The teaching is organized as follows:

Learning objectives

Politics and Theories of the Human The course aims at an in-depth analysis - through an analytical readings of texts – of relevant themes in modern and contemporary political philosophy. Main focus of the analysis will be the relationship between modes of configuring subjectivity (of thinking the subject) and modes of political organization (of thinking the political). This investigation, which is at once political, epistemological and ontological, will put its focus on the relationship modern and contemporary philosophy establishes between concepts and experiences. Expected results will be: - capacity to carry out an analytical and critical reading of complex philosophical texts; - ability to individually elaborate an oral critical-argumentative parcours on the specific issues discussed; - ability to individually elaborate a written critical-argumentative text based on the mandatory readings, discussion in class, personal original elaboration; - conceptual ability to autonomously face philosophico-political problems and dilemmas of our present (i.e.: equality/difference, subjects/power, individual freedom/political order).

Program

Freedom, contract, equality: modern contractualism and feminist criticism. The course intends to analyze in detail the characteristics of modern contractualist thought, through the reading of one of its main exponents, John Locke. The forms and methods of modern politics will be examined starting from their disruptive formulation in 17th century English political thought. The course will then proceed to analyze the limits, the 'amnesia', the exclusion strategies implicit in the social contract, insisting in particular on the rigid exclusion of women from the emancipatory promise of equality and freedom that characterizes the modern political lexicon. The social contract, in the words of Carole Pateman, is a contract of brotherhood, based on the invisibility of female subjectivity and its subordination to the paternal/patriarchal order, which modernity, far from dissipating, reformulates on the basis of 'male brotherhood' making it more effective than traditional 'despotic' paternalism. During the exercises, texts of contemporary feminism will be read for a further in-depth study of the themes analyzed in the lectures. Students will be asked to participate actively by presenting short reports in class.

Learning assessment procedures

Final examination will consist in an oral discussion on the themes of the course. Students will be asked to start with a presentation of a topic individually chosen from those discussed in class (or present in the texts). After this individual presentation the student will be asked about the major theoretical problems dealt with during the course (class discussion and texts). Final evaluation will consider historical-philosophical and historical-political knowledge of the context treated in the course as well as ability to autonomously face philosophical-political dilemmas related to the reality of public life (public debates, public emergencies, public opinion).
The seminar part, which should be attended regularly and actively, will determine 40% of final evaluation. This part will involve students directly, who will be asked to present and discuss in class texts suggested by the Professor and texts or case-studies proposed by them.