HISTORY AND TOOLS OF SCIENTIFIC HISTORIOGRAPHY

Degree course: 
Corso di First cycle degree in History and Stories of the Contemporary World
Academic year when starting the degree: 
2018/2019
Year: 
2
Academic year in which the course will be held: 
2019/2020
Course type: 
Compulsory subjects, characteristic of the class
Credits: 
8
Period: 
Second semester
Standard lectures hours: 
64
Detail of lecture’s hours: 
Lesson (64 hours)
Requirements: 

No special prerequisites are required.

Learning assessment method:

The exam consists of an oral interview aimed at ascertaining the acquisition of knowledge and the correct understanding of the contents of the texts that will be studied in full: on the basic contents of the two reference texts, two questions will be formulated, with particular attention to the skills of selecting, in-depth analyzing and linking of the topics, as well as their chronological classification. In addition, knowledge of the topics covered in class will be requested, as summarized in the teaching material that will be made available on the e-learning website in the sections "Lessons", "Texts" and "Educational Material" (one question). The answers to these first three questions must give an at least sufficient outcome, so that the exam can continue with a question on the text of choice and a question of ascertaining the capacity of critical interdisciplinary analysis and autonomy of judgment on the main topics of the course. The final grade will take into account the accuracy and quality of the answers (70%), as well as the communication skills shown during the interview (10%) and the ability to adequately motivate statements, analyzes and judgments (20%).

Assessment: 
Voto Finale

The reconstruction and writing of history, also in order to effectively narrate 'stories' in a very broad and diversified social and cultural context, requires an open, solid and articulated preparation on the different ways of interpreting events, actions, ideas, mentality , theories, objects of a recent past. The course therefore aims to analyze, discuss and compare tools and methods of 'making history', with particular attention to the context of contemporary scientific and technological development, but also in relation to the main research directions of historiography (understood as the complex of historical works and studies that characterize a period, a topic, a school of thought). Critical readings of history books will be presented, in order to contextualize the cultural, political and scientific references, identifying the methodological choices and reconstructing the preparation, the approach and the methodology of the authors.

The expected learning outcomes include:

• knowledge of the main schools, methods and tools of historiographic investigation, through the verification of sources and texts;
• knowledge of the narrative methods adopted by historians, with particular attention to science and technology;
• ability to identify, select and critically analyze simplifications, clichés, interpretative schemes, ideological tendencies in historiographical works;
• ability to highlight the potential of using the knowledge acquired in the historical-scientific and historical-technological fields for studies of cultural enhancement and promotion, even within a specific geographical area;
• ability to express oneself with a correct language, able to highlight an adequate mastery of the concepts treated, with intellectual curiosity and vivacity, demonstrating a good mastery of storytelling techniques.

Content and Course Program:

The first part of the course (approximately 40 hours) will present a general profile of the history of historiography, with particular attention to the period from the nineteenth century to the twentieth century and to contemporary developments. The following topics will be covered:

• definitions of historiography
• types, evaluation and use of sources
• methods and tools of historical investigation
• schools and historiographical tendencies
• problems and interpretative models
• historiography and interdisciplinarity
• historical research, professionalism and applications in the cultural industry
• history and narration
• public use of history

The second part of the course (approximately 24 hours) will focus on the analysis of the role of the historiography of science and technology in contemporary society, through the presentation of the different research and evaluation methodologies of historical and scientific knowledge, also in the context of the communication and dissemination with the adoption of storytelling techniques. Some specific case studies will be studied in depth and the verification activity on the sources and historiographical materials will be conducted with the direct involvement of the students. The following topics will therefore be covered:

• utility and roles in the history of science and techniques;
• problems of interdisciplinarity in historical-scientific research;
• historical-scientific and historical-technical sources
• historical-scientific historiography from the eighteenth century to the present
• research and historical-scientific reconstruction methods;
• the narration of science and technology through history: case studies
• historiographical work for the promotion of a correct and conscious scientific and technological culture.

Texts:

The study of the following two reference texts is required:

• Giovanni DE LUNA, "La passione e la ragione. Il mestiere dello storico contemporaneo", Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 2004
• Giuseppe GALASSO, "Storia della storiografia italiana. Un profilo", Bari- Roma, Laterza, 2017

and one text to be chosen from:

• Sandro ROGARI, "La scienza storica. Principi, metodi e percorsi di ricerca", Torino, UTET, 2013
• Pietro CORRAO & Paolo VIOLA, "Introduzione agli studi di storia", Roma, Donzelli, 2005
• Fernand BRAUDEL, "Storia misura del mondo" [1977], Bologna, Il Mulino, 2015 (anche edizioni precedenti)
• Edward H. CARR, "Sei lezioni sulla storia" [1961], Torino, Einaudi, 2000 (anche edizioni precedenti)
• Angelo D'ORSI, "Piccolo manuale di storiografia", Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 2002

The complete study of the teaching material is also required (slides of the lessons and text files - in pdf) which will be made available on the e-learning website.

Convenzionale

Teaching methods:

The course include 64 hours of lectures, which may be accompanied by possible seminars. Moreover, symposia, conferences and meetings of particular interest will be reported to the students in order to study in depth some of the topics covered in class. During the lectures and the seminars, interaction with the students will be constantly encouraged, through moments of discussion and shared analysis of the problems faced, in order to stimulate curiosity and intellectual vivacity, in addition to developing the capacity for critical analysis and an interdisciplinary approach.

Office hours: the lecturer receives the students at his office at the Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Campus Bizzozero, Padiglione Rossi, via O. Rossi 9 in Varese (ground floor), on Fridays from 18.00 to 19.00, except for suspensions and possible cancellations indicated on the website https://www.uninsubria.it/hpp/ezio.vaccari (please always check this web page before to go to the meet the lecturer).

Professors