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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "HS 366"
COURSE NAME: "Italy from Mussolini to the Crisis of the First Republic (1918 to present)"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Spring 2014
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Vanda Wilcox
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
MW 11:30 AM 12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
Co-requisites: EN 110; Recommended: Junior Standing, One previous history course
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
"Italy from Mussolini to the Crisis of the First Republic" introduces students to a vital period of Italian history, enabling them to better understand today's Italy. All the key developments of the twentieth century are studied, and the course will give students a chance to study both political and social developments in detail. The emergence of Fascism in Italy is a crucial element in understanding twentieth century European and global history, so we will aim to put Italian developments into a wider context and show how influential Italy has been beyond its own borders.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course will introduce students to the dramatic period of Italian history from the end of the First World War up to the end of the twentieth century. The chief focus of the course is on the political developments which have marked the century: the emergence of Fascism and the nature of the fascist regime, Italy's involvement in the Second World War and its recovery afterwards, the post-war political system and its subsequent downfall in the 1990s.
We will also examine the social, economic and cultural developments of twentieth century Italy, including issues such as religion, gender, social class, education, and popular culture. Key questions including the development of Italian national identity, the relationship of Italian citizens to the state and the problems of regional inequality will be traced through the semester as a whole.
A compulsory site visit will be held to the Museo della Liberazione and the Fosse Ardeatine, on Friday 21 February.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of the course students will have a thorough knowledge of modern Italy and will have direct experience of considering and engaging with contrasting interpretations of key historical events in recent Italian history. They will have learned about the distinctive features of Italy in the twentieth century and will have been encouraged to make relevant and appropriate comparisons with their existing historical knowledge. Students will also have a greater understanding of different kinds of historical approach including cultural, economic and social history.
Through class discussion students will improve their skills in orally explaining an argument, while through their two papers they will progressively develop transferable skills in research, interpretation, analysis and writing.
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TEXTBOOK:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments | Format | Local Bookstore | Online Purchase |
| Modern Italy (3rd ed) | M. Clark | Longman | 978-1405823524 | | | | | |
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
| Sport Italia: The Italian Love Affair with Sport | S. Martin | I. B. Tauris | 978-1845118204 | GV615 .M37 | Chapter 3 "Mussolini's boys" |
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
| Liberal and Fascist Italy | A. Lyttelton | OUP | 978-0198731986 | | |
| A History of Contemporary Italy | P. Ginsborg | Palgrave Macmillan | 978-1403961532 | | |
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Final Exam | | 30% |
| Class Participation | This is not an attendance grade but requires active participation in class discussions: asking questions, offering responses and showing evidence of having completed the assigned readings. | 10% |
| 2 x research papers | Paper 1: Rome and the Second World War. Students will write an in-depth 2000 word paper exploring the experience of the capital during the Second World War. The site visit to Via Tasso & the Fosse Ardeatine is an obligatory component of this assignment.
Paper 2: Independent Research Paper. Students will write a 2000 word research papers on any topic related to twentieth century Italian history, chosen independently and approved by the professor. | 20% each |
| Quiz x 4 | 4 short in-class tests, each worth 5% of your grade, through the semester to check on your progress and understanding. | 20% |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and displays originality of thought. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course, leading to written work of an excellent quality which fully achieves or even exceeds the criteria set by the assignment. This is an exceptional grade only achieved by a minority of students.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised. There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions. Written work shows a good level of research and reading beyond the required material and successfully achieves the criteria set by the assignment. This is a good grade reflecting hard work and ability.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings only. Written work shows a minimum level of research with no real further reading around the topic. It is generally competent but offers little originality, or it may have confused elements. It fulfills all the basic requirements of the assignment.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.fail. Written work shows little evidence of research, lacks citations or cites unacceptable sources (e.g. websites not specifically authorised by the instructor for use).
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant or fails to fulfill the assignment criteria. Any kind of academic dishonesty will also automatically result in an F.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance at class is mandatory. More than 3 unauthorised absences will cause your final overall grade to be reduced by one level per excessive absence (ie. A- to B+, B+ to B etc). An excused absence requires a doctor's note or official evidence that you have had an illness, family emergency or legal obligation which prevents you from attending class. Please bring or email this notification directly to me unless there is a good reason not to, otherwise please go to the Faculty Support Office in the Guarini Campus.
Travel plans, or mistakes in travel plans, are not an acceptable reason for missing class.
Students must sign in on the class attendance sheet at the start of each class. Students arriving more than 10 minutes after the start of class will be recorded as absent. Please be punctual. Attendance records are based on the sign-in sheet so it is your responsibility to make sure you sign it every class.
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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DRAFT SCHEDULE subject to revision
1. Introduction to Italy in the early twentieth century
2. Italy and the First World War
3. The Peace Settlement and the 'Mutilated Victory'
4. The Biennio Rosso: revolutionary socialism and the emergence of Fascism
5. The crisis of the Liberal State and the March on Rome
6. The establishment of dictatorship
7. Totalitarianism: statism in theory and in practice
(Quiz 1: the rise of fascism)
8. Life in Fascist Italy: gender, the family and social control
9. Fascist culture: art, propaganda and the battle to win consensus
10. The Cult of the Duce: Mussolini and his personality cult (with DVD screening)
11. Fascist Sport
12. Mussolini's Foreign Policy
(Quiz 2: life under the dictatorship)
13. The Italian Empire, 1887-1941
14. Italy at war 1940-43: the 'Parallel War'
15. Italy at war 1943-45: Civil War, Occupation and the Republic of Salò
16. Fascism in context: review & discussion class
17. Post-war reconstruction & the Constitution
18. The 1948 elections & the new republic
19. Italy and the Cold War: NATO membership and foreign policy
(Quiz 3: From the fall of fascism to the birth of a new Italy)
20. The 'economic miracle': Italy and Europe in the 1950s
21. Student radicalism and the protests of 1968
22. Social change: secularization and the women's movement
23. The 'years of lead': terrorism and the 1970s
24. Craxi & the 1980s
(Quiz 4: social conflict & protest movements)
25. Organised crime & politics: the mafia and the state
26. The 'Mani Puliti' investigation and the Fall of the First Republic
27. Italy in the 1990s: the new republic & the rise of Berlusconi
28. Conclusions and Revision
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