OVERVIEW

The course explores the main problems of the contemporary political-philosophical debate. The object of study are the authors' analyses concerning political power, its characters, forms and protagonists.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course explores the main problems of contemporary political-philosophical debate. At the end of the course, the student will have acquired the ability to critically interpret the debate on the most relevant aspects of politics and to infer elements of continuity and discontinuity with current affairs.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired the ability to critically interpret the debate on the most relevant aspects of politics and to infer elements of continuity and discontinuity with current affairs.

PREREQUISITES

No prerequisite coursework is required.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching involves 54 hours (equivalent to 9 CFUs).

The course will be held in a blended mode, i.e., in-person, but with concurrent lecture delivery via the Teams platform.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Themes, problems and authors of Contemporary Political Thought, with a particular focus on Mosca, Weber, Luxemburg, Gramsci, Potter Webb, Dewey, Weil, Kelsen, Schmitt, Morgenthau, Arendt, Aron, Wight, and Rawls.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Suggested readings

1) 

- R. Gherardi (ed.), La politica e gli Stati. Problemi e figure del pensiero occidentale, Roma, Carocci Editore, 2022 (First section, chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; second section: Mosca, Weber, Luxemburg, Gramsci, Potter Webb, Dewey, Weil, Kelsen, Schmitt, Morgenthau, Arendt, Aron, Wight, Rawls).

- G. Le Bon, Psicologia delle folle.
 

2) One of the following texts at student’s choice:

- H. Arendt, Le origini del totalitarismo.
- E. Canetti, Massa e potere.
- W. Lippmann, L’opinione pubblica.
- J. Ortega y Gasset, La ribellione delle masse.
 

3) One of the following texts at student’s choice:

- R. Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451.
- A. Huxley, Il nuovo mondo.
- G. Orwell, 1984.
- G. Orwell, La fattoria degli animali.
 

4) Students not attending the course should also add this text:

- K. R. Popper, Le fonti della conoscenza e dell’ignoranza, Bologna, il Mulino, 2000.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Fisrt semester.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam will assess the ability to move critically within the material taught and to use it in reading and interpreting current political debate.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students with certification of DSA (Special educational needs), disability or other special educational needs are advised to contact both the contact person Prof. Aristide Canepa (aristide.canepa@unige.it) and the lecturer at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching and examination modalities that, while respecting the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning patterns and provide suitable compensatory tools.