73162 - Ideology and Society in the Global World

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knowsthe classic concepts of ideology, the transformations that Western culture in general and ideologies in particular suffer in the global world, as well as the impact on state institutions by these transformations.

Course contents

The course is organised into lectures and seminars, according to the logic of the inverted classroom. Lectures (16 hours) aim to introduce students to the core tenets of the discipline. Seminars (12 hours) aim to provide occasions for in-depth discussions of class materials and exercises. Students attend 8 lectures on theoretical interpretations. In the seminar section, students are divided into two groups, each of which must attend 6 seminars. The activation of online classes will depend on the evolution of the pandemic situation.

Lectures (16 hours) will focus on the most important political, institutional and cultural changes brought about by globalization. Particular attention will be given to the problem of Identity in a global world.

The seminar section (12 hours) will focus on relations between ideology, religion, democracy and truth. In this section students will be expected to make at least one formal intervention in class (or online during the seminar time, depending on the conditions). The argument of the intervention will be agreed with the professor, who will provide students with references.

 

Readings/Bibliography

For the general section (16 hours):

S. Benhabib, Cittadini globali. Cosmopolitismo e democrazia, Il Mulino, Bologna 2008;

 F. Fukuyama, Identità. La ricerca della dignità e i nuovi populismi, Edizioni Utet, Torino 2019. 

For the seminar section:

S. Belardinelli, L'ordine di Babele. Le culture tra pluralismo e identità, Ed. Rubbettino, Soveria Mannelli 2018;

O. Roy, L'Europa è ancora cristiana? Che cosa resta delle nostre radici religiose, Ed. Feltrinelli, Milano 2019.

More references for the seminar section will be provided during class.

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars

Assessment methods

The course will be assessed by two written exams: the first written exam (four open questions) will focus on the topics covered during the first 16 hours of the course; the second written exam will focus on the seminars of the course.

Participation in class will be part of the final assessment. Non-attending students and students who will not participate in seminars' discussions will be required to answer four (rather than two) open questions in the second written exam.

Attending students who cannot attend an intermediate exam will be allowed to take it in the first of the three sessions held in January and February. In case the student will not attend the first session either, he/she will need to take the entire written exam, likewise non attending students, consisting of 8 open-ended questions.

 

Office hours

See the website of Sergio Belardinelli

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