An introductory module of the course will be focused on the concept of material culture, on its history, on the ways in which historians used this concept. The course will then focus on biography of objects, the social history of objects and the global life of things.The notion of biography of objects is the core of material culture studies since Kopytoff (1988). The global life of things consider the ways in which things partecipated in the shaping of global connections in the period 1400-1800.
The course has two major learning outcomes: being able to reconstruct the concept of material culture and its history; being able to carry out a critical analysis of the evolution of the concept of material culture, from its material aspects to its cultural aspects, from production to consumption.
The course is based on a seminar method. Readings and discussion of texts are part of the course.
The reading list for this course, together with the lecturer's instructions are available on the italian version of the web page and in Aulaweb.
OSVALDO RAGGIO (President)
PAOLO CALCAGNO
LUCA LO BASSO
March, 20
MATERIAL CULTURE (LM)
