History of Political Thought
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with a solid basic knowledge of the history of political thought. Students will acquire skills in textual and conceptual analysis. They will be able to place the classics of political thought in their historical and philosophical 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 the authors;
- know the fundamental aspects of the history of Western political thought from antiquity to the present day (with special focus on the classics);
- know the fundamental lexicon of political thought in its historical development;
- explain the links between the history of political thought and its historical context;
- master the basic methodological tools of the research in history political thought.
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 the authors;
- know the fundamental aspects of the history of Western political thought from antiquity to the present day (with special focus on the classics);
- know the fundamental lexicon of political thought in its historical development;
- explain the links between the history of political thought and its historical context;
- master the basic methodological tools of the research in history political thought.
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
Democracy of the ancients and moderns
1 Introduction to the fundamental concepts of political thought.
Introduction to the basic concepts of political philosophy (natural law, contractualism, principles of legitimacy, justice, power, freedom) and reconstruction of the fundamental stages in the history of democracy in antiquity and modernity (democracy of the ancients and the moderns; direct democracy and representative democracy; formal and substantive democracy; expansion of suffrage, emergence of public opinion, theory of elites).
2 From the democracy of the ancients to the democracy of the moderns
Reading and commenting on the most significant pages of Tocqueville's Democracy in America, focusing on the concept of public opinion, individualism and the notion of mild despotism. Democracy in America represents the first organic reflection on the functioning of democracy, on the social transformations it has produced and on the risks of degeneration. The reception of Athenian democracy in the modern times. In the last part of the course we will address the debate on the current ecological crisis and its relationship to the crisis of democracy.
1 Introduction to the fundamental concepts of political thought.
Introduction to the basic concepts of political philosophy (natural law, contractualism, principles of legitimacy, justice, power, freedom) and reconstruction of the fundamental stages in the history of democracy in antiquity and modernity (democracy of the ancients and the moderns; direct democracy and representative democracy; formal and substantive democracy; expansion of suffrage, emergence of public opinion, theory of elites).
2 From the democracy of the ancients to the democracy of the moderns
Reading and commenting on the most significant pages of Tocqueville's Democracy in America, focusing on the concept of public opinion, individualism and the notion of mild despotism. Democracy in America represents the first organic reflection on the functioning of democracy, on the social transformations it has produced and on the risks of degeneration. The reception of Athenian democracy in the modern times. In the last part of the course we will address the debate on the current ecological crisis and its relationship to the crisis of democracy.
Prerequisites for admission
No prior knowledge is needed
Teaching methods
Lectures
Debate and discussion
Debate and discussion
Teaching Resources
Readings and assignments for attending students. Assignments for both 6 and 9 ECTS exams:
1) 1) S. Petrucciani, Democrazia, Torino, Einaudi, 2014.
2) B. Manin, Principi del governo rappresentativo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.
3) A. de Tocqueville, La democrazia in America, a cura di N. Matteucci, Torino, Utet, 2013.
The following chapters of La democrazia in America should be prepared in depth:
Book 1: Introduction; Part 1: Chapters 2 e 3; Part 2: Chapter 7.
Book Two: Foreword, Part One: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4; Part Two: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; Part Four: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Additional assignments for 9 ECTS exam::
4) U. Fantasia e L. Iori (edited by),La democrazia ateniese in età moderna e contemporanea, "Quaderni della Rivista Storica Italiana" 8, Napoli, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, 2023.
5) M. Deriu, Rigenerazione. Per una democrazia capace di futuro, Roma, Castelvecchi, 2022.
Additional readings that will be indicated during the course are an integral part of the examination programme.
Readings and assignments for non-attending students. Assignments for both 6 and 9 ECTS exams:
1) S. Petrucciani, Democrazia, Torino, Einaudi, 2014
2) B. Manin, Principi del governo rappresentativo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.
3) A. de Tocqueville, La democrazia in America, a cura di N. Matteucci, Torino, Utet, 2013.
The following chapters of La democrazia in America should be prepared in depth:
Book 1: Introduction; Part 1: Chapters 2 e 3; Part 2: Chapter 7.
Book Two: Foreword, Part One: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4; Part Two: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; Part Four: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
4) D. della Porta, Democrazie, Bologna, il mulino, 2011.
Additional assignments for 9 ECTS exam::
5) U. Fantasia e L. Iori (edited by),La democrazia ateniese in età moderna e contemporanea, "Quaderni della Rivista Storica Italiana" 8, Napoli, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, in press.
6) M. Deriu, Rigenerazione. Per una democrazia capace di futuro, Roma, Castelvecchi, 2022.
1) 1) S. Petrucciani, Democrazia, Torino, Einaudi, 2014.
2) B. Manin, Principi del governo rappresentativo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.
3) A. de Tocqueville, La democrazia in America, a cura di N. Matteucci, Torino, Utet, 2013.
The following chapters of La democrazia in America should be prepared in depth:
Book 1: Introduction; Part 1: Chapters 2 e 3; Part 2: Chapter 7.
Book Two: Foreword, Part One: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4; Part Two: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; Part Four: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Additional assignments for 9 ECTS exam::
4) U. Fantasia e L. Iori (edited by),La democrazia ateniese in età moderna e contemporanea, "Quaderni della Rivista Storica Italiana" 8, Napoli, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, 2023.
5) M. Deriu, Rigenerazione. Per una democrazia capace di futuro, Roma, Castelvecchi, 2022.
Additional readings that will be indicated during the course are an integral part of the examination programme.
Readings and assignments for non-attending students. Assignments for both 6 and 9 ECTS exams:
1) S. Petrucciani, Democrazia, Torino, Einaudi, 2014
2) B. Manin, Principi del governo rappresentativo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.
3) A. de Tocqueville, La democrazia in America, a cura di N. Matteucci, Torino, Utet, 2013.
The following chapters of La democrazia in America should be prepared in depth:
Book 1: Introduction; Part 1: Chapters 2 e 3; Part 2: Chapter 7.
Book Two: Foreword, Part One: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4; Part Two: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; Part Four: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
4) D. della Porta, Democrazie, Bologna, il mulino, 2011.
Additional assignments for 9 ECTS exam::
5) U. Fantasia e L. Iori (edited by),La democrazia ateniese in età moderna e contemporanea, "Quaderni della Rivista Storica Italiana" 8, Napoli, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, in press.
6) M. Deriu, Rigenerazione. Per una democrazia capace di futuro, Roma, Castelvecchi, 2022.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination is oral and consists of an interview on the topics and texts included in the program, designed to test the acquisition of the basic concepts of political thought and the historical development of the debate on democracy, in particular the reception of Athenian democracy in the modern times. Students will be required to demonstrate their ability to read, comment on and contextualise a classic work in the history of political thought such as Tocqueville's Democracy in America. They also need to demonstrate knowledge of the debate on the relationship between the environmental crisis and the democratic crisis.
SPS/02 - HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Simonazzi Mauro
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Office hours: Thursday, 4.30 pm-7.30 pm via Teams, with prior appointment by email.
Cortile della Ghiacciaia, first floor, or Microsoft Teams.