Ateneo - UPO

The 'classic' is Cesare Beccaria's most celebrated work, Of Crimes and Punishments.

All students are required to study text no. 1), plus a text of their choice from the books listed in group 2). 1) Cesare Beccaria, Dei delitti e delle pene, prefazione di Stefano Rodotà, a cura di Alberto Burgio, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1991 2) One of the following books: Philippe Audegean, Cesare Beccaria, filosofo europeo, trad. it. B. Carnevali, Roma, Carocci, 2014; Philippe Audegean, Violenza e giustizia. Beccaria e la questione penale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2023; Jacques Derrida, La pena di morte (1999-2000), Milano, Jaca Book, 2014; Luciano Eusebi (a cura di), Una giustizia diversa. Il modello riparativo e la questione penale, Milano, Vita&Pensiero, 2015; Michel Foucault, La società punitiva (1972-73), Milano, Feltrinelli, 2016; A. Garapon, F. Gros, T. Pech, Et ce sera justice. Punir en démocratie, Paris, Odile Jacob, 2001;Italo Mereu, La morte come pena (1982), Roma, Donzelli, 2007; Derecka Purnell, Come sono diventata abolizionista. Polizia, proteste e libertà, Roma, Fandango, 2023

The course aims, at a basic level, to provide students with: 1. (knowledge and understanding): the basic knowledge related to Beccaria's work, Of Crimes and Punishments, and of the historical and philosophical context of the work; 2. (ability to apply knowledge understanding): the essential methodological tools for studying a classic from Beccaria's work; 3. (autonomy of judgment): the ability to exercise sufficient independence of judgment; 4. (communication skills): the ability to present the knowledge acquired in a way and clear and correct; 5. (learning skills): a sufficient ability to analyze texts and connect the topics covered. At a more advanced level, the course aims to enable the acquisition of: 1. (knowledge and understanding): a thorough knowledge of Beccaria's work, Of Crimes and Punishments, and the historical and philosophical context of the work, with reference to the different interpretations of the text;2. (ability to apply knowledge and understanding): a good ability to reconstruct Beccaria's arguments and the argumentative structure of the text accurately and thoroughly;3. (autonomy of judgment): a good ability to critically analyze Beccaria's theses and compare them with the main theories of punishment in modern and contemporary political thought, with particular reference to the opposing arguments concerning the death penalty and torture;4. (communication skills): a good ability to present in a way and clear and correct knowledge acquired, showing full mastery of terminology and vocabulary (corrective, retributive, and preventive function of punishment; special and general prevention; due process and the rule of law);5. (learning skills): a good ability to analyze texts and connect the topics covered, demonstrating awareness of the problems related to interpreting the classics and ability to carry out individual in-depth studies.

Logical and linguistic abilities and historical knowledge acquired in high school.

Lectures, text readings, papers and classroom discussions, including the use of online tools to support historical and political research.

The course will take place in the first semester of 2026-27. Please register for the course via the DIR platform, which will be activated by early October 2027. Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudents-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

At the end of the course, learning will be verified by an oral test lasting approximately 20 to 30 minutes structured as follows: 1. The presentation of a topic of your choice from among those covered in the course, with follow-up questions relating to the topic presented; 2: A comment on a passage from Beccaria's work (e.g., ch. XXVIII, "It is therefore not the death penalty a right": explain Beccaria's argument leading to this conclusion); 3. A question relating to the text of your choice. The grade is given in thirtieths and the assessment is made according to the following parameters: The students should have acquired: 1. a basic knowledge of Beccaria's Treatise and of the text of their choice (corresponding to 18-23/30); 2. the ability to interpret the texts in their contexts, showing a good communicative ability (corresponding to 24-26/30); 3. the ability to compare different theories, to present arguments in a critical way and to show excellent communicative capabilities (corresponding to 27-30/30).

The course aims to present Beccaria's work, Dei delitti e delle pene, on the one hand as a classic text of the Italian and European Enlightenment, and on the other hand as the founding moment of a new way of conceiving society and politics. After considering the author's intention and the structure of the text, we will dwell on its reception and the debates aroused by the book's fundamental theses, particularly concerning the death penalty and torture. We will then question the meaning of punishment, particularly regarding the theses of Nietzsche, Foucault, and Derrida. Finally, we will look at some contemporary debates on alternatives to the punitive model and prison, including in response to gender-based violence: restorative justice and proximity democracy. The course includes visits to the Le Nuove Prison Museum in Turin and the Vercelli Municipal Prison.

In order to achieve the learning outcomes and corresponding competences at the basic level, students are expected to demonstrate the following: 1.
(knowledge and understanding) sufficient knowledge of Cesare Beccaria's On Crimes and Punishments and of its historical and philosophical context. 2. (applying knowledge and understanding): the ability to identify the main lines of argument and the conceptual structure of Beccaria's work. 3. (making judgements): the ability to compare Beccaria's arguments with the principal theories of punishment in modern and contemporary political thought. 4. (communication skills): the ability to present the acquired knowledge clearly and accurately. 5. (learning skills): sufficient ability to analyse texts and to establish connections between the topics covered in the course.
In order to achieve the learning outcomes and corresponding competences at the advanced level, students are expected to demonstrate the following: 1. (knowledge and understanding): an in-depth knowledge of Cesare Beccaria's On Crimes and Punishments (Dei delitti e delle pene) and of its historical and philosophical context, including familiarity with the major interpretations of the text. 2. (applying knowledge and understanding): the ability to reconstruct Beccaria's arguments and the overall argumentative structure of the text accurately and in depth. 3. (making judgements): the ability to critically compare Beccaria's arguments with the principal theories of punishment in modern and contemporary political thought. 4. (communication skills): the ability to present the acquired knowledge clearly and accurately, demonstrating full command of the relevant terminology and academic vocabulary. 5. (learning skills): a sound ability to analyse texts and to establish connections between the topics covered in the course, demonstrating awareness of the methodological issues involved in the interpretation of classical texts and the ability to undertake independent study.