ECONOMIC HISTORY
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2019/2020
- Teacher
- FEDERICO FRATTINI
- Credits
- 8
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
- SSD
- SECS-P/12
Training objectives
- This module has the general aim to provide students with an overview of the main events and processes that market economy has developed through and the consequent socio-institutional transformations. Then, the specific aim is to guide students into a critical analysis of some issues. At the end of the module, students will gain a general knowledge of the historical steps into market economy, as well as a specific knowledge of some processes and events. Furthermore, students will be given an essential toolbox for independent description, contextualization, linking, analysis and interpretation of complex phenomena in economics. Those students opting for taking laboratories will additionally gain skills in academic/professional writing and team working.
Prerequisites
- No exam record is required but, ideally, students have already gained competences in microeconomics, macroeconomics and public choice.
Course programme
- The module focuses on the history of market economy. Its birth, development and evolution are considered especially in Europe, since the economic renaissance in the XI century until the post-IIWW. The starting 2 class hours are to introduce module contents, methods and learning-assessment procedures. Contents are structured into three parts:
A) Europe before industrialization, 20 class hours, reference n. 1: the return of the cities; demographic dynamics; main technology improvements; the development of companies and finance; the role of currencies; guilds, monopolies, and competition; the development of international trade; trajectories of economic development; the conditions for industrial revolution.
B) From industrial revolution to the post-IIWW, 28 class hours, reference texts nn. 2 and 3: industrial revolutions; the Industrial Revolution in England; industrialization in Continental Europe; emerging competitors outside Europe; economic slowdown and recovery; the years between the two WWs and the economic crisis; recovery in the post-IIWW.
C) Italy from unification to the post-IIWW, 6 class hours, reference text n. 4: gaps and industrial takeoff; crises and wars; State-owned assets; recovery after the IIWW. Didactic methods
- Learning is structured into 56 class hours in Italian and 144 expected revision hours. Students are also expected a lively interaction during class hours but, although recommended, attending classes is not compulsory to take the exam.
Those students who regularly attend classes can opt for attending also two laboratories to complement individual revisions and progressively gain and test the capabilities required by the final exam. The two laboratories consist of preparing and submitting individual and group essays for an expected revision load of 72 hours that partially replace the ordinary revisions. Students can ask the instructor additional support during contact hours.
The Laboratory A focuses on the module part A). The instructor introduces the activities including to deliver on some fundamental rules in academic/professional writing and editing. Students are given three clippings from the reference text n. 1 and asked to submit an individual essay discussing the links between the clippings. Essays are expected of a length between 1500 to 2000 words (excluding references).
The Laboratory B) focuses on the module part B). Students are asked to submit a group essay based on one clipping from the reference text n. 1. The instructor introduces the activities including to deliver on hypothesis formulation, research settings, essay structure, and basic practices in groupworks. Students are ideally grouped into teams of five. Teams are assigned a topic, a clipping and a summary, and supported by the instructor to organize their activities. Each team member is asked to contribute to the group essay with an individual chapter. Chapters are expected of a length between 1500 to 2000 words each. Team members are asked to prepare an introduction, conclusions and the list of references together. Introduction and conclusions are expected of a length between 500 to 800 words each. Learning assessment procedures
- Learning assessment is based on an oral examination throughout all the contents and materials covered in the module. The examination ideally takes between 15 to 20 minutes and it is structured into questions focusing on a specific module part and/or crossing the module parts. The exam aims to test the learning outcome with respect to all the training objectives specified above. The pass mark is 18/31 and it can be obtained summing specific results:
- general knowledge, up to 7/31;
- specific knowledge, up to 4/31;
- ability to describe, up to 4/31;
- ability to put into context, up to 4/31;
- ability to link, up to 4/31;
- ability to analyze, up to 4/31;
- ability to discuss and interpret, up to 4/31;
Those students who regularly attend classes can opt for taking, as an alternative, the exam with laboratories. To get access to the exam with laboratories, students are also required to attend the online training course on the Unife Libraries resources and services (http://www.unife.it/economia/economia/corso-risorse-e-servizi-delle-biblioteche-unife). The exam with laboratories is structured into three tasks. The final mark to pass the exam is 18/31 or above and it is obtained combining the results in each single task as follows: first task 20%; second task 30%; third task 50%.
The first task of the exam with laboratories is to deliver the Laboratory-A individual essay in about three weeks since it is assigned. The task is limited to the module part A) and scheduled during the class period. The assessment criteria are the same as for the oral examination plus the following bonuses:
- accuracy of style and methods, up to 1/31;
- extension of the bibliography, up to 1/31.
The second task of the exam with laboratories is to deliver the Laboratory-B group essay in about four weeks since it is assigned. The task is limited to the module part B) and scheduled during the class period. The assessment criteria are the same as for the oral examination plus the following bonuses:
- accuracy of style and methods, up to 1/31;
- extension of the bibliography, up to 1/31;
- overall consistency of the group essay, up to 1/31.
The third task of the exam with laboratories is a written test scheduled after the classes end. The task is extended to all the contents and materials covered in the module and it consists in writing a short essay based on an outline chosen among the three prepared by the instructor (each outline is supported by clippings of course materials). Students are given two hours to complete the task. The assessment criteria are the same as for the oral examination.
Those students who opt for taking the exam with laboratories are required to complete all the three tasks. The essays (first and second task) can be submitted just once, as well as the written test (third task) can be taken just once. Students missing one or more tasks or failing the final pass mark or wanting to reject the final mark obtained are required to take the oral examination. Reference texts
- Learning assessment refers to the following materials (listed sections):
1. CIPOLLA CM, 1993, Before the Industrial Revolution: European Society and Economy 1000–1700, Taylor & Francis: PART II Toward a dynamics description, chapters 4–10
2. ZAMAGNI V, 1999, Dalla rivoluzione industriale all’integrazione Europea, Il Mulino: pp. 13–157, 171–224;
3. LANDES DS, 1969, The unbound Prometheus: technical change and industrial development in Western Europe from 1750 to the present, Cambridge University Press: chapters I–II;
4. BIANCHI P, 2013, La rincorsa frenata. L'industria italiana dall'unità alla crisi globale, Il Mulino: pp. 19–78.
All the other referenced texts are available in printed version at the Economics Library, one copy for on-site perusal only (English or Italian edition). Those students who want to deepen their knowledge on specific issues considered during the class hours are suggested the following readings:
5. CIPOLLA CM, 1993, Before the Industrial Revolution: European Society and Economy 1000–1700, Taylor & Francis: PART II Toward a dynamics description, chapters 1–3;
6. LANDES DS, 1969, The unbound Prometheus: technical change and industrial development in Western Europe from 1750 to the present, Cambridge University Press: chapters III–VI;
7. BIANCHI P, 2017, Il cammino e le orme. Industria e politica alle origini dell’Italia contemporanea, Il Mulino.
