Economic history, a discipline ‘between two cultures’. The sources for the research in economic history. Historiographic trends. Research methodology in economic history
ATTENDEES:
Lecture notes and material uploaded on Moodle
NON-ATTENDEES:
M. BLOCH, Apologia della storia o Mestiere di storico, Torino, Einaudi, 1969 (or later editions)
C. M. CIPOLLA, Tra due culture. Introduzione alla storia economica, Bologna, il Mulino, 1988 (or later editions)
Learning Objectives
CONOSCENZE:
Development of critical skills in the use of sources. Research methodology in the field of economic history and knowledge of the historiographical debate within the discipline.
COMPETENZE:
Tools for the critical evaluation of economic facts, based on an historical methodology.
Prerequisites
None
Teaching Methods
Lectures.
Visits to archives
Seminarial activities
Type of Assessment
Written exam
Course program
Introduction - The Sources of economic history - Business sources - Mercantile correspondence – Ledger-books and accounting sources: preparatory and analytical books - The use of sources - Palaeography - Business archives and their conservation - Historical research step by step - Archive inventories - Historical knowledge - Marc Bloch and “The Historian’s Craft” - The evolution of economic history as a discipline - Economic history in Italy – Public and private archives - Electronic resources for economic history