AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This subject is aimed at developing the following educational purposes: acquire and develop skills concerning the origins, the transformations, the contents, the sources, and the research methods of social history, paying also attention to the dynamics of the academic debate, with special reference to the contemporary era. Migrations in the European context and their possible interpretations will offer the preferential case study to address such issues by means of the analysis of specific experiences.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to introduce students to the main themes, theoretical approaches, research methods, and interpretative tools of the social history of migration, adopting a long-term global perspective and considering migration as a key factor in the economic, political, cultural, and demographic transformations of the contemporary era.

Particular attention will be devoted to the transnational dimension of migratory processes and to their developments within the European context, through an analysis of the connections between human mobility, nation-state building, labour markets, colonialism, citizenship, collective identities, and processes of social integration and inclusion/exclusion.

The course will also provide specific insights into European and Italian migrations from the nineteenth to the twentieth century, examined both within the framework of national histories and in the broader context of international migration dynamics. It will encourage critical reflection on the main historiographical interpretations, periodisations, and the different types of sources used in the study of migration phenomena.

By the end of the course, students will:

• be able to describe and discuss the main historiographical issues and analytical categories of the social history of migration, with particular reference to Italian migration;
• have acquired skills in the use, interpretation, and critical analysis of sources and major historiographical paradigms in migration history;
• develop written and oral communication skills, critical information analysis, and argumentative abilities;
• develop critical thinking skills and an understanding of the social transformations connected to migration phenomena.

TEACHING METHODS

• Lectures
• Case study analysis
• Group discussions and group work
• Use of Aulaweb for moderating online forums and sharing teaching materials

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Following an introduction to the themes, sources, and methods of social history, the course will examine mass migrations from Italy and Europe as one of the major social phenomena of the contemporary era.

The lectures will explore the main periodisations and dynamics of Italian and European migration, considering destinations, the scale of migratory flows, and the global context of migration processes. The course will also address the concept of the “migrant”, quantitative and qualitative sources for the study of migration, migrants’ experiences, and the principal interpretative paradigms, with particular attention to the concepts of diaspora and transnationalism.

The course will further examine the relationship between migration and economic cycles, xenophobia and the construction of prejudice in receiving societies, new contemporary forms of mobility, and the public uses of migration history. Particular attention will be devoted to the long-term history of European migration, pre-industrial mobility, and the circular nature of migration processes, often characterised by significant return flows.

The course contributes to the achievement of the following United Nations 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all; Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls; Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS:

1. M. Colucci, M. Sanfilippo, Le migrazioni. Un'introduzione storica, Carocci, Roma, 2015.

2. Klaus J. Bade, L'Europa in movimento. Le migrazioni dal Settecento a oggi, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2001.

One text of your choice from the following:

- E. Pugliese, M. Vitiello, Storia sociale dell'emigrazione italiana. Dall'Unità a oggi, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2024, ISBN 978-88-15-38933-6;

- P. Audenino e M. Tirabassi, Migrazioni italiane. Storia e storie dall’Ancien régime a oggi, Bruno Mondadori, Milano, 2008;

- P. Corti e M. Sanfilippo, L'Italia e le migrazioni, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2012;

- E. Franzina, Varcare i confini. Lettere e letture, scritture e canti dell’antica emigrazione italiana, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2023;

- S. Gallo, Senza attraversare le frontiere. Le migrazioni interne dall'Unità a oggi, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2012;

- M. Livi Bacci, Per terre e per mari. Quindici migrazioni dall’antichità ai nostri giorni, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2022;

- E. Pugliese, M. Vitiello, Storia sociale dell'emigrazione italiana. Dall'Unità a oggi, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2024;

- M. Colucci, Storia dell'immigrazione straniera in Italia. Dal 1945 ai giorni nostri, Carocci, Roma, 2018;

- Donna Gabaccia, Emigranti. Le diaspore degli italiani dal Medioevo a oggi, Einaudi, Torino, 2003.

Complementary texts
Additional readings may be assigned during the course, particularly for Erasmus students.

FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:
Students who are unable to attend classes regularly are required to inform the instructor, who will provide a supplementary study programme designed to ensure the acquisition of the learning outcomes and competences expected for the course.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

NICOLETTA VARANI (President)

CARLO STIACCINI (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

First semester, September 2026.

Further information on the timetable is available on Aulaweb (http://www.aulaweb.unige.it/).

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The assessment consists of an individual oral examination conducted without the use of supporting materials, except for students entitled to compensatory tools (such as concept maps) on the basis of appropriate certification. The oral examination will cover the full content of the readings listed in the “Texts/Bibliography” section.

For students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD):

Students with disabilities or SLD are reminded that, in order to request examination accommodations, they must first upload the relevant certification through the University online services portal at servizionline.unige.it, in the “Studenti” section. The documentation will be assessed by the University Service for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and SLD (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111).

Subsequently, well in advance of the examination date (at least 7 days), students must contact the instructor by e-mail, copying both the School Coordinator for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and SLD (laura.traverso@unige.it) and the above-mentioned Service, using one of the following addresses: disabili@unige.it; dsa@unige.it; inclusione.studenti@info.unige.it. The e-mail must specify:

• the course title;
• the examination date;
• the student’s surname, name, and matriculation number;
• the requested compensatory tools and accommodation measures.

The School Coordinator (Prof. Laura Traverso) will confirm to the instructor that the student is entitled to request examination accommodations and that such accommodations must be agreed upon with the instructor. The instructor will then inform the student whether the requested accommodations can be granted.

Requests must be submitted at least 7 days before the examination date in order to allow sufficient time for evaluation. In particular, if students intend to use concept maps during the examination (which must be significantly more concise than those used for study purposes), failure to comply with the required timeframe may prevent any necessary revisions requested by the instructor.

For further information on support services and examination accommodations, students are invited to consult the document: Guidelines for requesting services, compensatory tools, dispensatory measures, and specific aids.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Examination questions will assess students’ familiarity with the social history of migration, with particular reference to the contemporary period and the European context. Students will also be evaluated on their understanding of the interpretative categories used in social history to analyse historical phenomena, their knowledge of the relevant historiography, and their ability to employ the specific terminology of the discipline. Clarity in presenting ideas and arguments will constitute an additional assessment criterion. The final grade will be based on the overall evaluation of all these elements.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students attending at least 65% of the lectures will be considered attending students. Attendance will be recorded at the beginning of each class.

All students are strongly encouraged to consult regularly the AulaWeb e-learning page for this course (accessible through the University website or at: www.aulaweb.unige.it). All information and teaching materials related to the course will be published exclusively on this platform.

Students may contact the instructor for further information not included in the course description.