CODE 118228 ACADEMIC YEAR 2026/2027 CREDITS 6 cfu anno 2 STORIA 11867 (L-42 R) - GENOVA SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR M-STO/04 TEACHING LOCATION GENOVA SEMESTER 2° Semester OVERVIEW This course explores the fundamental historiographical debates underpinning the study of Europe in the "Long Twentieth Century," critically transcending the limits and periodizations of the so-called "Short Twentieth Century" and examining European political, economic, and cultural dynamics from a global and comparative perspective. The chronological and conceptual framework extends before 1914 and well beyond 1991. AIMS AND CONTENT LEARNING OUTCOMES The main aim of the course is to provide advanced training on the history of contemporary Europe, its political, economic, social and cultural transformations, from the First World War to the present day. AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES The aim of the course is to provide students with a grounding in the principal conceptual, historiographical, and methodological questions that characterize the field of twentieth-century European history. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to: - develop the capacity to establish connections between phenomena and to propose analyses in terms of processes and comparative frameworks (applied knowledge and understanding); - recognize the nature of sources for European history and assess their relevance to specific problems under examination (applied knowledge and understanding); - develop a critically informed approach to historiographical interpretations in the field of contemporary European history (independent judgement); - employ appropriate disciplinary language to articulate the problems analyzed across their various dimensions (institutional, economic, cultural) and to highlight their interconnections (written and oral communication skills). PREREQUISITES There are no prerequisites for this course; however, familiarity with the history of twentieth-century Europe is desirable. TEACHING METHODS Classes will be held in person, unless otherwise specified by the University. Students who request access to course content remotely (via streaming and/or recordings) will be classified as NON-ATTENDING. The course consists of lectures for a total of 40 hours. It is structured around thematic units devoted to different aspects of the field of study. Use will be made of documentary materials and online resources, audiovisual content, and PowerPoint presentations. Guest lectures by external scholars and specialists may be arranged to illustrate interpretive approaches and research methodologies on specific issues. Regular attendance is strongly encouraged. Students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD) will find guidance on requesting services, compensatory tools, exemptions, or specific aids in the document available at the following link: [https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa/modulistica](https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa/modulistica). SYLLABUS/CONTENT Through thematic-chronological units, the course traces the dynamics of continuity and transformation in the "Long Twentieth Century," taking as its points of departure the symbolic turning points of 1917–23, 1944–49, and 1989–93, as well as the broader debates surrounding the category of "postwar." Within this interpretive framework, postwar periods are not conceived as "year zero" moments but rather as phases of intense and dynamic change through which to explore the medium-term effects of the First World War, the Second World War, and the Cold War within the European context. RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY Essential Reading: Mark Mazower, Dark Continent: Europe's Twentieth Century, Penguin, 1998. One volume of the student's choice from the following: Martin Conway, Western Europe's Democratic Age, 1945–1968, Princeton University Press, 2020. Andrea Graziosi and Francesca Lomastro (eds.), Il nazionalismo russo. Spazio postsovietico e guerra all'Ucraina, Viella, 2024. Stephen Kotkin, Armageddon Averted: The Soviet Collapse, 1970–2000, Oxford University Press, 2001. Stephen Holmes and Ivan Krastev, The Light That Failed: A Reckoning, Penguin, 2019. Tony Judt, Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945, Penguin, 2005. Jan-Werner Müller, Contesting Democracy: Political Ideas in Twentieth-Century Europe, Yale University Press, 2011. Kiran Klaus Patel, Project Europe: A History, Cambridge University Press, 2020. Philipp Ther, Europe since 1989: A History, Princeton University Press, 2016. TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD FRANCESCO CASSATA Ricevimento: Meetings with students will be held either in person or remotely, by appointment. LESSONS LESSONS START Week starting from FEBRUARY 15, 2027 Class schedule The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy EXAMS EXAM DESCRIPTION Oral exam ASSESSMENT METHODS The examination committee verifies the achievement of the course’s objectives, taking into account the following factors: a) level of mastery of the fundamental notions; b) ability to apply knowledge (source analysis); c) ability of critical reasoning on the topics studies; d) ability to organize knowledge discursively, using a specific language appropriate for the discipline. FURTHER INFORMATION Course attendance is not compulsory but strongly recommended to all students. Exchange students can agree on a program partially in English. For Erasmus students, final exames can be taken in English.
