Università Roma Tre

The course will focus on the study of environmental movements during the latter half of the 20th century. It will examine how these movements perceived and addressed major environmental issues, transformed into political parties, and interacted with the concept of modernity.
The course will provide an overview of the emergence of conservationist and protectionist movements in 19th century Europe and the first half of the 20th century. Then the main emphasis will be on the movements that arose between the 1960s and 1990s, with a comprehensive exploration of their organizational and cultural aspects.
Specific topics that will be covered include the rise of environmental conservation associations, the emergence of ecological protests, environmental movements, and animal rights activism. The course will also analyze the development of green cultures and parties in Italy, Britain, France, and Germany within the context of their respective political systems. Furthermore, the scientific and political debates surrounding climate change will be examined.
To facilitate a deeper understanding of the subject matter, the course will involve reading and discussing relevant documents from the studied period. These documents will shed light on the political cultures, ideas, and sensitivities that gave birth to these movements and fueled internal political debates.

G. Della Valentina, Storia dell’ambientalismo in Italia. Lo sviluppo insostenibile, Bruno Mondadori, 2011.
G. Guazzaloca, Primo: non maltrattare. Storia della protezione degli animali in Italia, Laterza 2018.
Readings given during classes and available on Moodle.