74653 - European Political Ideas

Learning outcomes

Political Philosophy is conceived as the application of philosophical investigation to politics and thus as a study of the contribution that philosophy may give to political practice. This implies both a clarification of the terms used in our everyday political vocabulary and an attempt at designing models of a just society. The course intends to provide the students with the following abilities: a) notions on methodology in historical investigation; b) ability to analytically read a text while at the same time situating it into the historical and linguistic context of the age; c) knowledge of the perennial tasks of political philosophy; d) knowledge of the idea of Europe in its historical and ideological meaning.

Course contents

TheI idea of a Social Compact in the Twentieth century

In the academic year 2015-16 the course will be devoted to the revival of contractarian theories, which see the origin of society in a compact. We will examine the debate they prompted and the criticism.

The course will be in the second semester and will start in February 2016. It will be taught in English. The timetable will be published as soon as it is available.

Readings/Bibliography

Compulsory readings: 

Plato, The Republic, ed. by D. Lee, London, Penguin, 2003: books 1 and 2.

J. Rawls, Political Liberalism, New York, Columbia University Press, 2005.

In addition, one book to be chosen in the following list:

C. Pateman-C. Mills, Contract and Domination, New York, Polity Press, 2007. 

S. Benhabib, The Claims of Culture, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2002.

A. MacIntyre, Dependent Rational Animals, Open Court, 2001.

A. Margalit, On Compromise and Rotten Compromise, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2009.

R. Nozick, Anarchy State and Utopia, New York, Basic Books, 2013.

M. Walzer, Spheres of Justice, New York, Basic Books, 1983.

Teaching methods

20 classes of 2 hours each for a total of 40 hours.

 

Assessment methods

The final exam will consist in an oral discussion at the end of the course. During this discussion the instructor will evaluate the student's ability to identify the central notions of a text, to examine them critically and to argue consistently. Students who attend the classes may write a paper on a subject agreed with the instructor. The final exam will be in English; however, students who prefer to take it in Italian are allowed to do so. 

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Giorgini