OVERVIEW

The course is divided into two modules. The first module, of a general nature, focuses on the major themes and events spanning the period from the Age of Geographical Discoveries to the Congress of Vienna. The second module is dedicated to an in-depth exploration of several phenomena that shaped Europe during the Ancien Régime: food culture, witchcraft, the relationship between print and the construction of knowledge, the connection between language and the formation of the concept of community, illicit trade, the plague and public health practices, representations and cultural perceptions of banditry, and the construction of the public image of Louis XIV

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The subject has two educational goals: acquiring a thorough knowledge of the fundamental themes and great processes of the modern history of Europe between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries; acquiring a method of critical interpretation of historiographical literature and the sources of modern history.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The objective of the course is to provide students with the conceptual tools and interpretative categories needed to reconstruct the history of the past, critically read a text or document, establish connections between processes and events, and communicate the results of a reading or research using scientific language.

By the end of the course, students will be able to understand a text on history and historiography of the Early Modern period, discuss it, and place it within the current academic debate. Additionally, students will have developed the fundamental knowledge and competencies of the subject and will be able to utilize the necessary methodological tools, in terms of sources and interpretations, to understand the forms and practices that shape historiography.

PREREQUISITES

Students are expected to have the ability to read and communicate effectively in Italian. They should have acquired basic historical knowledge at upper secondary school level and possess an adequate understanding of European and global geography.

Erasmus students are expected to demonstrate their ability to take the oral exam in Italian, with the possibility of using terms from their native language in case of difficulty.

TEACHING METHODS

The course will be organized into face-to-face lectures delivered simultaneously in-person and remotely on Teams ( Teams class code: 5ug4rtz ). The lectures will also be recorded (the recordings will be available).

The exam syllabus will not differ based on attendance in person, meaning it will be identical for both attending and non-attending students.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Module I: The History of the Modern World from the Late 15th Century to the Congress of Vienna (20 lectures)
Module II: Themes and Issues in the History of European Society during the Ancien Régime (20 lectures)

The course is structured into two modules: the first consists of 20 general lectures, while the second comprises 20 lectures focused on specific case studies and thematic explorations.

The topics covered in each lecture are listed below

MODULE I

1. Periodization

2. Population

3. Economy

4. Economy and Society

5. Society

6. Society and the State

7. War (1)

8. War (2)

9. Naval Warfare (1)

10. Naval Warfare (2)

11. The Beginning of Global Expansion

12. Beyond Europe: Africa, Asia, and the Americas

13. European States and Wars in the 16th Century

14. The Reformation: Luther, Zwingli, Calvin

15. The Counter-Reformation and the Habsburgs

16. The Wars of Religion and the Thirty Years’ War

17. England Between Two Revolutions

18. France under Louis XIV and the New Balance of Power

19. Between the 17th and 18th Centuries: Wars, Politics, Reforms

20. Revolutions and Empire

MODULE II

1. Food and Society in Europe (1)

2. Food and Society in Europe (2)

3. Food and Society in Europe (3)

4. European Societies Facing the Plague (1)

5. European Societies Facing the Plague (2)

6. Witchcraft in Early Modern Italy: A Case Study (1)

7. Witchcraft in Early Modern Italy: A Case Study (2)

8. Witchcraft in Early Modern Italy: A Case Study (3)

9. Witchcraft in Early Modern Italy: A Case Study (4)

10. Witchcraft in Early Modern Italy: A Case Study (5)

11. The Revolutions of the Book: Printing and Modernity (1)

12. The Revolutions of the Book: Printing and Modernity (2)

13. The Revolutions of the Book: Printing and Modernity (3)

14. Languages and Communities in Early Modern Europe (1)

15. Languages and Communities in Early Modern Europe (2)

16. A Case Study on Illicit Trade in the Early Modern Period (1)

17. A Case Study on Illicit Trade in the Early Modern Period (2)

18. A Case Study on Illicit Trade in the Early Modern Period (3)

19. Imaginaries and Representations: The Social Bandit

20. Imaginaries and Representations: Louis XIV

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Module I:

V. Criscuolo, Storia moderna, Pearson, Torino-Milano 2024. To be supplemented with the lecture handouts from the 20 lessons of the module; one file per lesson (i.e., 20 files).

Module II:

Handouts provided by the instructor (to be uploaded to Aulaweb), one file per lesson (i.e., 20 files). Students taking the 12 cfu exam will prepare the handouts for all 20 lessons of the module. Students taking the 9 cfu exam will prepare the handouts for 10 lessons of their choice (they must present the list of the 10 selected lessons during the exam).

The handout files will be available both in the course's Aulaweb and in the Teams class

Reference bibliography for Module II (Note: This is not part of the exam syllabus):​

M. Montanari, La fame e l’abbondanza. Storia dell’alimentazione in Europa, Laterza, Roma-Bari 1993

C.M. Cipolla, Contro un nemico invisibile. Epidemie e strutture sanitarie nell'Italia del Rinascimento, Il Mulino, Bologna 2007

O. Di Simplicio, Autunno della stregoneria. Maleficio e magia nell’Italia moderna, Il Mulino, Bologna 2005

E. Eisenstein, Le rivoluzioni del libro. L’invenzione della stampa e la nascita dell’età moderna, Il Mulino, Bologna 1995

E. Beri, Contrabbandieri e corsari napoletani nella Rivoluzione di Corsica, D'Amico, Nocera Superiore 2020

P. Burke, Lingue e comunità nell’Europa moderna, Il Mulino, Bologna 2006

P. Burke, Il Re Sole, Il Saggiatore, Milano 2017

E. J. Hobsbawm, I banditi. Il banditismo sociale nell'età moderna, Einaudi, Torino 2002

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

February 2026

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam, generally lasting no more than approximately 30 minutes, characterized by continuous interaction between the student and the examiner. Questions will address factual, conceptual, terminological, methodological, and interpretative aspects.

The candidate may present one topic of their choice from each of the two modules. The exam will then continue with two additional topics selected by the examiner, one from each module.

It is possible to take the exam for Module I and Module II separately, in two different exam sessions, at any available date. There is no time limit for the validity of the partial evaluation.

Students taking the 12 cfu exam must prepare using the material for Module I (the textbook and 20 lecture handouts) and all 20 handouts for Module II.

Students taking the 9 cfu exam must prepare using the material for Module I (the textbook and 20 handouts) and 10 lecture handouts from Module II of their choice (the list of selected lessons must be presented at the exam).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The objective of the examination is to assess the student’s ability to engage with the subject matter with competence, appropriate language, clarity of expression, and critical thinking. Evaluation will focus on both the student's knowledge of the foundational content of the course and their methodological and interpretative skills.

Knowledge of content and methodological-interpretative abilities will each account for 40% of the final grade. The remaining 20% will be based on the student’s ability to use appropriate language, both in terms of form and the correct use of disciplinary terminology.