Ateneo - UPO

Power, struggle and recognition in social philosophy and political thought.

First part (Social Philosophy)

1. Mandatory texts:
Nancy Fraser, Axel Honneth (2020), Redistribuzione o riconoscimento?, Milano Meltemi (Introduzione e Capitolo 1)
Eleonora Piromalli, L'alienazione sociale oggi, Roma Carocci 2023.
2. One text of your choice:
Rahel Jaeggi, Forme di vita e capitalismo, Rosemberg e Sellier Torino 2012
Angela Davis, Donne, razza e classe, Edizioni Alegre Roma, 2018.

Second part (History of political thought)

1. Excerpts from the works of Machiavelli, Montesquieu, Sieyes, Weber, Schmitt, Arendt, and Foucault (they will be uploaded on DIR).
2. One text of your choice:
Niccolò Machiavelli, Il principe, a cura di Giorgio Inglese, Torino, Einaudi, 1995 (o edizioni successive)
Hannah Arendt, Responsabilità e giudizio, Torino, Einaudi, 2010
Pierre Bourdieu, Impérialismes: Circulation internationale des idées et luttes pour l'universel, Paris, Les Éditions Raisons d’Agir, 2023
Michel Foucault, La volontà di sapere, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2019
Carl Schmitt, Le categorie del politico: saggi di teoria politica, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013 (pp. 1-208)
Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyes, Che cos'è il Terzo Stato?, a cura di Umberto Cerroni, Roma, Editori Riuniti, 2016
Max Weber, La scienza come professione. La politica come professione, Torino, Einaudi, 2004

1. Knowledge of the basic approaches to social philosophy and the history of political thought. 2. Capability to unpack texts and arguments in the field of social and political thought and to understand their main concepts.

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

Lectures, reading and comment of texts, discussions.

Please register to DIR platform.

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.

Oral exam and active participation.
The student reaches a sufficient preparation when she has learnt and understood a basic knowledge of the issues and of the concepts of sovereignty, liberty and recognition. The student reaches an adequate preparation if she is capable of connecting and comparing the different theories. The student reaches an advanced preparation if she is able to express autonomous critical judgements and show appropriate communicative capabilities.

The course, divided into two modules, aims to introduce two closely related disciplines in an introductory way: social philosophy and the history of political thought.
The subject of the first module is the conflict for equality between redistribution and recognition. A critical analysis of the categories of distribution and recognition, and their relation to the concept of political change, will make it possible to analyse the different dimensions of equality and critically evaluate the contemporary economic, political and social context and the struggles for equality that characterise it. Among the different cases analysed, special attention will be paid to the claims of the feminist movement and the intersection of racial, gender and class injustices.
In the second module, the problem of the relationship between power and violence will be analyzed starting with some modern and contemporary authors. In particular, the theories of Machiavelli, Montesquieu, and Sieyes, and their relevance in the 'revolutionary' moment and the declarations of rights, including regarding the issue of women's rights, will be the subject of analysis. The problem of the relationship between sovereignty, democracy, and constituent power will then be discussed by analyzing the works of Max Weber, Carl Schmitt, Hannah Arendt, and Michel Foucault.

To achieve the knowledge and corresponding skills at the basic level, students will have to demonstrate:
1. (knowledge and understanding): to have acquired sufficient knowledge of some classic texts of social and political thought in their disciplinary specificity, and of the different theoretical positions concerning the concepts of sovereignty, legitimacy, freedom, equality, and recognition;
2. (ability to apply knowledge and understanding): to be able to recognize the main lines of argument and conceptual structure of the texts and theories analyzed;
3. (autonomy of judgment): to be able to compare correctly the different issues considered;
4. (communication skills): to be able to present clearly and correctly the knowledge acquired;
5. (learning skills): to have acquired sufficient ability to analyze texts and connect the topics covered.

For the attainment of an advanced level, one must demonstrate:
1. (knowledge and understanding): to have acquired a thorough knowledge of themes and authors in social philosophy and the history of thought, with particular reference to theories of recognition and the theory of sovereignty;
2. (ability to apply knowledge and understanding): to be able to reconstruct accurately and thoroughly the theoretical-political debates of modern and contemporary authors, and to recognize the different methodologies and interpretive perspectives adopted;
3. (autonomy of judgment): to be able to critically compare the different theories analyzed, also to develop an autonomous view concerning contemporary case studies;
4. (communication skills): to be able to present the knowledge acquired clearly and correctly, showing full command of the terminology and vocabulary of both disciplines;
5. (learning skills): to possess a good ability to analyze texts and connect the topics covered, demonstrating awareness of the problems arising in texts' interpretation and the ability to carry out individual in-depth studies.