Ateneo - UPO

Environmental history (early modern and modern history).

All students will prepare the 2 volumes and the article indicated below:
-M. Di Tullio, M.L. Fagnani, “Una storia ambientale dell’età moderna. Società,
saperi, economie”, Roma, Carocci, 2024.
-E. Irace, M. Vaquero Piñeiro, “I paesaggi dell’Italia moderna. Da Petrarca a Napoleone”, Roma, Carocci, 2023.
-G. Bonan, "Storia e ambiente: scambio ineguale e mercato storiografico", in «Annali dell’Istituto storico italo-germanico in Trento», Fascicolo 2, Luglio-Dicembre 2020, pp. 15-31 (DIR).

Not attending students, in addition to the 2 books and to the article mentioned above, will prepare also:
-M. Armiero, S. Barca, “La storia dell’ambiente. Un’introduzione”, Carocci, Roma 2004, chap. 1 (Storia), pp. 19-56 (DIR).
-S. Mosley, “Ambiente e storia. Un’introduzione”, in “Storia globale dell'ambiente”, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2013, chap. 1, pp. 7-22 (DIR).

In alignment with the Educational Objectives of the Degree Programme as outlined in the SUA-CdS, and with specific reference to the historical, geographical, and cultural heritage areas, the Course has the following objectives at a basic level: -to acquire basic knowledge that allows to know the main themes and chronologies in the environmental history in the early modern and modern periods; - knowing how to express at least general judgments on themes and problems related to environmental history; -ability to approach the texts and the teaching tools of environmental history.
The course has the following objectives at an advanced level: -to acquire advanced knowledge that allows to critically know the main themes and chronologies in the environmental history in the early modern and modern periods; -knowing how to express analytical judgments on themes and problems related to environmental history; -ability to fully understand the texts and the teaching tools of the discipline.
The 6 ECTS credits earned during the course are distributed as follows:
1.2 ECTS credits (30 contact hours) of direct teaching (didattica erogativa), including interactive sessions with and among students (see "Teaching Methods");
4.8 ECTS credits of independent study.

Basic historical knowledge.

Frontal lectures; critical reading and critical analysis of the main historiographic themes and of the historical sources of the texts of the course, with particular attention to teaching methods. Individual study.

Those who have already taken the exam “Storia ambientale” or “Storia ambientale triennale” [Environmental history] in previous academic years are required to contact prof. Tigrino to redefine the texts for the exam. Students are advised to register on DIR (Didattica In Rete), where notices and communications will be posted, and where will be disposable some materials of the lectures.
Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via reference office consulting the University webpage:
https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studentesse-e-studenti-condizione-di-disabilità-e-dsa
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.

Oral exam, about 20 minutes. The questions will assess: the student's ability to contextualize the topics learned in time and space; the acquisition of a complete control of the disciplinary issues; the ability to use them into a coherent and correct exposition, also with a scientific language; the personal critical elaboration of the topics, with an autonomous approach to methodology.
The exam is divided into 3-4 questions and concerns on the indicated bibliography, as well as for students attending, on the topics discussed during the lessons. The questions will concern the content of the textbooks and the main issues of environmental history in early modern and modern period (as indicated in the content).
Vote, expressed in thirtieths, takes place on the basis of the following parameters: 1) knowledge of the fundamental notions of bibliography and, for attending students, of the topics covered during the lessons (20 points out of 30); 2) reasoning skills critic on the topics (5 points out of 30); 3) ability to express and communicate, and to use a scientific language (5 points out of 30). The exam will be successful if the sum of 18/30 is reached or exceeded.

The course will provide basic knowledge on main topics and methods of the discipline.
Outline of the lectures.
• Themes and chronologies in the environmental history.
• The definition of the discipline.
• The environmental history and the debate on the dynamics of environmental resources in the past and today.
• The history of the landscape in the Old Regime: politics and economics.
• The history of the landscape in the Old Regime: culture and scientific knowledge.
• Climate change, population dynamics and the history of the biological environment.
• Anthropization, the development of agro-forestry-pastoral systems, and the relationship between city and country in history.
• Property, practices and environmentale resources.
• Knowledge and control of the environmental resources (waters, woodlands, animals, minerals).
• The industrialisation, the “natural” disasters and the environment.
• Globalization, colonialism and environment.
• The concept of Anthropocene.
The topics of the course will be constantly analyzed in connection with the current applications in history research and teaching methodology, also through the exemplification and development of didactic exercises.
Gender issues: during the first lessons, the implications of the discussion on gender in the field of environmental history will be discussed.

The course aims to provide analytical tools to understand the main topics and chronologies of environmental history, with some references to the historiographic debate, also in an interdisciplinary perspective. To achieve sufficient knowledge and skills, the student has to demonstrate: Knowledge: -to know main topics and chronologies of environmental history; - to know main historiographical and interdisciplinary topics of the debate about environmental history. Competence: -ability to analyze issues in an autonomous way. Transversal skills: -ability to communicate environmental history issues, and to decline them in historical teaching issues.
To achieve an advanced level, the student must also demonstrate that he/she has: -An organic vision of the topics and chronologies of environmental history, with synthetic and analytical skills; -Capacity for personal and critical processing of the topics, with good use of scientific language and with autonomous communication skills; -Ability to deepen different topics, also to to use them in teaching applications.
These learning outcomes are consistent with the provisions of the SUA of the Study Programme, framework A4.b2.