European Studies

This course provides an overview of the British political system in theory and in practice. Students learn about the key British institutional structures such as the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Civil Service, and Parliament. They learn about key areas of change: the development of devolution, nationalist movements, and parliamentary reform. The course provides an insight into the party and electoral systems. It also considers how the British political system relates with the outside world, including the aftermath of the vote to leave the European Union of June 2016. Students combine empirical study with the application of a variety of theoretical approaches.

This course begins with a brief history of Islam in Ireland. It will subsequently examine the Islamic “other,” and Muslim identities in Europe from historical and modern perspectives. The focus of the course then shifts to the modern era and to debates concerning Muslims living in Europe, including discussions around secularism, human rights, and religious freedoms.

This class has an innovative approach to European institutions and politics. Unlike a theoretical university presentation, the class provides students, regardless of whether they have extensive knowledge of the subject, with a concrete overview of the daily functioning of European institutions and true ratios of power between all the stakeholders involved. Using numerous enlightening examples, some of which are unknown by the general public and the media, the aim of the course is to challenge misconceptions and preconceived ideas about Europe and to help students form their own points of view. It may occasionally call upon external speakers to debate with students and share their experience.

The course is part of the Laurea Magistrale Program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrolment is by consent of the instructor. The course offers a series of advanced analytical tools necessary to understand European economic development as well as economic policies related to EU integration and expansion, their political and economic prerequisites, and their impact on member states. The course focuses on models of political economy, institutional economics, and economic analysis in order to critically evaluate the process of economic integration in Europe in the trade, monetary, and financial areas. The course explores the economic integration of the European Union (EU) and its role in the global economy. Attention is placed on basic concepts and theory in order to understand the economic dynamics between EU member states as well as between the EU and the rest of the world. A special section of the course is devoted to evaluating current events and the debate on Europe’s economic future against the backdrop of changing dynamics in global markets.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrolment is by permission of the instructor. The course offers a general view of the history of Medieval and Renaissance art. Students learn to develop a general vision of the history of Medieval and Renaissance art. On one hand, students learn how to use the skills necessary to become familiar with the artistic production of the period, and on the other, they learn to analyze some of the main works of the history of Medieval and Renaissance art using specific methodologies, and relate these to one another appropriately. Classes are divided into three sections. The first section introduces students to medieval and renaissance history and to the different approaches to a work of art (style, techniques, iconography, etc.), and discusses the most important methodological issues about them. The second section offers, in chronological order, the main lines of Italian artistic history between the beginning of Middle Age and early XVI century: Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Barbaric Art, the medieval revivals (Carolingian and Ottonian), Romanesque Art, Gothic Art, the Early Renaissance, and the High Renaissance. The third section focuses on a specific topic, which varies each year. The fall 2023 topic is "Luca Signorelli and the young Michelangelo: two great artists between the 15th and 16th c."