Ateneo - UPO

Early modern, modern and contemporary history. Social history, cultural history, animal history.

The course consists of 2 modules: A) “Storia moderna magistrale” (= “Storia della società moderna”, prof. Tigrino) and B) “Public and Digital History” (prof. Bellezza). Two programmes are foreseen for attending and non-attending students.

A)
All students will prepare the 2 books and 3 articles indicated below.
-U. Grassi, “Sodoma. Persecuzioni, affetti, pratiche sociali (secoli V-XVIII)”, Roma, Carocci, 2019.
-M. De Leo, “Queer: Storia culturale della comunità LGBT+”, Torino, Einaudi, 2021.
-T. Scaramella, “La storia dell'omosessualità nell'Italia moderna: un bilancio”, in «Storicamente.org – Laboratorio di storia», n. 12 (2016), pp. 1-21 (DIR).
-C. Beccalossi, “Sessualità e identità non conformi tra storia LGBT+ e storia queer”, in «Contemporanea», a. XV, f. 4 (2022), pp. 643-658 (DIR).
-O. Fiorilli, “Note per una storia trans-”, in «Contemporanea», a. XXII, f. 2 (2019), pp. 305-316 (DIR).
Not attending students, in addition to all those mentioned above, will prepare also:
-G. Marcocci, “Matrimoni omosessuali nella Roma del tardo Cinquecento: su un passo del «Journal» di Montaigne”, in «Quaderni storici», 133 (2010), pp. 107-137.
-N. Pizzolato, “«Lo diavolo mi ingannao». La sodomia nelle campagne siciliane (1572-1664)”, in «Quaderni storici», 122 (2006), pp. 449-480.
Anyone who has already passed the exam in previous years is required to contact prof. Tigrino to replace some of the texts.

B)
All students will prepare the topics covered in the course through the complete reading of:
1. Carlotta Sorba e Federico Mazzini, “La svolta culturale. Come è cambiata la pratica storiografica”, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2021.
2. Simone 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.
3. Giulia Guazzaloca, “Umani e animali. Breve storia di una relazione complicata”, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2021.
For the seminar part, the lecturer will assign to each participant the specific readings to prepare the oral presentation.
Those who are unable to attend classes and participate in the seminar will prepare for the exam reading also:
• Giulia Guazzaloca, “Primo: non maltrattare. Storia della protezione degli animali in Italia”, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2018.

The Course has the following objectives at a basic level:
Module A): -ability to understand social history in its transformations through the time; -to be able to independently read scientific literature and sources related to social and cultural history; -to be able at least in an elementary way to evaluate and argue the dynamics related to the history of society, its themes and objects; -to be able to convey sufficiently appropriately the specificity of social and cultural history.
Module B): to provide students with an overview of the themes and methodologies of cultural history, problematizing concepts such as culture, nature, memory, gender, sexuality, national belonging; to provide, through the seminar part, an opportunity to exercise one's ability to research and analyze documents and interpretations of cultural history, showing how these can also be applied in deciphering contemporary reality.

The course has the following purposes at an advanced level:
Module A): -to be able to comprehensively understand social history in its transformations through the time; -to be able to critically read the scientific literature and the sources related to social and cultural history; -to be able to consciously evaluate and argue the dynamics related to the history of society, its themes and objects; -to be able to convey the specificity of social and cultural history, including in a popular manner and with appropriate scientific terminology.
Module B): to provide in-depth knowledge of the historiographical debate on the cultural turn, including the specific contributions of specific authors and research. The objective of the second part of the course is to provide the tools through which students can analyze and understand mass culture as a whole, even outside the European context.

The 12 ECTS credits earned during the course are distributed as follows: 2,5 ECTS credits of direct teaching (didattica erogativa), including interactive sessions with and among students (see "Teaching Methods"); 9,5 ECTS credits of independent study.

Basic historical knowledge (early modern, modern and contemporary history).

Module A): 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.
Important: Student participation during lectures is encouraged; the presentation of the texts during lectures will allow for a proportional reduction in the material to be prepared for the exam.

Module B): The course combines lectures and seminars throughout its duration: the instructor will explain the themes and methodologies of cultural history and, from time to time, will invite students (individually or in groups) to present a specific reading.
Gradually, the seminar component of the course will become more important: in the final sessions, students will be asked to prepare short oral presentations on the methodology and themes of animal history. The reading material to be presented will be discussed by the instructor with individual students during office hours and in class starting from the very first class of the course, so as to give students the necessary time to prepare.

Those who have already taken the exam “Storia della società moderna” 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.

The course consists of 2 modules: A) “Storia moderna magistrale” and B) “Public and Digital History”. Each course has its own specific assessment method.
The overall assessment of the examination could take into account the student's ability to improve their ability to answer questions and their general ability to organise their work.

Module A):
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 an organic vision 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.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 specifically the historiographical debate upon gender, sexuality violence and social control in history (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.

Module B):
The evaluation will take place both during the seminar part and during the final oral exam. As for the seminar part, not only the presentation made by each student will be evaluated but also the involvement during the other presentations and the participation in the discussion to compare the different national cases and find an overall reading. The final grade will be determined as follows: 50% oral exam, 25% presentation, 25% participation during the seminar. 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. The only presentation of one's reading without interaction in the seminar part will be considered just enough. Corresponding vote: 18-22. - A more in-depth but not detailed knowledge of concepts and events, with the use of a language generally appropriate to the topic being discussed, will be considered discreet. The interaction in the seminar part with the readings presented by the other participants, making comparisons and references with one's own case study, will be considered discreet. Corresponding vote: 22-26. - An in-depth knowledge, showing a good understanding of the relationships between different phenomena and the ability to use the notions learned autonomously, applying them to different events, will be judged as satisfactory. It will be judged fully satisfactory if the student shows an ability to speak of the texts he has read with independent judgement, enucleating the author's point of view and dialoguing with it in a critical way. The interaction during the seminar part that demonstrates the will to elaborate a general interpretation of all the readings will be considered excellent. Corresponding grade: 27-30 cum laude.

The course consists of 2 modules: A) “Storia moderna magistrale” and B) “Public and Digital History”.

Module A):
Outline of the lectures:
• The history of modern society: themes in social, economic, political and cultural history.
• Gender, sexuality, violence and social control in the modern and contemporary history: the historiographical debate.
• Homosexuality and sodomy: sin, criminalisation and social control from the Middle Ages to the early modern period.
• Sexuality and gender in the modern period: spaces and cultures of transgression.
• Europe in comparison: the issue of sexuality as a cultural clash.
• Sexual non-conformity between the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Sexual transgressions in modernity: queer history between the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Medicine, race and politics: the debate on sexuality in the 20th century.
• Trans history and the overcoming of gender binarism.

Module B):
The lessons will take place according to the following outline:
- Lecture 1: Introduction to the course and practical information. What is cultural history: a methodological introduction.
- Lecture 2: The document of cultural history. New historiography on the nation.
- Lecture 3: Women’s history, gender history, and the history of sexuality.
- Lecture 4: Orientalism and Indian Subaltern Studies; oral history.
- Lecture 5: Cultural history of disability.
- Lecture 6: Mass culture: the cultural history of food and vegetarianism.
- Lecture 7: Mass culture: the cultural history of music and pop culture.
- Lecture 8: Russian culture from the Tsarist Empire to Stalinist “kulturnost’.”
- Lecture 9: The culture of the Thaw: examples of analyzing a film and two songs.
- Lecture 10: Cultural History of Music: The Example of the Eurovision Song Contest.
- Lecture 11: A Practical Example of Cultural History (lecture with a guest lecturer).
- Lecture 12: Seminar: What Are Animals and How Can They Be the Subject of History?
- Lecture 13: Seminar: Themes and Issues in the History of Animals.
- Lecture 14: Seminar: The Question of Animal Agency.
- Lecture 15: Seminar: The History of Ethology.

Gender issues: the module A is specifically dedicated to the theme of gender in history The module B) also devotes space to the study of gender, particularly in lessons 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

To achieve sufficient knowledge and skills, the student has to demonstrate:
Module A): Knowledge: -to know the main problems concerning the history of modern society. -to know the general features of the historiographical discussions on social and cultural history, and in particular those concerning gender, sexuality violence and social control in the early modern and modern period. Competence: - ability to analyze issues of social history in a critical way. Transversal skills: -ability to clearly communicate issues discussed during the lessons, with a proper language and with a scientific terminology.
Module B): Knowledge and understanding: Students must demonstrate knowledge and ability to understand the issues related to cultural history. They must demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental stages in the development of cultural history, with particular attention to the authors and works that have contributed to the culturalist turning point since the 1960s. Students must be able to explain the meaning and limits of the conceptual tools of cultural history, such as culture, memory, nation, gender and sexuality. Applied knowledge and understanding: Students must demonstrate that they are able to understand and discuss problems concerning the European cultural history of the contemporary age and that they know how to use the instrument of cultural history to analyze a concrete case.

To achieve an advanced level, the student must also demonstrate that he/she has:
Module A): -An organic vision of the topics; synthesis and analysis skills; -Capacity for personal and critical processing of the topics; -Ability to deepen theoretical and methodological issues of history in general, and in particular concerning gender, sexuality violence and social control in the early modern and modern period.
Module B): Knowledge and understanding: Students must demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the development of the historiography of the cultural turning point, outlining the limits and merits of each historiographical current. Applied knowledge and understanding: Student must demonstrate the ability to use the tools used in the seminar to analyze the production of mass culture in general, even outside the European cultural context.