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:
Theory and Praxis in Late Capitalism

The course will address the array of issues that emerge in capitalist societies when critical theory is detached from its anchoring in transformative political praxis.

Textbooks (provisional list):
1. György Lukács, Sulla responsabilità degli intellettuali, in Marxismo e politica culturale, Einaudi 1968, pp. 69-78
- Grand Hotel Abisso, in Intellettualismo e irrazionalismo, ETS, 1984, pp. 213-250.
2. Th. W. Adorno, M. Horkheimer, Diskussion über Theorie und Praxis, in M. Horkheimer, Nachträge, Verzeichnisse und Register, in Gesammelte Schriften 19, a cura di G. S. Noerr, in coll. con J. Baars, R. Clodius, F. v. Gelder e G. S. Noerr, Frankfurt a. M. 1996, pp. 32-72.
3. Theodor W. Adorno, Note marginali su Teoria e Prassi, in Parole chiave, Einaudi, Torino 1974; nuova traduzione di E. Benini con integrazioni dagli appunti preparatori, Marginalia su teoria e prassi, «Polemos», V (2010), 2-3, pp. 139‐140.
4. Herbert Marcuse, La paralisi della critica: la società senza opposizione, in L’uomo a una dimensione, Einaudi, 1968, pp. 7-20.
5. Jürgen Habermas, Prassi politica e teoria critica della società, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1973
- Introduzione: la difficile mediazione tra teoria e prassi, pp. 29-76.

Textbooks (provisional list):
1. György Lukács, Sulla responsabilità degli intellettuali, in Marxismo e politica culturale, Einaudi 1968, pp. 69-78
- Grand Hotel Abisso, in Intellettualismo e irrazionalismo, ETS, 1984, pp. 213-250.
2. Th. W. Adorno, M. Horkheimer, Diskussion über Theorie und Praxis, in M. Horkheimer, Nachträge, Verzeichnisse und Register, in Gesammelte Schriften 19, a cura di G. S. Noerr, in coll. con J. Baars, R. Clodius, F. v. Gelder e G. S. Noerr, Frankfurt a. M. 1996, pp. 32-72.
3. Theodor W. Adorno, Note marginali su Teoria e Prassi, in Parole chiave, Einaudi, Torino 1974; nuova traduzione di E. Benini con integrazioni dagli appunti preparatori, Marginalia su teoria e prassi, «Polemos», V (2010), 2-3, pp. 139‐140.
4. Herbert Marcuse, La paralisi della critica: la società senza opposizione, in L’uomo a una dimensione, Einaudi, 1968, pp. 7-20.
5. Jürgen Habermas, Prassi politica e teoria critica della società, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1973
- Introduzione: la difficile mediazione tra teoria e prassi, pp. 29-76.

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