History

This course examines Spanish culture and society today through a study of its history and art. Topics include: Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Metal Age; Iberians and Celts; Roman Empire; Visigoths; Islam and Al Andalus; Christian kingdoms; late Middle Ages and Catholic Monarchs; empire of Charles I; Bourbons in Spain; Enlightenment; colonization and independence of American colonies; first and second republics; Franco dictatorship and transition to democracy; Spain and the European Union.

This course explores the profound connection between music and migration in shaping Berlin's diverse cultural scene. Focusing on key historical events, it unveils the complex factors influencing Berlin's music evolution. The city's history of attracting global artists, notably during periods of political upheaval, commenced with forced migrations in the 1930s and 1940s. The post-World War II era and the Berlin Wall's construction in 1961 further shaped the city's cultural dynamics, while the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 marked a pivotal moment, drawing a new wave of musicians and contributing to the city's globalized music scene. Electronic music thrived in the 1990s, utilizing abandoned industrial spaces for iconic techno parties. Contemporary migrations significantly enrich Berlin's musical influences, leading to hybrid music forms. World music, fusion, and cross-genre collaborations are prevalent, showcasing Berlin's reputation as a creative haven attracting musicians seeking an open environment, with clubs and venues fostering community and collaboration. The seminar series includes participation in the Fête de la Musique, offering students a real-world glimpse into Berlin's dynamic music scene. This festival becomes a platform for student projects, allowing them to analyze performances, interview musicians, and explore the festival's role in promoting cultural diversity in Berlin's music landscape.

This course is an interdisciplinary study of how societies and different generations respond to the invention of the piano. Students learn the social history of the piano throughout the past three centuries, canvassing a wide array of performers, composers, supporters, manufacturers, heroes, politicians, teachers and students. Various expressions of ideologies from differing periods eventually revolutionized and effectuated the versatility of the piano, shaping a legacy which led to the globalization of the piano, including China. Students learn through lectures, readings, discussions, listening, playing, and attend piano recitals and masterclasses.

This course provides an overview of Japan's history from the late Middle Ages to the present day. It aims to deepen one's understanding of the process by which the current Japanese society was established and understand historical events seen in current Japanese society.

In addition, students learn expressions in Japanese language  that have historical background.

This course offers a study of world history in the twentieth century. It explores secular problems of Europe, how to address them, and assesses democracy as a form of government. Topics include: Cold War; golden years and welfare state; political changes in Europe and the US; social changes; youth revolt and women's liberation.

Borders within and surrounding Europe have moved repeatedly throughout history, but rarely so frequently or so violently as during the 20th century. This class examines how processes of bordering and de-bordering since the First World War have shaped European states and peoples. It explores notions of territoriality, the construction and dismantling of borders, migration and forced migration, subversive social practices and ambiguous identities in borderlands. Case studies covered in class and in further readings focus primarily on East-Central Europe, including the former Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires, German-Polish borderlands, divided Cold War Germany, and the European Union.

This course explores the main developments in monetary financial history from the 9th to the end of the 20th centuries, taking the students from the simple beginnings of medieval European monetary history to the complex financial arrangements of the modern world. The first part of the course covers the emergence of money and finance from the medieval ages to the early modern period. The second part examines the main developments in the global financial system since the 19th century. Students discuss and compare historical developments in major European and non-European countries (England, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, USA). The course teaches students the main concepts of money and finance such as financial development, financial integration, monetary policy, banking crises etc, and provides a long run perspective to the current policy debate.

This course examines the history of the peoples of the Pacific Islands from their initial settlement of Oceania to the present day. It covers Pacific Islanders’ colonization of the region, and Pacific Islanders’ progressive involvement in the emerging global economy following sustained contact with Europe and Asia.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. The course focuses on the early modern world, a period of transformation unprecedented in human history, marked by profound and structural instabilities, including those wrought by climate changes. Yet, it was precisely within the chaos of these upheavals—and often as a direct result of them—that a rich mosaic of cultural encounters emerged. This course delves into these encounters, exploring how diverse cultures found ways to interact, influence, and understand each other, yet sometimes also misinterpret or even destroy one another. Such exchanges occurred across a variety of contexts—trade, exploration, warfare, study, slavery, diplomacy—evoking a wide range of reactions from excitement and interest to anxiety, hate, and fear. By examining these interactions, we gain a lens through which to view the premodern world's approach to confronting uncertainties and appreciate how these exchanges reshaped the deep structures of power and society, triggering profound shifts in people's mindsets. This course unfolds in two dynamic segments: foundations of early modern global history and pivotal phenomena of the early modern world. The course provides awareness of the cultural dimension of modern economy and society. Special attention is given to free and forced movements of people in relation to global phenomena such as geographical discoveries, colonialism, and capitalist expansion. This course provides fundamental knowledge of the historical foundations of cultural interactions and conflicts typical of the global age.