History of Political Thought
A.Y. 2025/2026
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 can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
History and Theory 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 Democracy in America by Tocqueville
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.
3 The crisis of contemporary democracies
In the last part of the course, we will address some of the main issues of the current crisis of contemporary democracies. We will analyse the impact of social media in relation to truth, disinformation and public opinion; we will examine the relationship between increasing inequality and the crisis of political participation; we will look at the gradual erosion of democratic spaces and the emergence of the concept of 'illiberal democracies'.
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 Democracy in America by Tocqueville
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.
3 The crisis of contemporary democracies
In the last part of the course, we will address some of the main issues of the current crisis of contemporary democracies. We will analyse the impact of social media in relation to truth, disinformation and public opinion; we will examine the relationship between increasing inequality and the crisis of political participation; we will look at the gradual erosion of democratic spaces and the emergence of the concept of 'illiberal democracies'.
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, Modelli di filosofia politica, Torino, Einaudi, 2003.
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, 18, 19, 20; Part Three: Chapters 8, 9, 10, 12, 21; Part Four: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Additional assignments for 9 ECTS exam::
4) D. Palano, Bubble Democracy. La fine del pubblico e la nuova polarizzazione, Brescia, Scholé, 2020.
5) 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, 18, 19, 20; Part Four: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Additional assignments for 9 ECTS exam::
4) D. Palano, Bubble Democracy. La fine del pubblico e la nuova polarizzazione, Brescia, Scholé, 2020.
5) A. Colombo, Il suicidio della pace. Perché l'ordine internazionale liberale ha fallito (1989-2024), Milano, Raffaello Cortina Editore, 2025.
1) 1) S. Petrucciani, Modelli di filosofia politica, Torino, Einaudi, 2003.
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, 18, 19, 20; Part Three: Chapters 8, 9, 10, 12, 21; Part Four: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Additional assignments for 9 ECTS exam::
4) D. Palano, Bubble Democracy. La fine del pubblico e la nuova polarizzazione, Brescia, Scholé, 2020.
5) 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, 18, 19, 20; Part Four: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Additional assignments for 9 ECTS exam::
4) D. Palano, Bubble Democracy. La fine del pubblico e la nuova polarizzazione, Brescia, Scholé, 2020.
5) A. Colombo, Il suicidio della pace. Perché l'ordine internazionale liberale ha fallito (1989-2024), Milano, Raffaello Cortina Editore, 2025.
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. 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. In addition, they will need to demonstrate knowledge of the main topics of debate surrounding the current democratic crisis.
Modules or teaching units
Parte A e B
SPS/02 - HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Parte C
SPS/02 - HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
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.