94201 - LESSICO POLITICO DELLA GLOBALIZZAZIONE

Academic Year 2020/2021

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Local and Global Development (cod. 9200)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student acquires the main historical-conceptual tools needed to understand the ways in which the globalisation has contributed to modifying the central words of Western political lexicon. In particular, the student is capable of: comprehending and analysing the main theoretical approaches to globalisation, its historical roots and impact in political terms; interpreting and contextualising the phenomena, processes and practices that have led to the resignification of the most important modern political concepts (State, sovereignty, citizenship, security, human rights, identity, equality), as well as to the emergence of new keywords (governance, vulnerability, risk); critically assessing the public debate on the most important global issues.

Course contents

The course aims at critically analyzing the political implications of globalization and, in particular, the ways in which this complex phenomenon has produced the rearticulation and the redefinition of the contemporary political lexicon and practice.

Starting from the analysis of the most important interpretations of the political impact of globalization, the first part of the course is dedicated to the critical scrutiny of the effects that globalization has had on the use and content of some of the most important Western political concepts (e.g., State, sovereignty, citizenship, security, human rights, identity, equality), as well as on their mutual relationships and related practices. Particular attention will be given to the analysis of the impact the phenomenon of globalization has had on the spaces and timing of politics.

The second part of the course focuses on the critical analysis and informed discussion of some of new keywords of the global political lexicon. The keywords that will be studied in their new (or renewed) content and mutual relationships in this academic year are: "vulnerability/resilience" and "human rights/democracy".

The course is organized with a part of lectures taught online on MS TEAMS (20 hours) and another taught in presence (20 hours). The number of students allowed in class is determined on the basis of class capacity and by the health and safety provisions that deal with the pandemic emergency. In case more students want to attend classes in presence than permitted by the rules, a system of shifts will be organized to allow students to participate. Regardless of the health-related conditions and the specific organization of the course, students will be able to follow the lessons of the entire course remotely on MS TEAMS.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students

The bibliography for attending students is composed of the books, chapters and essays listed under letter A and B.

The materials listed under letter B will be the object of class discussions and could be slightly amended or supplemented with additional references, provided by the instructor at the beginning of the class, depending on the number of attending students and thus on the discussion methods that will be adopted (see Teaching methods section).

The specific sections within the materials under letter A and B to be prepared for class discussions and the final exam will be indicated at the beginning of the class.

A. First part (lectures)

D. Zolo, Globalizzazione. Una mappa dei problemi, Laterza, 2006.

A. Touraine, A new paradigm for understanding today's world, Polity Press, 2007.

B. Second part (seminars)

a) Vulnerability/ resilience

  1. A. Furia, S. Zullo (a cura di), La vulnerabilità come metodo. Percorsi di ricerca tra pensiero politico, diritto ed etica, Carocci, 2020.
  2. V. Marzocco, Insicuri e liberi. Vulnerabilità e resilienza nel lessico giuridico-politico del neo-liberismo, in M. G. Bernardini et al. (a cura di), Vulnerabilità: etica, politica, diritto, if Press, 2018, pp. 295-314.
  3. D. Morondo Taramundi, Un nuovo paradigma per l’uguaglianza? La vulnerabilità tra condizione umana e mancanza di protezione, in M. G. Bernardini et al., Vulnerabilità: etica, politica, diritto, if Press, 2018, pp. 179-200.
  4. M. Duffield, ‘How Did We Become Unprepared? Emergency and Resilience in an Uncertain World’, British Academy Review, 21, 2013, pp. 55–58.
  5. M. A. Fineman, Vulnerability and Inevitable Inequality, in “Oslo Law Review”, 3, 2017, pp. 124-32.
  6. M. A. Fineman, Vulnerability and Social Justice, in “Valparaiso University Law Review”, 53, 2, 2019, pp. 341-70.

b) Human Rights/Democracy

  1. T. Evans, The Politics of Human Rights. A global perspective, 2ndedition, Pluto Press, 2005.
  2. S. Benhabib, The Rights of Others. Aliens, Residents, and Citizens, Cambridge University Press, 2004.
  3. M. Langford, Critiques of Human Rights, Annu. Rev. Law Soc. Sci. 14, 2018, pp. 69–89.
  4. C. Focarelli, Neoliberalismo globale e persona umana, in R. Gherardi (a cura di), La Dichiarazione universale dei diritti umani. Storia, tradizioni, sviluppi contemporanei, Viella, 2020, pp. 133-151.
  5. D. Zolo, Il tramonto della democrazia nell'era della globalizzazione, Jura Gentium, 2010, available at this web address: https://www.juragentium.org/topics/wlgo/it/tramonto.htm
  6. L. Cedroni, Globalizzazione e democrazia inclusiva, Studi di Sociologia , Aprile-Giugno 2001, Anno 39, Fasc. 2, LOCALISMI E GLOBALIZZAZIONE: UN CONFRONTO TRA IDEE E PROPOSTE PER LA RICERCA SOCIOLOGICA (Aprile-Giugno 2001), pp. 193-203.

 

Non-attending students

The bibliography for non-attending students is partially different from that to be prepared by the attending ones. For this reason non-attending students are kindly requested to contact the instructor in due time and at least once before the exam.

 

Teaching methods

The course will be articulated into both lectures and class discussions.

Lectures will include readings of texts, seminars by external experts, projection of materials and documentaries.

The methodology adopted for class discussions (group discussion, whole class discussion, presentations, Q&A) will be defined at the beginning of the class taking into consideration the size of the class. Students are required to carefully read the assigned material before the class discussion and to actively take part in it.

The aim of the teaching methodology adopted by the course is to activate the informed critical discussion of topics among students and to facilitate the interaction and exchange between the instructor and the students.

Assessment methods

Attending students

The assessment of the acquisition of expected knowledge and abilities by the attending students is based on the following two components: 1. Final written exam and 2. (Optional) oral exam

The final written exam is a ninety-minute test that consists of 5/6 open questions on the topics discussed in class and are aimed at monitoring and assessing the acquisition of the expected knowledge as well as of methodological and critical skills by the student.

Attending students who miss or fail the written exam will undergo an oral exam on the entire syllabus after the end of the class.

The oral exam will take place after the end of the class and will consist of three/four questions aimed at assessing the student’s level of knowledge of the topics addressed by the course, as well as her/his ability to critically analyse and verbally articulate them.

The final evaluation will be the score of written exam or of the possible oral exam.

Non-attending students

Non-attending students will undergo an oral exam on the dedicated syllabus provided by the instructor. For this reason, non-attending students are kindly requested to contact the instructor in due time and at least once before the exam.

The oral exam will consist of three/four questions aimed at assessing the student’s level of knowledge of the topics addressed by the course, as well as her/his ability to critically analyse and verbally articulate them.

Teaching tools

Lectures and class discussions will be held with the support of audio-visual tools (ppt, web, short documentaries).

Office hours

See the website of Annalisa Furia

SDGs

Gender equality Reduced inequalities Partnerships for the goals

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.