The purpose of this seminar is to examine the processes that characterize the transformation of historic cities into modern ones. We will focus on Rome where the vestiges of the past and its reuses, the fragmentation (in areas subject to conflicting religious and secular authorities), and even the topography coalesced to magnify the issues arising in the process of modernization and rendered them easier to observe. In this city in particular, urban history provides a unique tool to understand the structure and development of factions of power.

We will trace the development of the city from the early modern period – when the formation of centralized states fostered sophisticated ideological uses of architecture and urbanism – to the transformations that occurred when the city became the capital of the newly formed Italian State in 1870. We will conclude with an examination of the interventions that characterized the Fascist regime. Topics to be explored will include, among others, the ceremonial uses of urban locations; the systems of representation of the city; the preservation and adaptation of historic sites to the requirements of a capital city; the influence of topography on defensive and supply requirements; and the influence of the symbolic value of sites on the construction of buildings.

Parallel to understanding the development of this city, the seminar will seek to explore the methods of urban history and outline broad comparisons with other capital cities. Students are encouraged to propose topics of research that might be more closely linked to their own interests. The 17th-century transformations of Amsterdam or London, for example, or the 19th-century interventions in Paris, or those in Jerusalem after the 1967 war, are all equally acceptable topics of research.

The course includes weekly reading assignments and requires active participation in discussions. A research paper is to be presented in class and submitted at the end of the term. Topics should be decided in consultation with the instructor by the end of the third week of the semester. A short abstract and preliminary bibliography should be submitted by the fifth week.