Unit

Course

International relations

Study-unit Code

A005494

Curriculum

Conflitti internazionali, studi strategici e analisi di politica estera

Teacher

Francesco Randazzo

Teachers

Francesco Randazzo

Hours

60 ore - Francesco Randazzo

CFU

Course Regulation

Coorte 2025

Offered

2025/26

Learning activities

Affine/integrativa

Area

Attività formative affini o integrative

Academic discipline

M-STO/03

Type of study-unit

Obbligatorio (Required)

Type of learning activities

Attività formativa monodisciplinare

Language of instruction

Italian

Contents

The course aims to examine pivotal periods in Russian and Eurasian history, delving into the complex transformations that have shaped this region. It will commence with the Tsarist Empire, analysing the figure of Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin and his attempts at modernising and stabilising the autocracy. Agrarian and political reforms, intended to foster a new class of prosperous peasants, will be scrutinised, alongside the repressive policies adopted to confront popular uprisings, such as the "Bloody Sunday". This will facilitate a deeper understanding of the dialectic between imposed order and nascent forms of popular representation, thereby outlining a framework of internal tensions that extended to the Empire's peripheries and minorities. This scenario of internal fragility ultimately led to the Russian Revolution, a watershed event that not only brought about the collapse of the Romanov dynasty but also ignited a bloody civil war. Within this context of vast territory and political fragmentation, the role of international powers, including Italian military missions and expeditionary corps, operating between the Bolshevik Red Army and the counter-revolutionary White Armies, will be explored in depth. The analysis will focus on the brutal dynamics of the conflict, examining the intersection of economic and geostrategic interests with the aspirations for independence of the new Caucasian and Siberian republics. The Italian experience, often marginalised in historiography, will be investigated for its relevance in diplomatic and military relations during an era of global equilibrium redefinition. Subsequently, the curriculum will shift its focus to the Second World War, with particular attention to Italian intervention under the Mussolini regime. Key theatres of war will be analysed: from the "parallel war" in Greece and operations in North Africa, including the events of El Alamein, to the arduous Russian Campaign. Through the experiences of Italian captains, the course will investigate the sense of duty, individual sacrifice, and the intricate dynamics of loyalty in a conflict that transformed Italy from an ally of Germany into a divided nation engaged in a war of liberation. The events of Cephalonia, the Don Front, the defence of Rome, and Montenegro will serve as illustrative examples of the extreme trials faced by military personnel amidst top-down political decisions, conflicting ideologies, and shifting alliances.

Reference texts

F. Randazzo, Oltre il dovere. I luoghi, la storia e l’eroismo di dieci capitani dell’esercito italiano nella Seconda Guerra Mondiale, AUSSME, Roma, 2025; F. Randazzo, Alle origini dello Stato sovietico. Missioni militari e corpi di spedizione italiani nella Russia rivoluzionaria 1917-1921, AUSSME, Roma, 2008; F. Randazzo, Petr Arkad’evic Stolypin. Un riformatore nell’Impero zarista, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2024

Educational objectives

The course aims to provide students with a solid understanding of the historical, political, and military dynamics that shaped Eurasia and contemporary Russia, from the late Tsarist Empire to the Soviet period and the Second World War. Through the study of the indicated texts, the educational objectives include: • Critically analyzing the internal reforms and foreign policies of the Russian Empire, with particular emphasis on the Stolypin period and its attempts at modernization and stabilization. • Understanding the causes and consequences of the Russian Revolution and the civil war (1917-1921), examining the role of military missions and foreign expeditionary forces, including Italy, in the counter-revolutionary context. • Studying the evolution of international relations in Eurasia, with a focus on power dynamics, alliances, and conflicts that characterized the early twentieth century and the Second World War. • Acquiring the ability to analyze complex historical events from multiple perspectives, integrating political, social, economic, and military aspects, as demonstrated by the multi-archival and multi-source approach of the volumes. • Developing a critical sense in evaluating historical sources and different historiographical interpretations, recognizing the importance of context and ideological prejudices in historical narratives.

Prerequisites

To successfully undertake the course, students should possess a basic knowledge of contemporary history, particularly the events and main political, social, and economic dynamics that characterized Europe and the world between the late 19th and mid-20th centuries. It is essential to be familiar with: • The history of the Russian Empire, its institutions, and the main reform attempts preceding 1917. • The causes and consequences of the First World War, the peace treaties, and the geopolitical reorganization of post-war Europe. • The political ideologies of the twentieth century, particularly liberalism, socialism, communism, nationalism, fascism, and Nazism. • The fundamental concepts of international relations and military history, including key actors, alliance and conflict dynamics, and the implications of military decisions on state policies. Prior knowledge of these topics will enable students to better contextualize the themes addressed in the volumes and to actively participate in discussions, deepening their understanding of the specificities of contemporary Eurasian and Russian history.

Teaching methods

The course will adopt a variety of teaching methods aimed at promoting active and critical student learning: • Lectures: Use of lectures to introduce historical contexts, key figures, and major dynamics of each period, providing a general interpretive framework based on the texts and further insights. • Use of PPT and videos: Visual support for lectures through PowerPoint presentations with maps, historical images, and conceptual diagrams. Screening of documentaries and historical footage for better visual contextualization and to stimulate critical discussion. • Filmography: Analysis of relevant films and cinematic works to explore historical representations, narratives, and cultural interpretations of conflicts and transformations in Eurasia and Russia. • Round tables with specialists: Organization of meetings with experts in the field (military historians, diplomats, international relations analysts) to offer students diverse and updated perspectives on course topics. • Conferences: Inviting academics and professionals for lectures on specific topics, expanding the range of knowledge and comparing different historiographical approaches. • Guided discussions: Sessions dedicated to discussing assigned texts, encouraging students to formulate questions, express opinions, and develop argumentation skills.

Other information

The course aims to overcome a Eurocentric view of history, emphasizing global interconnections and regional specificities of Eurasia. Particular attention will be paid to the analysis of primary sources and a critical approach to consolidated historical narratives, encouraging students to develop their own informed interpretation of events. Multidisciplinarity will also be promoted, linking history with concepts drawn from political science, economics, and sociology for a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamics examined. Supplementary teaching materials and an updated bibliography will be provided for those wishing to delve deeper into specific topics.

Learning verification modality

The assessment of learning will take place through an oral examination based on the indicated texts. The oral examination will aim to evaluate: • In-depth knowledge of the content of the three volumes and the ability to connect the themes discussed. • Critical understanding of the historical figures, events, and dynamics analyzed. • The ability to articulate one's positions clearly and coherently, supporting them with specific references to the texts. • Mastery of historical language and the ability to express complex concepts effectively. • The ability to contextualize events within a broader framework of Eurasian history and international relations.

Extended program

The context of the late Tsarist Empire: diplomacy and reforms in the last twenty years of the regime. The figure of Petr Arkad'evic Stolypin: a portrait of a controversial statesman and his university education. The Revolution of 1905 and "Bloody Sunday": causes, developments, and reactions of Tsar Nicholas II. Stolypin's agrarian reforms: the creation of the kulaki and the attempt to stabilize Russian society. The relationship between Stolypin and the State Duma: the October Manifesto and the first two Dumas. Authoritarian policy and "Stolypin's neckties": repression and order after the 1906 assassination attempt. Tensions between Stolypin, the Tsar, and the court: the role of Rasputin and the reformer's isolation. The Jewish question and Stolypin's policies: pogroms and attempts at pacification. The colonization of Siberia as a solution to the peasant question. The failure of Stolypin's reforms and his legacy in Russian history. Italy and the Second World War: the historical context, motivations for intervention, and relations with Nazi Germany. Mussolini's "parallel war": ambitions, failures, and the Greek Campaign. The figure of Captain Mario Fascetti: his military career from the Great War to the Ethiopian Campaign and the Spanish Civil War. The Italian colonial experience in East Africa and the "reconquest of Libya": objectives and methods. The North African Campaign and the events of El Alamein: Captain Fabio Rugiadi and the sacrifice of the Folgore paratroopers. Italian intervention in Russia with Hitler: the adventure of the CSIR and ARMIR, and the extreme conditions on the Eastern Front. The sacrifice of Captains Libero Vinco and Franco Magnani in the Battle of the Don. The defense of Rome and the Italian War of Liberation: the role of Captains Romolo Fugazza, Camillo Sabatini, and Gastone Giacomini. The resistance of Italian military personnel abroad: the events of Cephalonia and Artillery Captain Antonio Valgoi. Italian military personnel in Montenegro at the time of the armistice: Infantry Captain Mario Riva and the sacrifice of Kolašin. The fall of the Romanov dynasty and the Bolshevik seizure of power: the events of 1917. Italian military missions and expeditionary corps in counter-revolutionary Russia (1917-1921): role and contribution. The Russian Civil War: opposing forces (White Armies vs. Red Army), strategies, and atrocities. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918): its consequences for Russia and the reactions of the Allied powers. Italy's role and its foreign policy between ideology and realism in the post-revolutionary Russian context. Italian delegations in Siberia (Edoardo Fassini Camossi's Expeditionary Corps in the Far East) and its tasks. The Italian military mission in Murmansk led by Augusto Sifola and the intervention in northern Russia. Achille Bassignano's Italian military mission to General Anton Denikin in Southern Russia and economic interests in the area. The Italian military mission in Transcaucasia led by Melchiade Gabba and the dynamics with the Versailles Peace Conference. The end of the Russian Civil War and its geopolitical repercussions (Russo-Polish War, withdrawal of Allied missions).

Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile

The course, while focusing on historical events, can indirectly contribute to several Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030 by fostering an understanding of the dynamics underlying contemporary challenges. Among the most relevant, the following can be chosen: • Goal 4: Quality Education. The course promotes inclusive and equitable education, providing students with critical tools to analyze history and conflicts, essential elements for training conscious and responsible citizens. Reflection on the causes and consequences of conflicts and social injustices can foster a culture of peace and respect. • Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. The analysis of military conflicts, revolutions, and power dynamics (including failures and atrocities) helps to understand the importance of effective, accountable, and transparent institutions for promoting peace and justice. Studying attempts at reform and challenges to stability (as in the case of Stolypin or the birth of the Soviet State) can stimulate reflection on how to build peaceful and inclusive societies. The discussion of resistance and individual sacrifice for ideals of freedom and homeland, as in "Oltre il dovere," highlights the value of justice and resilience in contexts of oppression.