00385 - Philosophy of Law (M-Q)

Learning outcomes

Students will be introduced to the critical study of the history of legal philosophy, to the fundamental issues of legal theory (such as the typology of norms and the interpretation, integration, and systematization of law), and to the most relevant authors and problems discussed in the contemporary legal-philosophical debate. The course is meant to provide first-year students in legal studies both with a non-superficial knowledge of the historical development of theoretical thinking about law in the Western philosophical culture and with an introduction to the basic concepts of legal theory.

Course contents

The course will take place in mixed mode (face-to-face and online) or, in the case of non-optimal health conditions, online.

CONTENTS:

A critical, theoretical, and historical introduction to the main concepts in legal philosophy, with specific reference to the following:

Natural-law theory

Legal positivism

Legal Realism

Institutionalism

Constitutionalism in legal theory/post positivism

Law, morality, and justice

Legal norms

Legal systems

Interpretation and argumentation in law

Readings/Bibliography

READINGS:

Attending Students

a) C. Faralli, Le grandi correnti della filosofia del diritto. Seconda edizione con Appendice antologica, Giappichelli, Torino, 2014.

b) C. Faralli (a cura di), Argomenti di Teoria del diritto, Giappichelli, Torino, 2016 (the text should be integrated with R. Alexy, Interpretazione giuridica, in Enciclopedia delle Scienze sociali, Roma, Treccani 1996).

c) a text chosen from the following (the parts to be studied will be indicated in class):

c1) law and morals: the practical conflicts: D. Canale, Conflitti pratici, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2017.

c2) punishment and prison: M. Foucault, Sorvegliare e punire. Nascita della prigione, Einaudi, Torino, 1976.

Seminars and side lectures will be indicated during the course.

Non-attending Students

a) C. Faralli, Le grandi correnti della filosofia del diritto. Seconda edizione con Appendice antologica, Giappichelli, Torino, 2014.

b) A.A.V.V., Argomenti di Teoria del diritto. Materiali per gli studenti, Giappichelli, Torino, 2016 (il testo va integrato con R. Alexy, Interpretazione giuridica, in Enciclopedia delle Scienze sociali, Roma, Treccani 1996).

c) G. Bongiovanni, G. Pino, C. Roversi (a cura di), Che cosa è il diritto. Ontologie e concezioni del giuridico, Giappichelli, Torino, 2016. Otto capitoli: G. Pino, Diritto e morale; C. Redondo, Il positivismo inclusivo; A. Schiavello, Il positivismo esclusivo; A. Schiavello, Diritto e convenzionalismo; A. Artosi, Costruttivismo, realismo e ragion pratica; D. Canale, L'essenza come funzione: l'ontologia giuridica di Michael Moore e Scott Shapiro; M. Brigaglia, Diritto, normalizzazione, bio-potere: Michel Foucault; A. Facchi, Diritto e potere nel femminismo.

Students who are behind schedule with their exams

There are two options for students who are behind schedule (students who have registered for this course in a previous academic year and have yet to take the exam): They can choose the syllabus for non-attending students who have registered for the course in the current academic year, or they can choose the syllabus for attending students relative to the academic year in which they registered. Any changes a student wishes to make to the syllabus will have to be made in agreement with the professor.

Students who require a supplement of credits CFU for Philosophy of Law

1-2 credits: H.L.A. Hart, Il concetto di diritto, Einaudi, Torino, 2002, chaps. I, II, III;

3-4 credits: Il concetto di diritto, Einaudi, Torino, 2002, chaps. I, II, III, IV, V, VI;

5 credits: Il concetto di diritto, Einaudi, Torino, 2002, the whole book.

Erasmus Students

One of the following options:

1) Option A (a+b+c)

a) C. Faralli, Le grandi correnti della filosofia del diritto. Seconda edizione con Appendice antologica, Giappichelli, Torino, 2014.

b) C. Faralli (a cura di), Argomenti di Teoria del diritto, Giappichelli, Torino, 2016 (the text should be integrated with R. Alexy, Interpretazione giuridica, in Enciclopedia delle Scienze sociali, Roma, Treccani 1996).

c) a text chosen from the following (the parts to be studied will be indicated in class):

c1) law and morals: the practical conflicts: D. Canale, Conflitti pratici, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2017.

c2) punishment and prison: M. Foucault, Sorvegliare e punire. Nascita della prigione, Einaudi, Torino, 1976.

2) Option B (a+b)

a) H. Kelsen, Introduction to the Problems of Legal Theory, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1992

b) H. L. A. Hart, The Concept of Law (with a Postscript), Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2012

Teaching methods

The course will take place in mixed mode (face-to-face and online) or, in the case of non-optimal health conditions, online.

The course includes lectures, reading and commenting on reference texts and seminars.

All information relating to the course will be communicated in class while any communications from the teacher will be available at the website http://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/giorgio.bongiovanni
The lessons will be held in the first semester. For the timetable, students are invited to consult the website of the School of Law.

Assessment methods

Student performance will be assessed through a final oral exam. Students registering for the exam must so do using the University's computer network Almaesami.

The final exam is meant to test not only the students' knowledge of the main developments of the history of legal philosophy up to the contemporary debate, but also their understanding of the complex theoretical issues discussed during the course. Hence, the exam will not necessarily dwell on specific textual passages but will rather test the students' ability to argue a philosophical thesis and understand the problems connected to it. Normally, the oral examination consists of a series of questions on the texts of the course, and the final grade is the result of an average of the results of the answers to these questions. When students achieve an organic view of the issues addressed in lectures, demonstrating a mastery of the specific terminology and conceptual framework of the discipline, they will be assessed with marks of excellence. Lack of concision and the usage of language and terminology which are not always appropriate will lead to a fair evaluation; knowledge gaps and inappropriate language - although in a context of acceptable knowledge - will not go beyond the grade threshold “sufficient”. Knowledge gaps (such as to have ignored some of the texts in the program for the course), inappropriate language, and lack of any overall view of the basic issues discussed in textbooks and during the course that will lead to an insufficient assessment.

In order to be considered attending, students must participate in the lessons: attendance will be certified either with self-certification (mixed mode) or in the participant automatic box (online mode).
The self-certification of attendance (downloadable online) duly completed and signed during the lessons must be shown during the oral exam
Students who obtain the certificate of attendance in the academic year students will be able to take the exam starting from January 2022. There is no requirement for any prerequisite for the validity of the exam.

Teaching tools

These include slides and handouts summarizing the main course topics, the reading and commenting of texts in class, the focus seminar, and tests by which to assess student performance.

Supplemental course material (slides, tests to asses performance, arguments of discussion) will be available via web on the site

http://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/giorgio.bongiovanni

Office hours

See the website of Carla Faralli

See the website of Chiara Valentini