info@iuline.it / 06 96668278

Accreditata MUR con D.M. 02/12/2005
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Comunicazione innovativa, multimediale e digitale, classe L-20

Philosophy and political science

Informazioni

Anno accademico: 2021/2022

Periodo: II YEAR; I SEMESTER

SSD: SPS/01

Crediti: ECT: 9 CFU

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He obtained his PhD in “Political Languages and Communication” at the Department of Communication and Social Research of the “Sapienza” University of Rome, where he collaborated in the teaching and research activities of the Chair of Political Science and Philosophy and Institutions Analysis. He has also participated in the activities of political discourse analysis promoted by the Textopol team at the Centre d’étude des discours, images, textes, écrits, communications of the University “Paris-Est Créteil”.

His research interests lie in the field of political studies, with reference to both the theoretical field and the analysis of political processes, mainly in the European context. More specifically, he has worked on the French and Italian political system, populism, right and left-wing radicalism.

His publications include: Le parole dell’Eliseo. I discorsi dei presidenti francesi da Giscard d’Estaing a Sarkozy, Aracne, 2012, Il Front national da Jean-Marie a Marine Le Pen. La destra nazionale-populista in Francia, Rubbettino, 2015 (second edition 2017). He edited, with Francesco Marchianò, Miti e realtà della Seconda Repubblica, Ediesse, 2012 and, with M. Prospero and G. Teodoro, I beni comuni tra costituzionalismo e ideologia, Torino, Giappichelli, 2014.

The course consists of 3 modules covering the following topics.

Module 1 – Elements of Political Theory

  • Introduction to political philosophy.
  • The concept of politics.
  • Sovereignty and modern politics.
  • Classical liberalism.
  • Mass society and conservative thinking.
  • Socialism and democracy.
  • Beyond the twentieth century.
  • The spatial metaphor: right and left.

 

Module 2 – Analysis of Political Systems and Processes

  • What is political science.
  • Democracy and democratisation.
  • Antagonistic regimes.
  • Forms of government.
  • Elections and electoral systems.
  • Parties and party systems.
  • National cases and institutional models.
  • The supranational dimension.

 

Module 3 – Languages and rhetoric of politics

  • Communication and political language: areas and definitions.
  • Rhetoric and argumentation.
  • Political language: elements, concepts and typologies.
  • Political discourse and institutions: the French case.
  • Populism as a dimension of political discourse.

This course is divided into three modules: “Elements of political theory”, “Analysis of political systems and processes”, “Languages and rhetoric of politics”. Overall, the course aims at outlining an analytical framework that highlights the theoretical and empirical dimensions of politics, providing basics for reading political concepts and phenomena, as well as for understanding how political institutions work. In this sense, the exposition of contents that fall within the disciplinary boundaries of political philosophy and political science is proposed to the student in order to increase and consolidate his/her critical skills. Those are indeed necessary for the autonomous interpretation of the classical texts of political thought and for the conscious application of theoretical categories in the analysis of contemporary political processes.

The course aims to outline an analytical framework illustrating the theoretical and empirical dimensions of politics, providing useful elements for understanding concepts and interpreting political phenomena. In this sense, the transmission of knowledge falling within the disciplinary fields of political philosophy and political science is proposed to students with the aim of increasing their cognitive and cultural skills, consolidating the critical capacities necessary for the autonomous interpretation of the classical texts of political thought and the conscious application of theoretical categories in the analysis of contemporary political processes.

A. Knowledge and understanding

The student will know the main elements that define the field of politics, both theoretically and empirically, and will learn to distinguish its concepts and dynamics.

 

B. Applied knowledge and understanding

The student will acquire the knowledge necessary to identify the functions of the actors in the political and social system (institutions, parties, trade unions, movements, etc.), to interpret mechanisms such as the electoral process, the process of forming governments or the elaboration of public policies, to understand the content of political debate.

 

C. Autonomy of judgement

The student will be able to read political concepts and phenomena by understanding their implications, consciously assessing the content and orientation of theoretical texts, mastering the minimum skills necessary to analyse data (e.g. electoral results) and the proposals in the programmes of the various political forces, both in terms of formulating the message and identifying the social referents.

 

D. Communication skills

The student will be able to present orally the main issues concerning the understanding and analysis of politics using the language of the field appropriately.

 

E. Learning ability

The student will be able to independently explore the main scientific-methodological questions concerning political philosophy and political science, mastering their sources.

A. Use of advanced textbooks, knowledge of some cutting-edge topics within the subject studied, with specific reference to the evolution of political philosophy, the analysis of political systems and processes and the dynamics of contemporary political languages

 

B. Professional approach to work and possession of adequate skills to devise arguments, support them and solve problems in the field of study, with particular attention to the interpretation of political publications (literary essays, periodical and daily press, online), policy documents and communication strategies of political actors, as well as the analysis of the electoral process, the formation of executives, the development of public policies.

 

C. Ability to collect and interpret data useful for making autonomous judgements, with specific reference to content and data concerning political theory and phenomena, as well as those relating to the interaction between the political system and public opinion.

 

D. Ability to communicate information and ideas and to make analytical contributions to specialist and non-specialist interlocutors, with specific reference to commenting on political texts and analysing programmes, speeches and election results.

 

E. The ability to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy, while keeping abreast of developments in the scientific debate in the field of political science, with regard to both the historical and philosophical background and current political issues

DIDACTICS PROVISION

  • 9 hours of recorded video lessons available on the platform.
  • 3 synchronous meetings on the platform.
  • Podcasts of all the above-mentioned video lessons.

 

INTERACTIVE DIDACTICS

  • 3 in-depth thematic forums (1 per module).
  • Possibility to carry out work in groups.
  • 3 structured e-activities (as described in the section in itinere assessment methods”).

 

SELF-LEARNING

Teaching materials are provided for each module: in-depth thematic studies, articles and slides by the lecturer, open-access readings, online resources, reference bibliography, etc.

Reference texts

  • Capano, G. Piattoni, S., Raniolo, F., Verzichelli, L. (2017). Manuale di scienza politica: Il Mulino (except chapters 2 and 10)
  • Petrucciani, S. (2003). Modelli di filosofia politica:

 

A text of your choice from:

  • Prospero, M. (2002). La politica moderna. Teorie e profili istituzionali: Carocci.
  • Fisichella, D. (2010). Lineamenti di scienza politica. Concetti, problemi, teorie: Carocci.
  • Meny, Y. and Surel, Y. (2004). Populismo e democrazia: il Mulino.

Access to the final examination is subject to the following 3 e-activities:

 

  • E-activity 1 – “Wikipolitics”: preparation of a short thematic paper on the contents of module 1 (Elements of political theory), to be elaborated on text files and/or presentation tools.
  • E-activity 2 – “PoliTest”: evaluation questionnaire on the contents of module 2 (Analysis of political systems and processes) with utilities such as Google Modules or similar.
  • E-activity 3 – “The language of politics”: peer-learning through forum debates based on the contents of module 3 (Languages and rhetoric of politics), using a videoconferencing platform.

The assessment of learning will take the form of an oral interview on the course contents and on the final report submitted, if any. The grade (min 18, max 30 with possible honours) is determined by the level of performance for each of the following dimensions of the oral interview: mastery of contents, appropriateness of definitions and theoretical references, clarity of argument, command of specialist language.