History/Human Rights Syllabus Alberto Preti and Cinzia Venturoli
This course examines the changing relationship between the citizens and the state in modern European and Italian history. It is divided in two modules: the first, taught by Professor Preti, will introduce students to the history of the welfare state in order to understand the construction of modern European society between the second half of the nineteenth century and the present day. Studying the history of the welfare state involves examining the history of state assistance to the poor, the old, and the disabled, as well as focusing on issues related to health, labor, and the family.
This module will also take into consideration the recent crisis and transformation of the welfare state. The second part of the course, taught by Professor Venturoli, will focus on the past 70 years of Italian history to understand how Italy constructed a democratic system in the new international context, creating room for the establishment of new political rights (e.g. women’s right to vote), civil rights (e.g. divorce, abortion), social rights (e.g. education, health, workers’ rights and family rights), rights related to gender identity, and migrants’ rights. Italian society has changed profoundly in this period, as have the views and ways of life of its citizens.