Ateneo - UPO

The course is designed as a first introduction to historiographical practices and their methodologies in the modern and contemporary periods. Specifically, the two modules will focus on environmental history (Professor Tigrino) and the history of nations and nationalism (Professor Bellezza). The course provides an initial opportunity to address the themes of modern and contemporary history not only in chronological order but also according to a thematic structure.

Everyone will prepare for the exam by reading:
1) M. Di Tullio, M.L. Fagnani, “Una storia ambientale dell’età moderna. Società, saperi, economie”, Roma, Carocci, 2024;
2) E. Irace, M. Vaquero Piñeiro, “I paesaggi dell’Italia moderna. Da Petrarca a Napoleone”, Roma, Carocci, 2023;
3) 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 (su DIR);
4) S.A. Bellezza, Gli imperi del nazionalismo: politica e appartenenza nell’Europa centro-orientale, in L’età contemporanea. Prospettive di storia europea e globale, a cura di Marco Bresciani e Fulvio Conti, Carocci, Roma 2023, pp. 29-56 (disponibile sul DIR);
5) Francesca Zantedeschi, Nazioni e nazionalismo in Europa, «Passato e Presente», XXV (2007), 70: 95-111 (disponibile sul DIR);
3) Paolo Perri, Nazioni in cerca di stato, Roma, Donzelli, 2023;
e di uno a scelta fra:
A) Simone A. Bellezza, Identità ucraina. Storia del movimento nazionale dal 1800 a oggi, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2024;
B) Alfredo Sasso, Storia della Bosnia Erzegovina. Dal primo Novecento a oggi, Brescia, Scholé, 2026.

Not attending students, in addition to the books and articles mentioned above, will prepare by reading 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).

The course aims, at a basic level, to achieve the following objectives:
- acquire basic knowledge of the main themes and chronologies of environmental history in the modern age;
- be able to express at least general judgments on themes and problems relating to the history of the environment;
-understand the historiographical literature on the environment and possibly apply it also in reference to the teaching of the discipline.
Furthermore, the aim of the course is to provide tools through which to know, understand and analyze the emergence of national identities in the contemporary age and understand how these dynamics were both the cause and effect of the major armed conflicts of this period.

At a more advanced level, the objective is to provide greater knowledge of specific concrete contexts and how national belongings are intertwined with each other and with claims of a different nature (social, religious and gender). The tools will also be provided to allow a comparative analysis of national conflicts both in Europe and at a global level. At an advanced level, there will additionally be the following objectives:
- acquire the advanced knowledge to critically interpret the main themes and chronologies of the history of the environment in the modern age;
- be able to express analytical judgments on themes and problems relating to the history of the environment;
- fully understand the historiographical literature on the environment and apply it effectively also in relation to the teaching of the discipline.

For this course, the didactics correspond to 2.4 CFU and the self-learning activities to 9.6 CFU.

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.
The lectures are an integral part of the exam program: the lecturer will provide the slides of the lectures and other useful materials.

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://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-studentsphysical-
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.

The exam requires passing two separate tests, each dedicated to one of the modules, at the end of which the lecturers will produce a final grade.
For the first module there will be an oral exam, lasting approximately 20 minutes. The questions aim to evaluate the ability to contextualize the topics learned in time and space, the acquisition of an organic vision of the topics addressed and the ability to translate them into a coherent and correct exposition, also from the point of view of mastery of scientific language, and the ability for personal critical elaboration of the topics covered, and for autonomous orientation within the methodologies of historical research.
The exam is divided into 3-4 questions and focuses on the assigned bibliography, as well as on the
students and attending students, on the topics explored in depth during the lessons. The questions have as their theme the contents of the reference texts indicated and the main themes of the environmental history of the modern age (as indicated in the extended program).
The evaluation of the exam, expressed in thirtieths, is based on the following parameters: 1) knowledge of the fundamental notions of the texts indicated in the bibliography and, for those attending classes, of the topics covered in class (20 points out of 30); 2) critical reasoning ability on the topics covered (5 points out of 30); 3) ability to express and communicate in a critical manner, and use of correct disciplinary vocabulary (5 points out of 30). The exam will be passed if the sum of 18/30 is reached or exceeded.
Also for the second module the exam will consist of an oral test.
The evaluation will be determined by the following elements:
- a general knowledge of concepts and events as a set of notions without a conceptual link between them, with the use of inappropriate language in oral discussion, will be considered sufficient. Corresponding rating: 18-22
- A more in-depth but not detailed knowledge of concepts and events, with the use of language generally appropriate to the topic being discussed, will be considered fair. Corresponding rating: 22-26.
- In-depth knowledge, which shows a good understanding of relationships between different phenomena and the ability to use the notions learned independently, applying them to different events, will be judged as satisfactory. It will be judged fully satisfactory if the student shows an ability to talk about the texts he has read with independent judgement, elucidating the author's point of view and engaging in critical dialogue with him. Corresponding score: 27-30 cum laude.

In the first module, the course will provide skills in the discipline's main themes and methods.
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.

For the second module, lessons will be structured according to the following outline:
Lecture 1: Introduction to the course and practical information. Theories of nationalism: the
primordialists: Shils, Geertz, Hastings.
Lecture 2: Theories of nationalism: economists and historians of the modernist school.
Lecture 3: Theories of nationalism: sociologists and anthropologists of the modernist school.
Lecture 4: Theories of Nationalism: Ethnosymbolism by Armstrong and Smith.
Lecture 5: Theories of Nationalism: The Postmodern Approach—from Banal Nationalism to Narrative
Theories.
Lecture 6: Transnational History: From Migrations to Diasporas.
Lecture 7: Citizenship as a Concept and Classification Tool.
Lecture 8: From Empires to Nations: The Studies of George Mosse and Eugen Weber.
Lecture 9: The Risorgimento and Young Europe: From National Honor to (Civil) Wars.
Lecture 10: Nation-States and Decolonization.
Lecture 11: The Melting Pot and Multiculturalism: Nations in the New Worlds.
Lecture 12: Globalization and the Resurgence of Nations.
Lecture 13: Yugoslavia and Ethnic Cleansing: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Lecture 14: The Soviet Union and Russia: From an Empire of Nations to an Imperial Nation.
Lecture 15: Civil Nationalism: The Ukrainian Case.

Integrating the Gender Dimension: Introductory teaching units will discuss the implications of the discussion on gender in the field of environmental history. Furthermore, in the second module, lessons 8, 9, 11, and 14 will address the specificity of gender in the history of nations and national movements.

The course aims to provide the analytical tools to understand the main themes and chronologies of environmental history and the history of nations and nationalisms with some references to the historiographical debate, also from an interdisciplinary perspective.
To achieve sufficient knowledge and skills, you are asked to demonstrate:
Knowledge:
-Know the main themes and problems of environmental history;
- Know the main aspects of the historiographical and interdisciplinary debate relating to environmental history.
- Having understood the dynamics through which national identities have emerged during the contemporary age and how they are the result of social and political movements both from below and from above. You must demonstrate knowledge of the specific path through which national identities emerged in specific local contexts.
Skills:
-Know how to analyze the proposed topics independently. Transversal skills: - Knowing how to effectively communicate the themes of environmental history, also for possible educational applications.
- Demonstrate that you are able to use the knowledge learned to understand and analyze other national contexts in the contemporary world.

To achieve an advanced level, you must also demonstrate that you possess:
Knowledge:
-An organic vision of themes and chronologies of environmental history, with the ability to synthesize and analyze;
- Ability for personal and critical elaboration of the topics covered, with good expressive mastery and autonomous communication skills;
-Ability to delve deeper into particular topics and learn how to derive effective applications to teaching.
Applied knowledge and understanding:
- Having understood which factors determine the emergence of national conflicts and knowing how to use them to analyze other wars between nations in the contemporary age.
Judgment autonomy:
The student must demonstrate that they know how to analyze media communication on the ongoing conflict and that they know how to identify the specific historiographical current to which the various texts analyzed during the course belong.

These learning outcomes are consistent with what is foreseen in the SUA of the Study Course, framework A4.b2 (particularly for the Historical Area).