ONLINE HISTORY COURSE
Giuseppe Garibaldi and the Italian Risorgimento

Course Description:

While the concept and culture of Italians has been around for millennia, the making of the nation of Italy did not occur until just over 160 years ago, in the 2nd half of the 19th century. The Italian Risorgimento, or reawakening, was a long and difficult trajectory that was carried out over the better part of a century, finally leading to the unification of the Italian Peninsula in 1861. The most celebrated event of this effort was led by Giuseppe Garibaldi and his redshirts – Expedition of the Thousand – but there were many other important episodes that would finally lead to the creation of the Kingdom of Italy: clandestine revolutionary movements, realpolitik by European powers, and three wars of independence. This course will present how Italy went from a cultural concept to a geographical one as the conglomeration of colonized lands became a united kingdom under King Vittorio Emanuele II of the House of Savoy. 

Instructor:

Dr. Nicholas Albanese is Associate Professor of Italian in the Department of Modern Language Studies at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. He received his PhD from Indiana University in Italian Language and Culture and has taught extensively on Italian history, literature, and film both in Italy and the US. Dr. Albanese does research mainly on contemporary Italian history and culture with particular focus on Southern Italy and Sicily. His most recent publication discusses the ethics of story-telling in the works of the Sicilian author, Leonardo Sciascia. He is currently completing a project on 21st-century Italian apocalyptic fiction.

Course Objectives:

• To understand the European forces occupying Italy and working to prevent Italian independence
• To present the significant events, machinations, and episodes of the Italian Risorgimento
• To learn about the major individuals and groups responsible for the Italian Unification
• To analyze the political and cultural leadership pushing for Italian unification
• To discuss the major challenges of the fledgling nation in its first decades of existence

Virtual Classroom: Full access to an online educational platform with discussion forum, videos of recordings, syllabus, and reading list.

Location: LIVE INTERACTIVE ON-LINE HISTORY LECTURES

Optional Readings:
Readings to be provided to students in PDF format prior to the beginning of course.

Complete syllabus will be provided upon registration.

• ALL LECTURES WILL BE RECORDED AND AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT YOUR CONVENIENCE IN OUR VIDEO LIBRARY FOR THE DURATION OF THE COURSE

LECTURE 1 - ITALY BEFORE ITALY" FOREIGN DOMINATION SINCE THE AGE OF NAPOLEON

- Tuesday, September 5

This lecture will cover the geopolitical situation of the Italian Peninsula at the beginning of the Italian Risorgimento and the movements, uprisings, and patriots working towards unification.

LECTURE 2 - GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI AND THE EXPEDITION OF THE THOUSAND

- Tuesday, September 12

This lecture will focus on the monumental figure of Giuseppe Garibaldi, including his life and his heroic and selfless efforts to make united Italy a reality.

LECTURE 3 - "NOW THAT ITALY HAS BEEN MADE, ALL THAT REMAINS IS TO MAKE ITALIANS": THE ROMAN AND THE SOUTHERN QUESTIONS 

- Tuesday, September 19

The final lecture will discuss the third war of independence as well the challenges the newly created Kingdom of Italy faces in its early years of existence.

Dr. Nicholas Albanese is Associate Professor of Italian in the Department of Modern Language Studies at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. He received his PhD from Indiana University in Italian Language and Culture and has taught extensively on Italian history, literature, and film both in Italy and the US. Dr. Albanese does research mainly on contemporary Italian history and culture with particular focus on Southern Italy and Sicily. His most recent publication discusses the ethics of story-telling in the works of the Sicilian author, Leonardo Sciascia. He is currently completing a project on 21st-century Italian apocalyptic fiction.