B000031 - HISTORY OF POLITICAL IDEAS

Italian

The course aims to reconstruct the long and complex route of modern and contemporary political thought, examining the ideas and concepts that have contributed to the formation of the state in Europe.

Reference books for the final examination:

For the students who attend the lessons:

a) G. Bonaiuti, V. Collina, Storia delle dottrine politiche, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2010

b)Additional texts analyzed during the lessons.

For the students who do NOT atend the lessons:

a) G. Bonaiuti, V. Collina, Storia delle dottrine politiche, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2010;

b)ONE of the following essays (or group of essays):


1. F. Fukuyama, La fine della storia e l'ultimo uomo, Milano, Rizzoli;
2. P. P. Portinaro, Il labirinto delle istituzioni nella storia europea, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2006
3. P. Sloterdijk, Ira e tempo, Roma, Meltemi;
4. L. Scuccimarra, I confini del mondo. Storia del cosmopolitismo dall'Antichità al Settecento, Bologna, il Mulino 2006.
4. G. Bonaiuti, Corpo sovrano. Studi sul concetto di popolo, Roma, Meltemi.
5. M. Walzer, L'intellettuale militante. Critica sociale e impegno politico nel Novecento, Bologna, Il Mulino.
6. C. Galli, Spazi politici. L'età moderna e l'età globale, Bologna, Il Mulino; e C. Galli, La guerra globale, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2002;
7. S. Rodeschini, Stati di natura. Saggio sul contrattualismo moderno e contemporaneo, Roma, Carocci, 2012.

The aim of the course is to provide students with a critical understanding of the major themes of the modern and contemporary political thought , from the sovereignty of the modern state to the formation of the liberal democratic and socialist tradition in the nineteenth century and the development of conservatism, authoritarian regimes and liberal democratic ideas in the twentieth century.

Highly proficient in spoken and written Italian

The Students ATTENDING the coure have the opportunity to participate in a seminar held by dr. Federico Tomasello, whose schedules will be announced in class.

In case of difficulties students NOT ATTENDING the course may accompany the reading of the texts referring to C. Galli, R. Esposito, Enciclopedia del pensiero politico. Autori, concetti, dottrine, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2000.

The final examinations is composed of TWO WRITTEN TESTS which will take place on the same day:
the FIRST consists of a TEST on the main the concepts and authors (fifteen multiple choice questions);
a written examination with the FOUR OPEN QUESTIONS.

The examination procedures related to the seminar by dr. Tomasello will be explained during the course.

Part I

General introduction to the tools of the history of political thought: the history of ideas, history of concepts, history of words. The historicity of the concept of politics and its various constellations of meaning. The emergence of the modern paradigm of politics. The modern state befor nation: the theories of sovereignty; the modern natural law theory; the enlightened despotism. The roots of liberal and democratic thought. Society and state. State and nation. Kant and the rule of law. Hegel: the state, history, society. Liberals and Democrats. The socialist and Marx's thought. Positivism. Conservatives from the cult of the past to relativism. Democratic liberalism and socialism in the late nineteenth century.

Part II

Nationalism, imperialism and global spaces. The reaction to positivism in the political field. From aggressive to conservative authoritarian regimes. Marxism after the October Revolution. The revision of democratic thought. State power, economic power and social reality.

Part III

The problems of the doctrine of the state on the threshold of global sovereignty, territory and representation in the political theories of globalization.