History of Education Research at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan from the 1980s to the Early 2000s

Abstract

This paper traces the transformations that shaped history of education research at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart from the 1980s to the 2000s, situating this evolution within a wider context of epistemological, institutional, and academic change. It focuses on two main dimensions: first, the repositioning of history of education within the human sciences, marked by increasing attention to methodological issues and the need for a plurality of approaches; second, the impact of university reforms – most notably the new degree structures introduced in light of the Bologna Process – on the ways historical-pedagogical knowledge was constructed and transmitted. Drawing on extensive archival materials and contemporary publications, the analysis highlights several key developments within Milan’s academic landscape, including the creation of the Department of Pedagogy and the PhD in Pedagogy, the evolution of teaching programs, and the emergence of specific lines of historical-educational inquiry. Overall, it underscores the distinctive contribution of the Catholic University of Milan to the advancement of history of education scholarship in Italy during the period under consideration.