gagliardi