Political science and international relations

The course will focus on the following topics: Early modern political thought; Machiavelli; Bodin; Natural law theory and social contract theory; Grotius; Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke. 18th century political thought; Montesquieu; Rousseau; Smith; Burke; French revolutionary political thought; Kant and German idealism; Freedom and equality in post-revolutionary political thought; Tocqueville; Stuart Mill; Marx and historical materialism.

No cultural or curricular prerequisites

1) C. Galli (a cura di), Il pensiero politico moderno, Bologna, il Mulino, 2017; 2) Uno a scelta dei seguenti volumi: L. Scuccimarra, La sciabola di Sieyès. Le giornate di brumaio e la genesi del regime bonapartista, il Mulino, 2002; L. Scuccimarra, I confini del mondo. SToria del cosmopolitismo dall'Antichità al Settecento, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2006, pp. 163 ss. A. Marchili, Aspettando i barbari. Democrazia e crisi della società nella Francia dell'Ottocento, Mimesis, 2021; L. Cobbe, L'arcano della società- L'opinione e il segreto della politica moderna, Mimesis, 2021; 3) Uno a scelta dei seguenti volumi: N. Machiavelli, Il principe, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2008; T. More, Utopia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2016; T. Hobbes, De cive, Roma, Editori Riuniti, 2016; J. Locke, Secondo trattato sul governo, Milano, Rizzoli, 1998; J.J. Rousseau, Il contratto sociale, Milano, Feltrinelli, Rizzoli, 2014; E.-J. SIeyès, Che cos’è il terzo stato, Lecce, Gwynplaine, 2016; I. Kant, Per la pace perpetua, Feltrinelli; B. Constant, La libertà degli antichi, paragonata a quella dei moderni, Torino, Einaudi, 2005; K. Marx, La questione ebraica, Editori Riuniti, 2018; A. de Tocqueville, La democrazia in America, Milano, Rizzoli, 1999; J. Stuart Mill, Saggio sulla libertà, Milano, Il Saggiatore, 2014;

Lecture attendance is not compulsory but is strongly recommended

The final examination will take place in oral form, will have a duration of approximately 20 minutes, and will be divided on the basis of three questions about. In any case, the exam will only concern texts indicated in this program. Part of the examination may be replaced by the writing of a paper agreed upon with the lecturer and written in the manner specified in the course of the lectures.

At the Origins of Modernity: Anthropological-Political Models (16th-18th Century)" The course will deepen the knowledge of modern political thought, from Machiavelli to the eighteenth-century revolutions, reconstructing the thought of the main authors, with a view to reflecting on their different visions of the human condition in society - in needs and claims, in action and relations - and on effects of their proposals for the construction and reform of political institutions. In particular, the following topics will be addressed: Introduction. Modernity and comparison with the classical thought Introduction. Modernity and comparison with medieval thought At the the origins of modern freedom: the Reformation Birth of modern politics: Machiavelli The Reason of State Descartes and the modern subject Critique of the modern subject: Montaigne and libertine scepticism The formation of scientific thought and the idea of progress: between Bacon and Galilei The construction of the 'other': the image of the good and bad savage A radical alternative? Images of utopia The political lexicon of modernity. Natural rights and the political contract: Hobbes, Locke (and Pateman), Spinoza The political lexicon of modernity. Virtue, freedom, equality: English republicanism The origins of modern liberalism: Locke's proprietary individualism The Age of Enlightenment and the construction of the welfare society, from Mandeville to Smith Raynal: freedom of trade and criticism of colonialism The Thought of the (French) Revolution: (from Montesquieu to) Rousseau and Sieyès Kant and Modern State Between two Revolutions: the origins of democracy The dark side of modernity: black Jacobinism and the problem of slavery The dark side of modernity: Olympe de Gouges and women's thought

Knowledge prerequisites are not required.

1. Appunti e slides del corso/Notes and slides from the lessons 2. Elena Pulcini, L'individuo senza passioni. Individualismo moderno e perdita del legame sociale, Bollati Boringhieri; 3. Un testo “classico”, in versione integrale, a scelta tra i seguenti (si consiglia di utilizzare le edizioni pubblicate dagli editori principali)/A ‘classic’ text, in unabridged version, of your choice from the following (we recommend using the editions published by the main publishers): Niccolò Machiavelli, Il principe Niccolò Machiavelli, Discorsi sopra la prima deca di Tito Livio Michel de Montaigne, Saggi Thomas More, Utopia James Harrington, La repubblica di Oceana Thomas Hobbes, De cive Thomas Hobbes, Leviatano John Locke, Secondo trattato sul governo Baruch Spinoza, Trattato teologico-politico Baruch Spinoza, Trattato politico Charles-Louis de Secondat de Montesquieu, Lo spirito delle leggi Adam Smith, La ricchezza delle nazioni Adam Smith, Teoria dei sentimenti morali Guillaume-Thomas Raynal, Storia delle due Indie, Rizzoli Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discorso sull’origine della disuguaglianza Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Il contratto sociale Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès, Che cos’ è il Terzo Stato? insieme a Saggio sui privilegi Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, Il federalista Studenti non frequentanti/Non attending students 1. Carlo Galli, Manuale di storia del pensiero politico, il Mulino, capp. I-IX. 2. Elena Pulcini, L'individuo senza passioni. Individualismo moderno e perdita del legame sociale, Bollati Boringhieri. 3. Un testo “classico”, in versione integrale, a scelta tra i seguenti (si consiglia di utilizzare le edizioni pubblicate dagli editori principali)/A ‘classic’ text, in unabridged version, of your choice from the following (we recommend using the editions published by the main publishers): Niccolò Machiavelli, Il principe Niccolò Machiavelli, Discorsi sulla prima deca di Tito Livio Michel de Montaigne, Essais Thomas More, Utopia James Harrington, La repubblica di Oceana Thomas Hobbes, De cive Thomas Hobbes, Leviatano John Locke, Secondo trattato sul governo Baruch Spinoza, Trattato teologico-politico Baruch Spinoza, Trattato politico Charles-Louis de Secondat de Montesquieu, Lo spirito delle leggi Adam Smith, La ricchezza delle nazioni Adam Smith, Teoria dei sentimenti morali Guillaume-Thomas Raynal, Storia delle due Indie, Rizzoli Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discorso sull’origine della disuguaglianza Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Il contratto sociale Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès, Che cos’ è il Terzo Stato? insieme a Saggio sui privilegi Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, Il federalista

Attendance is not compulsory, but highly recommended

In final exam, the student have to demonstrate he acquired the principal elements of the course, that is critical knowledge of modern history of western political thought. The interview, which lasts about 20-30 minutes, will take the form of an open stimulus and response oral test and will be based on four-five questions related to each part of the program. For final evaluation, it's important the student's ability to reflect critically and study autonomously.

Teaching activities will be carried out through lectures and interventions by scholars. Course attendance is not obligatory, but strongly recommended.