B5386 - Political Theories of the Global (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course reconstructs and analyzes from the angle of political theory the processes that constitute the global dimension of our present, and introduces the student to the relevant critical literature. The course focuses on the structural changes involving contemporary societies, institutions and political processes, in particular in relation to infrastructure, logistics, the digital, finance and migration. At the end of the course, the student: will possess the methodological and conceptual tools to analyze the transformations involving contemporary capitalism, the state and political spaces; will be able to critically analyze the geopolitical level against the background of global processes; will be able to question the practices of politicization and subjectivation in relation to the global dimension.

Course contents

The course proposes a political-theoretical reading of the global starting from some fundamental processes concerning contemporary capitalism. Particular attention will be devoted to the transformations in the relationship between space, economy and power, to the emergence of new political formations and to the need to update and redefine the categories and concepts that we use. This perspective will also be considered as a useful element for examining the fields of information, culture and media.

In the first part of the course, a conceptual map will be provided starting from the concepts of global processes and the Marxian concept of the world market, placing them in a critical relationship with the approaches of geopolitics and international relations. Subsequently, some processes that led to the definition of the global between the second half of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century will be introduced and discussed. In particular, productive transformations, the political dimension of logistics and infrastructures, and digitalisation will be addressed, with particular attention to themes such as zones, corridors and the cloud. In the course of this analysis, the debates on globalisation, so-called de-globalisation and multipolarism will be addressed from a critical perspective, placing them in relation to the transformations affecting States. In considering the dislocations of the contemporary world, the course will show how they must be understood against the background of a new transnational dimension and unprecedented political configurations.

The lectures will be organised around the following thematic axes:

• Fundamental categories: political spaces, the world market, contemporary capitalism, and global processes
• The state, geopolitics, and international relations
• Logistics and constitutional foundations of the global
• Zones, corridors, and the cloud
• Assemblages, agglomerations, and transformations of the state
• Subjects, conflicts, and the transnational dimension

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) or temporary or permanent disabilities: are advised to contact the relevant University Office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it) and the lecturer as soon as possible, in order to identify together the most effective strategies for attending the lectures and/or preparing for the examination.

Readings/Bibliography

A. General reference text:

Giorgio Grappi, L­ogistica, Rome, ediesse, 2016.

B. Other reference texts:

Keller Easterling, Lo spazio in cui ci muoviamo. Infrastruttura come sistema operativo (2014), Italian translation, Rome, Treccani, 2019. Together with Giorgio Grappi, Infrastrutture e spazi politici nei processi globali: stati-piattaforma, agglomerati transnazionali, corridoi, Scienza & Politica, vol. 45, no. 69, 2023.

Mattia Frapporti, Governo materiale. Il potere politico delle infrastrutture, Meltemi, 2024. Together with Giorgio Grappi, Infrastrutture e spazi politici nei processi globali: stati-piattaforma, agglomerati transnazionali, corridoi, Scienza & Politica, vol. 45, no. 69, 2023.

Sandro Mezzadra, Brett Neilson, The Rest and the West. Per una critica del multipolarismo (2024), Italian translation, Rome, Meltemi, 2025.

Maurizio Ricciardi, La politica dello Stato Globale. Democrazia, migrazioni e neoliberalismo nella società-mondo, Meltemi, 2025.

Saskia Sassen, Territorio, Autorità, Diritti. Assemblaggi dal Medioevo all’età globale (2008), Italian translation, Mondadori, Milan, 2008.

Text A will be made available to students on Virtuale.

Further indications will be provided during the lectures and, at the end of the course, a supplementary bibliography will be uploaded to Virtuale.

Teaching methods

The course will be conducted mainly through lectures, which may make use of visual supports, such as PowerPoint presentations and audio-video materials, as well as external contributions. Active participation by students is nevertheless strongly encouraged, and ample space will be left for collective discussion and for proposals that may emerge. The ideas arising from the discussion will be taken into consideration by the lecturer in the subsequent lectures. Active participation during the course will be considered positively in the final assessment.

Assessment methods

• Students who have attended the course may choose either to take an oral examination or to write a paper of at least 2,500 words, developing a topic of their choice to be agreed with the lecturer. Writing the paper is strongly recommended, given the structure of the course, which aims to stimulate critical and argumentative abilities on the topics addressed. The materials to be used in both cases are: notes and materials discussed during the lectures, Text A, and one item from list B, consistently with the chosen topic. It is possible to use other materials proposed by the students, subject to prior agreement with the lecturer.
• Students who have not attended the course may choose either to take an oral examination or to write a paper of at least 3,500 words, developing a topic to be agreed with the lecturer. The materials to be used in both cases are Text A and one item from list B, consistently with the chosen topic.

Papers must be submitted in Word format one week before the examination date to the address giorgio.grappi@unibo.it.

Use of AI: students are required to declare in writing in the paper the ways in which AI has been used during the stages of preparation and writing of the text. It should be recalled that, consistently with the University's policies, AI may be a useful tool to support individual study through further reading, summaries and self-assessment pathways. In the writing of a paper, only a limited, declared and non-substantial use of AI is permitted. Should a use of AI outside these guidelines be detected, the assessment will be considered null and void. For any activity carried out in person, the use of AI is not permitted unless otherwise indicated by the lecturer.

Assessment

The assessment for those submitting a paper will take into account: punctuality in the submission of the paper, quality of writing, ability to use and articulate different bibliographical sources, quality and originality of the argument. Active participation during the lectures will be considered positively in the final assessment.

The assessment for those taking an oral examination only, without having attended the course, will take into account: thorough knowledge of the texts, ability to identify their main arguments and to discuss their contents critically and accurately, and ability to recognise and argue the connections between the texts discussed, quality of delivery.

Assessment criteria

Excellent knowledge of the topics addressed, precision and correctness in the use of language, clarity of presentation and argumentative ability lead to a good or excellent grade.

Knowledge of the topics addressed, adequate language and the ability to summarise the main contents lead to a satisfactory or fair grade.

Fragmentary knowledge of the topics addressed and uncertain presentation skills lead to failure to pass the examination.

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) or temporary or permanent disabilities: are recommended to contact the relevant University Office in good time (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it): it will be the responsibility of the Office to propose any appropriate adaptations for the students concerned, which must in any case be submitted, at least 15 days in advance, for the approval of the lecturer, who will assess their appropriateness also in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Grappi