Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
World Contemporary History
Teaching staff
Introduction
The main aim of the subject of history is the development of critical, analytical skills and knowledge of our recent past. In the subject there will be a constant tension between the unknown historical data and the reflections and analysis of those facts most relevant to help understand the present. The key concern of Contemporary World History focuses on the analysis of the different political models, social organisation and economic and human rights. A first part looks at the French Revolution and the fall of the ancient regime to follow after with the industrial revolution and the labour movement, placing special emphasis on the Marxist, anarchist and socialist movements. The second part discussess in more detail the recent history of nationalism and World War I, economic change, the twenties and the 1929 crash, new models and state rights (democracy, fascism, communism), World War II, the creation of the UN, the Cold War and the new countries and emerging socio-political realities and all this bearing in mind the degree of journalism. For this reason, activities are related to the history of written press and the skills of journalists.
Pre-course requirements
No pre-course requirements are needed to enrol in this subject.
Objectives
- Develop critical thinking and the ability to analyse complex historical and current realities.
- Know the main historical data to help understand the present.
- Analyse and understand the different political models, in its temporal development and its viability.
- Understand and critically assess developments in human rights.
- Understand and analyse the social changes that have occurred in the forms of life.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 02 CG - The ability to learn and act an autonomously and responsibly
- 04 CG - The ability to organise time and workspace
- 05 CG - The ability to develop an ethical attitude
- 08 CG - The ability to reflect and memorize.
- 10 CG - Knowledge and mastery of bibliographic repertoires
- 11 CG - Knowledge and mastery of different research resources
- 12 CG - The ability to listen
- 16 CE - The ability to make judgments and well-argued critical assessments
- 18 CE - Ability to detect newsworthy events
- 21 CE - The ability to contextualize historical facts and critically analyze the current situation
- 38 CE - Knowledge and mastery of concepts, data, statistics and economic graphs
- 42 CE - The ability to integrate the contributions of the environment
Learning outcomes of the subject
- Know of any major developments that have marked and help understand the present.
- Understand the evolutionary processes of different state models, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each.
- Understand and analyse key socio-economic dynamics of western society.
- Analyse the changes in those elements that are considered human rights.
- Develop a critical assessment of reality.
Students:
- Will learn basic knowledge of economics, law geography and history in order to be able to understand some of the major problems of modern society.
- They will internalize a complex vision of contemporary societies.
- They will understand how to spot trends.
- They will be able to analyze society and forge a critical and independent spirit.
- They will develop abilities to perform better during teamwork and create positive synergies.
- They will get detailed knowledge about the origins of mankind and its organization, culture, religion and privacy.
Syllabus
1. The Ancien Régime and its crisis (18th century)
• The Ancien Régime and the contrasts of early Modernity
• The Enlightenment and the rise of liberalism
• Wars of succession in Europe
• The Seven Years’ War: the first global conflict
2. The “Atlantic” Revolutions (1776–1815)
• Corsica and the revolution of Pasquale Paoli
• The American and French Revolutions
3. Napoleon and the reorganization of Europe and America
• Napoleon Bonaparte
• The French Empire: expansion and characteristics
• The Restoration
• Napoleon’s global impact: America (USA, Haiti, and the Spanish Empire)
4. Romanticism
• The characteristics of Romanticism: culture and political ideas
• Liberal revolutions in Europe: 1820, 1830, and 1848
5. Empires and nation-states
• The independence of Greece
• The unification of Italy and Germany
• Ireland and Hungary
• The contradictions of the USA and the Civil War
6. Industrialization, capitalism, and the social question
• The Industrial Revolution and the consolidation of capitalism
• The labor movement and socialism
7. Imperialism and colonialism (1870–1914)
• The partition of Africa
• The expansion of the USA
• The Great Game: British Empire vs. Russia
8. The First World War
• The road to war
• Total war and its impact on European societies
• The peace treaties and their consequences
9. The Russian Revolution and the birth of the USSR
• The February Revolution
• The October Revolution
• Civil War
10. The rise and consolidation of fascism in Europe
• The origins of fascism
• Italian Fascism
• Nazism
• The Spanish case
11. The 1930s and the Second World War
• The Great Depression
• The Second Republic and the Spanish Civil War
• The Ethiopian War
• The Second World War
12. The Cold War (1947–1991)
• The formation and characteristics of the two blocs
• The nuclear question
• The Cold War in Latin America
13. Decolonization
• The end of the French and British Empires
• Spain and Portugal
• The case of Israel and Palestine
14. 1989–1991: the end of the bipolar world
• The collapse of the USSR
• The collapse of Yugoslavia
• The emergence of new nation-states
• American hegemony
15. Globalization and neoliberalism
• Optimistic globalization
• The 2008 financial crisis and its consequences
16. The Islamic world
• Pan-Arabism
• Iran and the Islamic Revolution
• Islamic fundamentalism
• Turkey: from a secular state to a confessional state?
17. The configuration of the contemporary world
• The European Union
• New and old conflicts: Ukraine and the Middle East
• Emerging powers: China and Turkey
• The crisis of democracy
• The ecological question
Teaching and learning activities
In person
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | ECTS CREDITS |
| Coaching. Monitoring how students learn the content of the subject, either individually or in groups. In the coaching sessions, mistakes will be corrected, queries answered, and exercises and activities to achieve the established objectives will be suggested. | 0.6 |
| Focused Praxis. Handing in occasional exercises to learn theory through practice. | 0,6 |
| Seminar. This activity will consist of taking an in-depth look at specific up-to-date topics in a monographic manner-in some cases these topics will have been debated socially-, via active work in small groups. | 0,6 |
| Practical workshop. A highly practical working activity, where students can acquire skills that are practical or also theoretical (intellectual skills, logical skills, critical skills, intellectual learning skills, study skills, quoting skills, etc). | 0,6 |
| Lectures. In lectures, lecturers/professors not only transmit content or knowledge, but also, and above all else, attitudes, motivation, skills and values, etc. They also ensure that participants can express their opinions and arguments to the other students. | 3,6 |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The assessment of the course will be based on four components:
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Midterm content exams [25% + 25%].
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Individual or pair oral presentation in class on complementary topics [20%].
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Text commentaries [15%].
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Attendance and participation [15%].
In the second examination period: final exam (100% of the final grade).
In the third examination period and subsequent ones, students may choose either to take an exam (100% of the final grade) or to follow the regular assessment procedure.
Bibliography and resources
Bayly C. A. (2010, original 2004). El nacimiento del mundo moderno, 1780-1914. Connexiones y comparaciones globales. Siglo XXI: Madird.
Briggs, A. (2000). Historia contemporánea de Europa, 1789-1989. Crítica: Barcelona.
Brower, D. R. (2002). Historia del mundo contemporáneo, 1900-2001 (5.ª ed.). Pearson Educación: Madrid.
Fusi, J. P. (2013). Breve historia del mundo contemporáneo. Galaxia Guttenberg.
Kinder, H. (1999–2000). Atlas histórico mundial. Istmo: Madrid.
Lario, Á. (Coord.). (2001). Historia contemporánea universal: Del surgimiento del Estado contemporáneo a la Primera Guerra Mundial. Alianza Editorial: Madrid.
Judt, T. (2006). Postguerra: Una historia de Europa desde 1945. Taurus: Madrid.
Judt, Tony (2009). El olvidado siglo XX. Ed Taurus. Madrid.
Martínez Carreras, J. U. (1996–1999). Introducción a la historia contemporánea. Istmo: Madrid.
Osterhammel, J. (2021). La Transformación del Mundo. Un historia del siglo XIX. Crítica: Barcelona.
Procacci, G. (2001). Historia general del siglo XX. Crítica: Barcelona.