Ateneo - UPO

This course will analyze the global vision of history strating with the attempts to write universal history to 20th-century world history.

Textbooks: Eric Vanhaute, Introduzione alla World History, il Mulino, Bologna 2015; Jerry Brotton, La storia del mondo in 12 mappe, Feltrinelli, Milano 2017.

The basic learning outcomes are: To acquire, during lessons and through individual study, the ability to navigate the space-time of modern history by identifying key thematic junctures. The advanced learning outcomes are: the ability to apply knowledge and understanding; to acquire the ability to read texts and documents from modern history, interpreting them in their cultural, social, and institutional context; acquiring the ability to interpret themes and issues in modern history with an awareness of the historicity of historical interpretation; being able to present fundamental themes and issues in modern history in a short written text using historiographical language and being able to answer specific questions both in writing and orally; being able to read and critically assimilate a university-level modern history textbook and approach specialist literature in monographic texts.

none

Lecture-based with in-class discussion.

Discussion of suitable methods how to teach history in the middle school. Suitable for all those who are interested in pursuing a teaching career. Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via reference office consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities. Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

1. The students will write a short text on three subjects. They will have to answer 10 multiple-choice questions (5 points in total). Students also have a write a report on a specific topic presented to the class (10 points).

#1#2 introduction. What is world history/universal history? Antiquity: Herodotus, the Bible.
#3 #4 Orosius and the Cristian paradigm. Sima Qian, Ibn Kaldun. The credibility of the biblical vision.
#5 #6 Universal histories in the early modern age. Bossiet, Voltaire, Turgot, the Scottish literati, the Universal History.
#7 #8: Condorcet, Ranke, Michelet. The racist theories of universal history.
#9 #10 Spengler; Toynbee; Hans Freyer; Karl Jaspers; the axial age; Osterhammel.
#11 #12 ecological histories: Jared Diamond; predictive histories: Morris, Why the West Rules; bestselling histories: Harari, Sapiens.
#13 #14 David Christian and big history. Genetic histories. The world history of France and Italy. Climate history. Smail, On Deep History and the Brain
#15 against world history: the post-colonial approach: Ranajit Guha. Scanziani, the politics of global history. David Graeber and prehistory.

Basic RAA: provide preparation based on reading the indicated texts. Advanced RAA: enable students to make informed judgments about the past as a basis for judging the present. The RAs are assessed on the basis of a written exam.