Economic History II (History of Labour and Industrial Relations)
PROF. ALDO CARERA; PROF. MARIANNA DE LUCA
COURSE AIMS
The transformation of labour and of the organisation of labour in industrial firms in
the nineteenth and twentieth centuries represent the backdrop for the formation of
contractual relationships within firms and the representation of the socio-economic
interests of labour within contemporary democratic societies. The material will be
studied from a comparative perspective, with the typical aspects of the Italian case
reviewed and analysed in the third part of the course. Using an active instructional
approach, the students attending class on a regular basis will learn a specific
methodology for historical research.
COURSE CONTENT
PART I: History of labour in contemporary society (Prof. A. Carera)
1. Introduction: concepts and historiographic categories.
2. Labour and origins labour relations in industrial society (nineteenth century).
3. The Fordism era and post-Fordism era (twentieth century).
PART II: Industrial relations in a comparative analysis (Prof. A. Carera)
1. From conflict to the first forms of representation (nineteenth century).
2. Origins and consolidation of industrial relations in the first part of the twentieth
century.
3. Regulation and partnership in the second half of the century.
Part III: Overview of the history of collective bargaining in Italy (Prof. M. De
Luca)
1. Origins and involution of the negotiation system (from the end of the
nineteenth century to WWII).
2. Country in transformation put to the test (1940s-1970s).
3. The search for new rules (from the 1980s to today).
READING LIST
M. ROMANI, Appunti sull'evoluzione del sindacato, Edizioni Lavoro, Roma, 1981 (or subsequent
editions).
A. CARERA (edited by), Temi di storia del lavoro e delle relazioni industriali, – academic year
2014/2015 (an anthology is available from the Photocopy Room).
M. DE LUCA, «Nel rispetto dei reciproci ruoli…». Lineamenti di storia della contrattazione
collettiva in Italia, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2013 (materials collected in the eight parts of
“Documenti e letture” will be read during classroom and they will not be covered in the
exam).
For further readings in accordance with lecturers, on recommend:
G. BERTA, L’Italia delle fabbriche, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2001.
A. CARERA (edited by), Opere sociali e responsabilità d’impresa. Casi e temi del Novecento, Vita e
Pensiero, Milano, 2009.
TEACHING METHOD
Lectures, presentations by experts. Attending students have the opportunity to
participate actively in the elaboration of the subject matter through class reports on the basis
of paper, audio and video materials proposed by the lecturer.
ASSESSMENT METHOD
Oral test. The active participation to class work allows the acquisition of partial
evaluation that are considered in the final assessment.
The preparation cannot neglect the specified reading list.
NOTES
Students taking this course should have a knowledge of the main developments of
contemporary history (nineteenth and twentieth centuries) as outlined, for example, in a
good high-school history book.
Further information can be found on the lecturer's webpage at
http://docenti.unicatt.it/web/searchByName.do?language=ENG or on the Faculty notice
board.