POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

The course fits into the degree course, because it aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the major philosophical-political approaches. Nonetheless, the course has not only the goal to provide an understanding of the primary and secondary bibliography related to the subject-matters, because it also aims to frame the social, political and cultural changes in the modern and contemporary world in the light of the fundamental philosophical-political concepts.

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 and autonomously about them; 3) apply them to the different political issues that animate our contemporary world. In order to achieve this result, the students will be familiarized with the basic aspects of the philosophico-political field and the main theoretical and interpretive traditions which have accompanied it.

Laurea magistrale (master's degree) students wishing to attend the course should be familiar with the basic concepts of political philosophy.

Course Topic:
The genesis of Western Marxism and Critical Theory: György Lukács's "History and Class Consciousness"

Since its appearance in 1923, 'History and Class Consciousness' has sparked a fierce debate in twentieth-century philosophy and formed the basis of the genesis of the critical theory of the Frankfurt School. Even today, it is still the basis of multiple debates on alienation, reification, the commodity-structure, the process of rationalization, the antinomies of modern philosophy, class consciousness, and the problem of trade union and political organization.

Textbooks:
György Lukács, Storia e coscienza di classe, trad. di G. Piana, PGreco, Milano 2022.
1. György Lukács, Storia e coscienza di classe, trad. di G. Piana, PGreco, Milano 2022.
2. Lucien Goldmann, Lukács e Heidegger, Bertani, Verona 1976 (available on moodle).
3. Istvan Mészáros, Lukács’ Concept of Dialectic, The Merlin Press, London 1972 (available on moodle);
4. One text to be chosen amongst the followings:
a) Laura Boella, Il giovane Lukács. La formazione intellettuale e la filosofia politica 1907-1929, De Donato, Bari 1977 (for all those who are interested in the making of the young Lukács) (available on moodle);
b) L. Boella (a cura di), Intellettuali e coscienza di classe. Il dibattito su Lukács 1923-24, Feltrinelli, Milano 1977 (for all those who are interested in the first reception of "History and Class Consciousness") (available on moodle);
c) Cesare Cases, Su Lukács. Vicende di un’interpretazione, Einaudi, Torino 1985 (for all those who are interested in the aesthetic-political aspects) (available on moodle).

Textbooks:
1. György Lukács, Storia e coscienza di classe, trad. di G. Piana, PGreco, Milano 2022.
2. Lucien Goldmann, Lukács e Heidegger, Bertani, Verona 1976 (available on moodle).
3. Istvan Mészáros, Lukács’ Concept of Dialectic, The Merlin Press, London 1972 (available on moodle);
4. One text to be chosen amongst the followings:
a) Laura Boella, Il giovane Lukács. La formazione intellettuale e la filosofia politica 1907-1929, De Donato, Bari 1977 (for all those who are interested in the making of the young Lukács) (available on moodle);
b) L. Boella (a cura di), Intellettuali e coscienza di classe. Il dibattito su Lukács 1923-24, Feltrinelli, Milano 1977 (for all those who are interested in the first reception of "History and Class Consciousness") (available on moodle);
c) Cesare Cases, Su Lukács. Vicende di un’interpretazione, Einaudi, Torino 1985 (for all those who are interested in the aesthetic-political aspects) (available on moodle).

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, 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, though, 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 questions must be answered. 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 teaching will be delivered in a frontal style, but the student participation will be encouraged and an interactive classroom strategy will be developed.

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