History of Political Philosophy
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with a solid basic knowledge of the history of political philosophy. Students will acquire skills in textual and conceptual analysis. They will be able to place the classics of political philosophy in their philosophical, linguistic and historical contexts. They will also be able to deal with the main historiographical interpretations, showing thereby that they have acquired good hermeneutic competences.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- understand the concepts and lines of argument used by classical authors;
- make use of a reasonable knowledge of the fundamental aspects of the history of Western political philosophy from antiquity to the present day (with special focus on the classics);
- know the fundamental lexicon of political philosophy in its historical development;
- explain the links between the history of political philosophy and its historical context;
- master the basic methodological tools of the research in history political philosophy.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- apply the understanding of concepts and argumentative forms to the analysis of complex texts written by political philosophers;
- apply the knowledge acquired studying specific texts and authors to the historical understanding and philosophical contextualization of other works and thinkers;
- apply the political-philosophical lexicon to the analysis and discussion of contemporary problems;
- apply the understanding of the historical relationships between political thought and other forms of knowledge to the analysis and discussion of texts and problems;
- make use of basic methodological tools and bibliographic resources to the preparation of a scientific paper in the political-philosophical domain.
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- understand the concepts and lines of argument used by classical authors;
- make use of a reasonable knowledge of the fundamental aspects of the history of Western political philosophy from antiquity to the present day (with special focus on the classics);
- know the fundamental lexicon of political philosophy in its historical development;
- explain the links between the history of political philosophy and its historical context;
- master the basic methodological tools of the research in history political philosophy.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- apply the understanding of concepts and argumentative forms to the analysis of complex texts written by political philosophers;
- apply the knowledge acquired studying specific texts and authors to the historical understanding and philosophical contextualization of other works and thinkers;
- apply the political-philosophical lexicon to the analysis and discussion of contemporary problems;
- apply the understanding of the historical relationships between political thought and other forms of knowledge to the analysis and discussion of texts and problems;
- make use of basic methodological tools and bibliographic resources to the preparation of a scientific paper in the political-philosophical domain.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Realism and utopia: two modern traditions of political philosophy compared
Course presentation
After introducing the key problems and concepts of political philosophy, the course will examine two relevant traditions of its development in the modern age: the traditions of political realism and utopia. The tradition of political realism will be investigated by studying two classics in the history of political philosophy: Machiavelli's The Prince and Hobbes's De cive. The tradition of utopia will be explored by analysing the perfect societies imagined by Renaissance thinkers such as More, Campanella and Bacon, but also one of the earliest female utopias which comes to light in Margaret Cavendish's The Description of A New World Called The Blazing World. The last part of the course will deepen and problematise the history of the concepts of realism and utopia.
Course organisation
o Introduction to the key problems and concepts of political philosophy, with reference to Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Constant, Tocqueville, Mill, Hegel, Marx, Rawls and his critics, Foucault.
o Analysis of The Prince, with reference to the chapters in which the Platonic model of the excellent prince is overturned, in order to bring out the main characteristics of Machiavelli's realistic view of politics.
o Analysis of More's realist utopia and comparison with the utopias imagined by Campanella and Bacon.
o Analysis of the first and second parts of the De cive, with emphasis on the links between negative anthropology, contractualism, and absolutism, in order to bring out the main characteristics of Hobbes's political realism.
o Analysis of The Blazing World in order to bring out the Hobbesian elements in the utopian world imagined by Margart Cavendish.
o Examination of Barbuto 's and Portinaro's theses to compare two different histories of the concept of realism.
o Examination of Comparato's and Imbruglia's theses to compare two different histories of the concept of utopia.
Course presentation
After introducing the key problems and concepts of political philosophy, the course will examine two relevant traditions of its development in the modern age: the traditions of political realism and utopia. The tradition of political realism will be investigated by studying two classics in the history of political philosophy: Machiavelli's The Prince and Hobbes's De cive. The tradition of utopia will be explored by analysing the perfect societies imagined by Renaissance thinkers such as More, Campanella and Bacon, but also one of the earliest female utopias which comes to light in Margaret Cavendish's The Description of A New World Called The Blazing World. The last part of the course will deepen and problematise the history of the concepts of realism and utopia.
Course organisation
o Introduction to the key problems and concepts of political philosophy, with reference to Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Constant, Tocqueville, Mill, Hegel, Marx, Rawls and his critics, Foucault.
o Analysis of The Prince, with reference to the chapters in which the Platonic model of the excellent prince is overturned, in order to bring out the main characteristics of Machiavelli's realistic view of politics.
o Analysis of More's realist utopia and comparison with the utopias imagined by Campanella and Bacon.
o Analysis of the first and second parts of the De cive, with emphasis on the links between negative anthropology, contractualism, and absolutism, in order to bring out the main characteristics of Hobbes's political realism.
o Analysis of The Blazing World in order to bring out the Hobbesian elements in the utopian world imagined by Margart Cavendish.
o Examination of Barbuto 's and Portinaro's theses to compare two different histories of the concept of realism.
o Examination of Comparato's and Imbruglia's theses to compare two different histories of the concept of utopia.
Prerequisites for admission
No prerequisites are required.
Teaching methods
Teacher-centered method of instruction, class discussion, student presentations.
Teaching Resources
Readings and assignments for attending students.
Readings and assignments for both 6 and 9 ECTS exams:
1) S. Petrucciani, Modelli di Filosofia politica, Torino, Einaudi, 2003, chap. I, II, III, IV, V e VII (handbook)
2) N. Machiavelli, Il Principe, new ed. by G. Inglese, with an essay by F. Chabod, Torino, Einaudi, 2013
3) T. Moro, L'Utopia, pref. by M. Isnardi Parente, introd. by T. Fiore, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2013 or L. Bortone (ed. by), L'utopia: antologia di scritti di Moro, Campanella, Bacone, Torino, Loescher, 1979.
4) T. Hobbes, De cive. Elementi filosofici sul cittadino, ed. by T. Magri, Roma, Editori Riuniti University Press, 2009, dedicatory letter, preface, part one and part two
5) M. Cavendish, Il mondo sfavillante, ed by M.G. Nicolosi, Milano, VandA Edizioni, 2023
Additional readings and assignments for 9 ECTS exam:
4) G.M. Barbuto, Il pensiero politico del Rinascimento: realismo e utopia, Roma, Carocci, 2008 or P. Portinaro, Il realismo politico, new ed., Brescia, Morcelliana, 2023
5) V. Ivo Comparato, Utopia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2005 or G. Imbruglia, Utopia: una storia politica da Savonarola a Babeuf, Roma, Carocci, 2021
Readings and assignments for non-attending students.
Readings and assignments for both 6 and 9 ECTS exams:
1) S. Petrucciani, Modelli di Filosofia politica, Torino, Einaudi, 2003, chap. I, II, III, IV, V e VII (handbook)
2) N. Machiavelli, Il Principe, new ed. by G. Inglese, with an essay by F. Chabod, Torino, Einaudi, 2013
3) T. Moro, L'Utopia, pref. by M. Isnardi Parente, introd. by T. Fiore, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2013 or L. Bortone (ed. by), L'utopia: antologia di scritti di Moro, Campanella, Bacone, Torino, Loescher, 1979.
4) T. Hobbes, De cive. Elementi filosofici sul cittadino, ed. by T. Magri, Roma, Editori Riuniti University Press, 2009, dedicatory letter, preface, part one and part two
5) M. Cavendish, Il mondo sfavillante, ed. by M.G. Nicolosi, Milano, VandA Edizioni, 2023
6) Q. Skinner, Machiavelli, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1999
7) N. Bobbio, Thomas Hobbes, Torino, Einaudi, 2004, chap. II
8) P. Rudan, Riscrivere la storia fare la storia. Sulla donna come soggetto in Christine de Pizan e Margaret Cavendish, in «Scienza & Politica», 37 (2016), 54, pp. 21-41
Additional readings and assignments for 9 ECTS exam:
9) G.M. Barbuto, Il pensiero politico del Rinascimento: realismo e utopia, Roma, Carocci, 2008 or P. Portinaro, Il realismo politico, new ed., Brescia, Morcelliana, 2023
10) V. Ivo Comparato, Utopia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2005 or G. Imbruglia, Utopia: una storia politica da Savonarola a Babeuf, Roma, Carocci, 2021
General remarks:
The study of the teaching materials, the prefaces and introductions to the aforementioned editions is part and parcel of exam preparation.
Students taking the exam for the second time are required to contact the teacher to agree on the necessary changes to the syllabus.
The teacher is willing to agree on partial changes to the syllabus if justified requests are made by students during office hours.
It is necessary that the examination modalities for students with specific learning disabilities are agreed with the lecturer, in consultation with the support services
Readings and assignments for both 6 and 9 ECTS exams:
1) S. Petrucciani, Modelli di Filosofia politica, Torino, Einaudi, 2003, chap. I, II, III, IV, V e VII (handbook)
2) N. Machiavelli, Il Principe, new ed. by G. Inglese, with an essay by F. Chabod, Torino, Einaudi, 2013
3) T. Moro, L'Utopia, pref. by M. Isnardi Parente, introd. by T. Fiore, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2013 or L. Bortone (ed. by), L'utopia: antologia di scritti di Moro, Campanella, Bacone, Torino, Loescher, 1979.
4) T. Hobbes, De cive. Elementi filosofici sul cittadino, ed. by T. Magri, Roma, Editori Riuniti University Press, 2009, dedicatory letter, preface, part one and part two
5) M. Cavendish, Il mondo sfavillante, ed by M.G. Nicolosi, Milano, VandA Edizioni, 2023
Additional readings and assignments for 9 ECTS exam:
4) G.M. Barbuto, Il pensiero politico del Rinascimento: realismo e utopia, Roma, Carocci, 2008 or P. Portinaro, Il realismo politico, new ed., Brescia, Morcelliana, 2023
5) V. Ivo Comparato, Utopia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2005 or G. Imbruglia, Utopia: una storia politica da Savonarola a Babeuf, Roma, Carocci, 2021
Readings and assignments for non-attending students.
Readings and assignments for both 6 and 9 ECTS exams:
1) S. Petrucciani, Modelli di Filosofia politica, Torino, Einaudi, 2003, chap. I, II, III, IV, V e VII (handbook)
2) N. Machiavelli, Il Principe, new ed. by G. Inglese, with an essay by F. Chabod, Torino, Einaudi, 2013
3) T. Moro, L'Utopia, pref. by M. Isnardi Parente, introd. by T. Fiore, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2013 or L. Bortone (ed. by), L'utopia: antologia di scritti di Moro, Campanella, Bacone, Torino, Loescher, 1979.
4) T. Hobbes, De cive. Elementi filosofici sul cittadino, ed. by T. Magri, Roma, Editori Riuniti University Press, 2009, dedicatory letter, preface, part one and part two
5) M. Cavendish, Il mondo sfavillante, ed. by M.G. Nicolosi, Milano, VandA Edizioni, 2023
6) Q. Skinner, Machiavelli, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1999
7) N. Bobbio, Thomas Hobbes, Torino, Einaudi, 2004, chap. II
8) P. Rudan, Riscrivere la storia fare la storia. Sulla donna come soggetto in Christine de Pizan e Margaret Cavendish, in «Scienza & Politica», 37 (2016), 54, pp. 21-41
Additional readings and assignments for 9 ECTS exam:
9) G.M. Barbuto, Il pensiero politico del Rinascimento: realismo e utopia, Roma, Carocci, 2008 or P. Portinaro, Il realismo politico, new ed., Brescia, Morcelliana, 2023
10) V. Ivo Comparato, Utopia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2005 or G. Imbruglia, Utopia: una storia politica da Savonarola a Babeuf, Roma, Carocci, 2021
General remarks:
The study of the teaching materials, the prefaces and introductions to the aforementioned editions is part and parcel of exam preparation.
Students taking the exam for the second time are required to contact the teacher to agree on the necessary changes to the syllabus.
The teacher is willing to agree on partial changes to the syllabus if justified requests are made by students during office hours.
It is necessary that the examination modalities for students with specific learning disabilities are agreed with the lecturer, in consultation with the support services
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final examination is oral and is divided into two inseparable parts. The first part will ascertain the acquisition of the fundamental concepts of the history of political philosophy (handbook). The second part will ascertain an in- depth knowledge of key themes and main political and philosophical issues in all the works mentioned in the bibliography.
To be more precise, in the second part of the oral examination, students are expected
- to reconstruct the conceptual structure and general argumentative strategies used by Machiavelli, Hobbes, More, Campanella, Bacon, and Cavendish;
- to comment on some of the most significant passages in Machiavelli's, Hobbes's, More's, Campanella's, Bacon's, and Cavendish's works (by explaining the meaning of key terms, by highlighting critical points, inconsistency and contradictions, by finding connections with other passages, and so forth);
-to present and discuss the fundamental theses of the critical studies by Portinaro / Barbuto and Imbruglia / Comparato.
Evaluation criteria:
- knowledge of the history of political philosophy (exposition);
- ability to exemplify concepts (understanding);
- autonomy of judgement, capacity of use and apply concepts (development);
- communication skills and the adequacy of language.
To be more precise, in the second part of the oral examination, students are expected
- to reconstruct the conceptual structure and general argumentative strategies used by Machiavelli, Hobbes, More, Campanella, Bacon, and Cavendish;
- to comment on some of the most significant passages in Machiavelli's, Hobbes's, More's, Campanella's, Bacon's, and Cavendish's works (by explaining the meaning of key terms, by highlighting critical points, inconsistency and contradictions, by finding connections with other passages, and so forth);
-to present and discuss the fundamental theses of the critical studies by Portinaro / Barbuto and Imbruglia / Comparato.
Evaluation criteria:
- knowledge of the history of political philosophy (exposition);
- ability to exemplify concepts (understanding);
- autonomy of judgement, capacity of use and apply concepts (development);
- communication skills and the adequacy of language.
SPS/02 - HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Ceron Annalisa Antonia
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Monday, 9.15-12.15. Please, write an e-mail to arrange an appointment.
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