The course of Economic and Financial History of the Contemporary Age is part of the program in Philosophical Sciences (MA level) and is included among the characterizing training activities. The objective of the course is to provide an in-depth understanding of some aspects of the essential issues and debates connected to the field of Economic and Financial History of the Contemporary Age.The course provides students with essential knowledge on the structuring of contemporary financial systems. Specifically, the course analyses the Bretton Woods system and the other currency zones borne at the end of the XX century as well as the financial and trade networks with specific attention to the developing countries integration problems within the world-economy. Students are expected to analyse, understand, interpret and critically evaluate the themes analysed giving them the essential tools to overall comprehend the main economic history times since the mid-20th century. Students are expected to acquire the following skills:
- Advanced capability to overall interpret economic and social macro-phenomenons of the main themes analysed;
- Advanced capability of historical ‘sense of direction’ concerning the main financial and economic history themes;
- Language and argumentation capabilities regarding the main themes analysed.
- Advanced capability to overall interpret economic and social macro-phenomenons of the main themes analysed;
- Advanced capability of historical ‘sense of direction’ concerning the main financial and economic history themes;
- Language and argumentation capabilities regarding the main themes analysed.
teacher profile teaching materials
I. Cycles and trends in the Second World War
- The conversion of war economies and the rise of mixed economies.
II. The circuits of international trade.
- The Marshall Plan, the birth of the European Union and the Comecon.
- The integration of developing countries and neo 70s.
- The return to free trade in the 80s and the birth of the World Trade Organization.
III. Currency systems
- The Bretton Woods currency system.
- Apogee and decline of the gold-dollar standard exchange rate and flexible regional monetary agreements.
H. Van der Wee, L’economia mondiale tra crisi e benessere, Milano, Hoepli, 1998, capp. 1-2 e 7-12.
G. Feliu, C. Sudrià, Introduzione alla storia economica mondiale, Padova, CADEM, 2013, capp. 12-18.
Plus:
L. Conte, V. Torreggiani, Istituzioni, capitali e moneta. Storia dei sistemi finanziari contemporanei, Milano, Mondadori, 2017, capp. 4-5 + Epilogo.
Non-attending students (add to above-mentioned books):
Fornasari, La banca, la borsa, lo Stato. Una storia della finanza (secc. XIII-XXI), Torino, Giappichelli, 2017.
Programme
The course deals with the Bretton Woods currency system and the financial and trading networks of the 20th century; special emphasis is given to the problems of the integration of the underdeveloped countries into the global economy.I. Cycles and trends in the Second World War
- The conversion of war economies and the rise of mixed economies.
II. The circuits of international trade.
- The Marshall Plan, the birth of the European Union and the Comecon.
- The integration of developing countries and neo 70s.
- The return to free trade in the 80s and the birth of the World Trade Organization.
III. Currency systems
- The Bretton Woods currency system.
- Apogee and decline of the gold-dollar standard exchange rate and flexible regional monetary agreements.
Core Documentation
Attending students (only one of the follows):H. Van der Wee, L’economia mondiale tra crisi e benessere, Milano, Hoepli, 1998, capp. 1-2 e 7-12.
G. Feliu, C. Sudrià, Introduzione alla storia economica mondiale, Padova, CADEM, 2013, capp. 12-18.
Plus:
L. Conte, V. Torreggiani, Istituzioni, capitali e moneta. Storia dei sistemi finanziari contemporanei, Milano, Mondadori, 2017, capp. 4-5 + Epilogo.
Non-attending students (add to above-mentioned books):
Fornasari, La banca, la borsa, lo Stato. Una storia della finanza (secc. XIII-XXI), Torino, Giappichelli, 2017.
Type of delivery of the course
traditional lecturesAttendance
Non-mandatory attendanceType of evaluation
Written and oral text. Written text lasts 90 minutes and evaluates students general knowledges. Non-attending students can only make the oral exam.