OVERVIEW

The course aims to deepen the moments, themes and problems related to the history of the Mediterranean in the Modern Age, with a focus on the dimension of historiographic research and the sources used by historians

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course is to introduce students to studies on the Mediterranean as a space characterised by exchanges, clashes and hybridisations, where the mechanisms of circulation (of people, goods, vessels) are intertwined with those of control (military, fiscal, sanitary). The lectures will have a seminar character, and there will be in-depth studies of the sources and specific bibliographies. Special attention will be paid to the centuries of the modern age, and to the relationship that the Mediterranean builds with other parts of the world, in a perspective of global history.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching objectives are threefold:

1) to acquaint students with the history that characterised the Mediterranean space in the modern age, making them understand the importance of this scenario for European and world history in the 15th-19th centuries.

2) to make them reflect on the idea of unity/multiplicity, and on the concepts of frontier and hybridisation, showing the Mediterranean as a set of 'seas', where at times frontiers are manned and controlled, but at the same time also as a fluid space where a common culture is created from exchanges and contaminations

3) to teach the historiographical traditions related to the history of the Mediterranean in the modern age and at the same time to introduce the types and uses of primary sources used by researchers

PREREQUISITES

Basic knowledge of European and world history between the 15th and 19th centuries

TEACHING METHODS

Attendance, although not mandatory, is recommended.

For the class schedule, please refer to the portal: https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti//index.php?_lang=en

The lessons will include PowerPoint presentations.

Some seminar-style lectures will be held at the State Archives of Genoa, focusing on topics related to the course from a long-term perspective (Middle Ages to Early Modern period). These activities will be conducted in collaboration with the course on the History of the Mediterranean in the Middle Ages (Prof. Pucci Donati).

Additionally, as part of an 8-hour teaching support program, the second part of the course will include a brief in-depth analysis of the theme of slavery in the Mediterranean during the Early Modern period

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Programme for students using the teaching for 6 cfu

Moments, themes, problems of Mediterranean history between the 15th and 19th centuries

Programme for students using the teaching for 9 cfu

Moments, themes, problems of Mediterranean history between the 15th and 19th centuries

Focused insights into specific subject areas and historiography. Presentation of studies and research paths through primary and secondary sources

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

6 cfu

Attending students can prepare their examination on the materials of the lectures (personal notes, lecturer's PowerPoint); otherwise non-attending students (and attending students who wish to complete their preparation) must prepare F. CANALE CAMA, D. CASANOVA, R.M. DELLI QUADRI, Storia del Mediterraneo moderno e contemporaneo, Guida editori, chapters I-VI (i.e. pp. 11-236).

Furthermore, only non-attending students are required to prepare Michele Bosco's essay, Il Mediterraneo della prima età moderna (a pdf file of the essay will be uploaded to AulaWeb)

9 cfu:

Regarding the first module, attending students can prepare for the exam using lecture materials (personal notes, the instructor's PowerPoint slides). Non-attending students (as well as attending students who wish to supplement their preparation) must study F. CANALE CAMA, D. CASANOVA, R.M. DELLI QUADRI, Storia del Mediterraneo moderno e contemporaneo, Guida editori, chapters I-VI (i.e. pp. 11-236), as well as Michele Bosco's article, Il Mediterraneo della prima età moderna (a PDF of the essay will be uploaded to AulaWeb).

As for the second module, attending students will have the opportunity to complete it with personal research on one of the topics covered during the second part of the course, which will be further explored based on specific references provided by the instructor. This research must be submitted in written form to the instructor and discussed during the oral examination. 

Non-attending students will be required to prepare two books of their choice from this list:

Salvatore Bono, Schiavi. Una storia mediterranea (XVI-XIX secolo), il Mulino

Samuele Virga, Vita e lavoro degli schiavi musulmani a Genova tra Sei e Settecento, New Digital Frontiers

Giustina Olgiati, Andrea Zappia (a cura di), Schiavi a Genova e in Liguria, Sagep

Marco Lenci, Corsari. Guerra, schiavi, rinnegati nel Mediterraneo, Carocci

Giuseppe Restifo, I porti della peste. Epidemie mediterranee tra Sette e Ottocento, Mesogea

Giovanni Assereto, Per la comune salvezza dal morbo contagioso. I controlli di sanità nella Repubblica di Genova, Città del silenzio

C.M. Cipolla, Il pestifero e comtagioso morbo. Combattere la peste nell'Italia del Seicento, il Mulino

Paolo Calcagno, Fraudum. Contrabbandi e illeciti doganali nel Mediterraneo (sec. XVIII), Carocci

Luca Lo Basso, Gente di bordo. La vita quotidiana dei marittimi genovesi nel XVIII secolo, Carocci

Laura Felici (a cura di), La Livornina. Alle origini di Livorno, città cosmopolita in età moderna, Viella

Danilo Pedemonte, Inglesi mediterranei. Livorno, Genova e la penetrazione britannica nel grande mare (1713-1783), ETS

Giulia Delogu, L'emporio delle parole. Costruire l’informazione nei porti franchi d’età moderna, Viella

Giulia Delogu, Koen Stapelbroek, Antonio Trampus (dir.), Free Trade and Free Port in the Mediterranean, Routledge

Paolo Calcagno, Ponente veneziano. Il rilancio dello shipping della Serenissima (1763-1797), Viella

Students with disabilities and students with DSA are reminded that in order to request adaptations for examinations they must first enter their certification on the University website at servizionline.unige.it in the ‘Students’ section. The documentation will be checked by the University's Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and DSA Sector (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111).
Subsequently, at least 10 days before the date of the exam, an e-mail must be sent to the lecturer, indicating both the School's Contact Person for the inclusion of students with disabilities and with DSA (Prof. Elisabetta Colagrossi: elisabetta.colagrossi@unige.it) and the Sector indicated above. In the e-mail it is necessary to specify: the name of the lesson; the date of the roll call; the student's surname, first name and matriculation number; the compensatory and dispensatory measures considered functional; and required.  The contact person will confirm to the teacher that the applicant has the right to request adaptations during the exam and that these adaptations must be agreed upon with the teacher, who will respond by communicating whether it is possible to use the requested adaptations (in particular, concept maps, which must be much more concise than the maps used for study) 

For further information on the request for services and adaptations, please consult the document: https://unige.it/sites/unige.it/files/2024-05/Linee%20guida%20per%20la%20richiesta%20di%20servizi%2C%20di%20strumenti%20compensativi%20e_o%20di%20misure%20dispensative%20e%20di%20ausili%20specifici%20Maggio%202024.pdf

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

February 17, 2025

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam will be oral for everyone, but there will be a difference between attending and non-attending students: attending students will be examined on the content of the lectures and will present their personal research; non-attending students will be examined on the assigned texts (the textbook by Canale Cama-Casanova-Delli Quadri and Michele Bosco's essay) as well as the other two books they choose from the list

ASSESSMENT METHODS

In the examination, which will take place orally, the candidate will be asked to illustrate the topics critically, in a correct and articulate manner and using appropriate language; the ability to establish meaningful links between the various topics covered and addressed during the lectures (frequent attendees) or between the various topics of the specially assigned texts (non-attenders) will also be tested

FURTHER INFORMATION

There is no further information, but the professor is always available via e-mail (paolo.calcagno@unige.it).