Ateneo - UPO

Environmental history: History of the environment (XVI-XXI c.).

-E. Irace, M. Vaquero Piñeiro, “I paesaggi dell’Italia moderna. Da Petrarca a Napoleone”, Carocci, Roma, 2023. -G. Corona, “Breve storia dell'ambiente in Italia”, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2015. -S. Mosley, “Ambiente e storia. Un’introduzione”, in “Storia globale dell'ambiente”, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2013, chapter 1, pp. 7-22 (on DIR). -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 (on DIR). -M. Armiero, S. Barca, “La storia dell’ambiente. Un’introduzione”, Carocci, Roma 2004, only chapter 4 (Risorse), pp. 127-165 (on DIR). Not attending students - in addition to the book and to all the articles and chapters mentioned above, also: -M. Armiero, S. Barca, "La storia dell’ambiente. Un’introduzione", Carocci, Roma 2004, chap. 1 (Storia), pp. 19-56 (on DIR; the book is available online; https://www.academia.edu/182830/Storia_dellambiente_Una_introduzione).

The course has the following objectives at a basic level: -Knowledge and understanding: to acquire basic knowledge that allows to know the main themes and chronologies in the environmental history in the modern and contemporary periods; -Expression of judgments: knowing how to express at least general judgments on themes and problems related to environmental history; - Communication skills: understanding the language of historiography, and that of the environmental history in particular; -Study skills: ability to approach the texts and the teaching tools of environmental history. The course has the following objectives at an advanced level: -Knowledge and understanding: to acquire advanced knowledge that allows to critically know the main themes and chronologies in the environmental history in the modern and contemporary periods; -Expression of judgments: knowing how to express analytical judgments on themes and problems related to environmental history; -Communication skills: complete understanding of the language of historiography, and of the environmental history in particular; -Study skills: ability to fully understand the texts and the teaching tools of the discipline.

Basic historical knowledge (chronology and main issues of modern and contemporary history).

Frontal lessons; critical reading of the bibliography and discussion of main topics, with particular attention to teaching methods. At the request of course participants, during the lessons it will be possible to do individual presentation of part of the textbooks.

Part of bibliography and other texts will be provided on DIR – Didattica In Rete. Students are therefore advised to register on DIR, where notices and communications will also be posted. Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, 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 teacher to define the examination modalities, concerning didactic 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: Objects and chronologies of the environmental history in the modern and contemporary periods; the definition of the discipline, and the debate on the dynamics of environmental resources in the past and today; the political and environmental history in early modern, modern and contemporary period; the history of the landscape (politics, economics, culture and society); the relationship between city and country in history; industrialisation and the environment; history of environmental protection and of environmentalism. 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. It will be evaluated as excellent: an accurate knowledge of topics, articulated synthesis and criticism skills; excellent expressive mastery and communication. It will be evaluated as fairly good: knowledge of topics that is not entirely punctually, and the use of correct but not completely scientific language, not very suitable for communication. It will be evaluated as adequate: basic knowledge of the program that does not go beyond the brief presentation of the issues, the inability to express a critical approach, and the use of a language not entirely correct and appropriate. It will be evaluated as inadequate: obvious gaps in the study, inability to orient themselves within the issues and use of incorrect and inappropriate language, lacking the ability to communicate and discuss themes.

Themes and chronologies in the environmental history in the modern and contemporary periods. The definition of the discipline. The environmental history and the debate on the dynamics of environmental resources in the past and today. Topics and objects of environmental history: political and environmental history in early modern, modern and contemporary period; the history of the landscape (politics, economics, culture and society); the relationship between city and country in history; industrialisation and the environment; history of environmental protection and of environmentalism. Particular attention will be devoted to the Italian case, with a comparative approach. 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, also with some references to the historiographic debate, 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.