POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY I

The course fits into the degree course, because it allows students to know some of the major philosophical-political positions and their underlying concepts. Having achieved this result, students should be able to better evaluate the grounds of political obligation and to understand the main issues that animate the contemporary political debate.

By the end of the course, the students should be able to 1) understand the meaning and the scope of the concepts discussed during the course; 2) reflect critically about them; 3) apply them to the different political issues that animate our contemporary world.

Students must have a good level of general education.

Course topic:
Marx's Capital: a philosophical reading

Description:
In this course we will carefully read the first volume of Marx's most important work, "Capital", in order to highlight its fundamental concepts, interpreted against the background of his general philosophical approach. At the same time, the importance of Marxian concepts for the understanding of the most relevant phenomena of modern and contemporary society will be highlighted.

Textbooks:

1) Karl Marx, Il capitale. Critica dell'economia politica, trad. it. di Bruno Maffi, Utet, Torino 2017, vol. I (pp. 69-965).
2) Stefano Petrucciani, Modelli di filosofia politica, Einaudi, Torino 2003 (the handbook for Political Philosophy).

One of the following texts of your choice:

3.a) Etienne Balibar, La filosofia di Marx, manifestolibri, Roma 1994 (available on the moodle).
3.b) Roberto Fineschi, Introduzione a Marx, Morcelliana, Brescia 2021.
3.c) Stefano Petrucciani, Marx, Carocci, Roma 2009.
3.d) Giorgio Cesarale, Il capitale o della critica dell'economia politica, in Stefano Petrucciani (a cura di), Il pensiero di Marx, Carocci, Roma 2018, pp. 243-308.

Textbooks:

1) Karl Marx, Il capitale. Critica dell'economia politica, trad. it. di Bruno Maffi, Utet, Torino 2017, vol. I (pp. 69-965).
2) Stefano Petrucciani, Modelli di filosofia politica, Einaudi, Torino 2003 (the handbook for Political Philosophy).

One of the following texts of your choice:

3.a) Etienne Balibar, La filosofia di Marx, manifestolibri, Roma 1994 (available on the moodle).
3.b) Roberto Fineschi, Introduzione a Marx, Morcelliana, Brescia 2021.
3.c) Stefano Petrucciani, Marx, Carocci, Roma 2009.
3.d) Giorgio Cesarale, Il capitale o della critica dell'economia politica, in Stefano Petrucciani (a cura di), Il pensiero di Marx, Carocci, Roma 2018, pp. 243-308.


The following list does not cover the textbooks. It covers some texts I could mention during the lectures.

J. Habermas, Solidarietà fra estranei, trad. it. di L. Ceppa, Guerini, Milano 1997.
J. Habermas, Storia e critica dell'opinione pubblica, trad. it di A. Illuminati, F. Masini e W. Perretta, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2005.
J. Habermas, Teoria dell'agire comunicativo, trad. it di P. Rinaudo, il Mulino, Bologna 1986, 2 voll.
Th. Hobbes, Leviatano, ed. it. di A. Pacchi, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2014.
H. Kelsen, Lineamenti di dottrina pura del diritto, ed. it. a cura di M. G. Losano, Einaudi, Torino 1966.
N. Luhmann, Potere e complessità sociale, trad. it. di R. Schmidt e D. Zolo, il Saggiatore, Milano 2010.
J. Rawls, Una teoria della giustizia, ed. it. di S. Maffettone, Feltrinelli, Milano 1983.
J.J. Rousseau, Contratto sociale, in Id., Scritti politici, ed. it. a cura di M. Garin, Laterza, Roma-Bari 1994.
M. Weber, Economia e società, ed. it. a cura di P. Rossi, Edizioni di Comunità, Torino 1986.

As in the previous academic years, the exam will be oral. It will be structured in the following manner: students are required to answer four questions related to the contents developed within the course and the textbooks. Furthermore, the questions will be aimed to test the understanding of the conceptual contents and to develop the capacity to reflect critically on them.
In order to pass the exam, at least three out of four questions must be answered. Each of the four answers thus corresponds to 25% of the final grade. However, it must be borne in mind, over and above the percentage scheme, that the assessment of an exam always involves a unitary understanding of the performance provided, an overall assessment of argumentative skills. The percentage scheme will therefore only serve as a general guideline for the assessment.
By correct answers, it is meant both the exact reproduction of the contents of the textbooks and the ability to explain them in a rich and precise manner, employing the appropriate terminology. All philosophical, historical and political knowledge relevant to the questions asked each time can of course be used to answer them.
There are four texts among which everyone can choose one according to his or her curiosity and scientific interests: Balibar's text specifies the philosophical question in Marx; Fineschi's text is useful for deepening knowledge of Marx's critique of political economy; Petrucciani's text gives us knowledge of Marx as a political organizer, journalist, etc.; my text allows to deepen our knowledge of the second and third volumes of 'Capital'.
The exam takes about twenty-five minutes.
The textbooks and the assessment methods are not different for non attending students. The latter are, though, invited to contact me (via email) in order to get an overview of the course.

The course will be realized by using the frontal lecture as teaching method. However, the student participation will be encouraged.

Italian

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development