73281 - Political Philosophy (Advanced)

Academic Year 2014/2015

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Sociology and Social Work (cod. 8786)

Learning outcomes


Course contents

The course aims at providing students with a sketch of the main contemporary debates surrounding the topic of power. It will particularly focus on the work of Michel Foucault during the 1970s, introducing such concepts as discipline, biopolitics, governmentality, subjection, subjectivation.

Readings/Bibliography

Suggested bibliographical references for the exam:

A. Michel Foucault, Poteri e strategie , Milano, Mimesis, 2014.

B. One book to be chosen among the following:

Michel  Foucault, Sorvegliare e punire. Nascita della prigione , Torino, Einaudi, 1976.
Michel Foucault, Il discorso, la storia, la verità. Interventi 1969-1984, Torino, Einaudi, 2001.
Michel Foucault, Bisogna difendere la società, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2009.
Michel Foucault, Sicurezza, territorio, popolazione, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2007.
Michel Foucault, Nascita della biopolitica, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2012.

Further bibliographical references will be suggested during the course. Students who are not going to attend classes can get in touch with the professor to propose and discuss changes to the suggested reading list.

Teaching methods

Lectures will be combined with seminars, with direct involvement of students and possible participation of external guests.

Assessment methods

The exam will be oral. It is also possible to present a working paper, to be discussed during the exam.

Teaching tools

The course presupposes a basic knowledge of the history of modern and contemporary political philosophy. Students who do not have such knowledge in their curriculum can use one of the following texts:

S.S. Wolin, Politics and Vision. Continuity and Innovation in Western Political Thought, Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press, 2006
C. Galli (ed), Manuale di storia del pensiero politico, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2011
A. Pandolfi (ed), Nel pensiero politico moderno, Roma, Manifestolibri, 2004

Links to further information

http://unibo.academia.edu/SandroMezzadra

Office hours

See the website of Sandro Mezzadra