Some Reflections about the History Textbooks for University

Abstract

This paper aims to provide a first account of history textbooks for university in Italy. It proposes a comparative analysis of different texts including ones by foreign authors. With regard to their construction, the analysis is based on the study of five important aspects: style and language; methodology and interpretation; analysis of historiographical debate; iconographic and cartographic system; and the use of primary and secondary sources. Based on these topics, this study aims to identify trends, strengths and critical points of university textbooks. Emphasis is given to specific didactic problems. Finally, this paper refers to further themes such as the birth and diffusion of digital platforms, and the impact of economic requirements on editorial policies.