The study of political phenomena and of the idea of a well-ordered society has always been one of the central fields of philosophy. The course in political philosophy analyses the classical themes of political philosophy and their enduring relevance for contemporary societies.
Students will acquire the theoretical tools needed to explore the field of contemporary theories of justice; such theories will be analyzed in their conceptual structure, their lexicon, and their theoretical ascendants, i.e. classics of political philosophy. Students will study in depth one topic of contemporary debate (the role and value of freedom, the nature of political obligation, the meaning of equality, the justification of democracy), thus learning how different theoretical approaches deal with the problem of political justice, and critically discussing the characteristics of each approach.
Lectures, class discussions.
Models of normative political philosophy. In the first part of the course, the main contemporary theories of political justice will be presented and analyzed, together with their theoretical ascendants, i.e. classics of modern political philosophy.
S. VECA, La filosofia politica, Bari, Laterza, 2003. J. RAWLS, Una teoria della giustizia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2008.
One of the following two: T. HOBBES, Il Leviatano, Bari, Laterza, 2006 (parti I e II, e cap. XLIII). J.J. ROUSSEAU, Il contratto sociale, Milano, Rizzoli, 2005 (o qualsiasi altra edizione integrale).
And one of the following:
G.A. COHEN, Per l'eguaglianza e la giustizia, Roma, L'asino d'oro, 2016. R. NOZICK, Anarchia, stato e utopia, Milano, Net, 2005.
A. SEN, La diseguaglianza. Un riesame critico, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.
M. WALZER, Sfere di giustizia, Bari, Laterza, 2008.
S.M. OKIN, Diritti delle donne e multiculturalismo, Milano, Raffaello Cortina, 2007.
P. PETTIT, Il repubblicanesimo, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2000.
T. POGGE, Povertà mondiale e diritti umani, Bari, Laterza, 2010.
P. ROSANVALLON, La società dell'uguaglianza, Roma, Castelvecchi, 2013.
Ricevimento: Tuesdays, 11-13 (14-15 from mid-February to the end of April) On appointment, for students who are preparing their dissertation and anybody else who is unable to come on regular office hours.
VALERIA OTTONELLI (President)
MIRELLA PASINI
CARLO PENCO
DANIELE ROLANDO
20 February 2018
Oral and written exam.
Oral exam during exam sessions. The oral exam can be partially replaced by a written essay (only for attending students).
