LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowing and understanding the main features of the history of political thought, from ancient Greece to the 20th century, by retracing their historical context and by critically analyzing the thought of the most prominent authors.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Aims:

- Defining context and purpose of the history of political thought

- Assessing the main themes of Western political thought by way of precise and specific lectures

- Introducing students to the knowledge of the most important works in the history of political thought

- Supplying intellectual tools in order to grasp the meaning of contemporary debates

Learning Outcomes:

- Comprehension and commentary of classic and contemporary texts

- Reinforcement of argumentative skills as to political issues

- Ability to grasp the historical and conceptual roots of contemporary debates

PREREQUISITES

- Interest for political phenomena

- Basic knowledge of historical eras and philosophical schools

TEACHING METHODS

Traditional lectures, reading of classic, modern and contemporary texts plus direct participation of students by means, as well, of the online platform Aulaweb.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Power and/or Fantasy: Utopia and Dystopia from Thomas More to Squid Game

The course will focus on the long-lasting tradition of utopian thought, running from Plato through Thomas More and Francis Bacon till the dystopian nightmares depicted by Aldous Huxley, George Orwell and, more recently, Margaret Atwood, questioning its inner logic, the vision of power and individual liberty it endorses and trying to appreciate why reasoning on utopianism could help us in the understanding of present-day political dilemmas.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

For students who attend classes on a regular basis (cfu 6):

1) A book chosen among the following:

- F. Bacon, La nuova Atlantide, Milano, B.U.R., 2009;

- T. Campanella, La città del sole, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2014;

- T. More, Utopia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2016.

2) A book chosen among the following:

- M. Atwood, Il racconto dell’ancella, Milano, Ponte alle Grazie, 2019;

- C. Dalcher, La classe, Milano, TEA, 2022;

- A Huxley, Il mondo nuovo, Milano, Mondadori, 2021;

- U. K. Le Guin, I reietti dell'altro pianeta. Un'ambigua utopia, Milano, Mondadori, 2019;

- G. Orwell, 1984, Milano, Mondadori, 2016.

For students who cannot attend classes on a regular basis (cfu 6):

1) A book chosen among the following:

- F. Bacon, La nuova Atlantide, Milano, B.U.R., 2009;

- T. Campanella, La città del sole, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2014;

- T. More, Utopia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2016.

2) A book chosen among the following:

- E. M. Forster, La macchina si ferma, in Id., La macchina si ferma e altri racconti, Milano, Mondadori, 2020, pp. 121-167;

- O. Wilde, L'anima dell'uomo sotto il socialismo, in Id., Il critico come artista/L'anima dell'uomo sotto il socialismo, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2015, pp. 153-221.

3) A book chosen among the following:

- M. Atwood, Il racconto dell’ancella, Milano, Ponte alle Grazie, 2019;

- C. Dalcher, La classe, Milano, TEA, 2022;

- A Huxley, Il mondo nuovo, Milano, Mondadori, 2021;

- U. K. Le Guin, I reietti dell'altro pianeta. Un'ambigua utopia, Milano, Mondadori, 2019;

- G. Orwell, 1984, Milano, Mondadori, 2016.

For students who attend classes on a regular basis (cfu 9):

1) A book chosen among the following:

- F. Bacon, La nuova Atlantide, Milano, B.U.R., 2009;

- T. Campanella, La città del sole, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2014;

- T. More, Utopia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2016.

2) A book chosen among the following:

- E. M. Forster, La macchina si ferma, in Id., La macchina si ferma e altri racconti, Milano, Mondadori, 2020, pp. 121-167;

- O. Wilde, L'anima dell'uomo sotto il socialismo, in Id., Il critico come artista/L'anima dell'uomo sotto il socialismo, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2015, pp. 153-221.

3) A book chosen among the following:

- M. Atwood, Il racconto dell’ancella, Milano, Ponte alle Grazie, 2019;

- C. Dalcher, La classe, Milano, TEA, 2022;

- A Huxley, Il mondo nuovo, Milano, Mondadori, 2021;

- U. K. Le Guin, I reietti dell'altro pianeta. Un'ambigua utopia, Milano, Mondadori, 2019;

- G. Orwell, 1984, Milano, Mondadori, 2016.

For students who cannot attend classes on a regular basis (cfu 9):

1) G. Imbruglia, Utopia. Una storia politica da Savonarola a Babeuf, Roma, Carocci, 2021.

2) A book chosen among the following:

- F. Bacon, La nuova Atlantide, Milano, B.U.R., 2009;

- T. Campanella, La città del sole, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2014;

- T. More, Utopia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2016.

3) A book chosen among the following:

- E. M. Forster, La macchina si ferma, in Id., La macchina si ferma e altri racconti, Milano, Mondadori, 2020, pp. 121-167;

- O. Wilde, L'anima dell'uomo sotto il socialismo, in Id., Il critico come artista/L'anima dell'uomo sotto il socialismo, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2015, pp. 153-221.

4) A book chosen among the following:

- M. Atwood, Il racconto dell’ancella, Milano, Ponte alle Grazie, 2019;

- C. Dalcher, La classe, Milano, TEA, 2022;

- A Huxley, Il mondo nuovo, Milano, Mondadori, 2021;

- U. K. Le Guin, I reietti dell'altro pianeta. Un'ambigua utopia, Milano, Mondadori, 2019;

- G. Orwell, 1984, Milano, Mondadori, 2016.