04402 - History of Contemporary Philosophy (A-L)

Learning outcomes

Students acquire knowledge of History of Contemporary Philosophy. In particular, they are able to read philosophical works written in the past century and in the present times, contextualizing them in a more general cultural universe. They acquire critical capacities and awareness of the philosophical problems of the present.

Course contents

Society must be defended: History and Critic of Racism in Michel Foucault.

The course will be focused on the critical and historical analysis of racism in the works of Michel Foucault. The first syllabus will provide information about the historical, philosophical and cultural context in which Foucault' s thought has shaped itself. The main issues of Foucault's thought and their sources will be explored.

The second syllabus will take into specific consideration the course taught by Foucault at the Collège de France in 1976 (published in Italy as Bisogna difendere la società), as well as other Foucault's works that are relevant in the construction of the concept of biopolitics.

Please note
The programme above is addressed only to students who have to take the exam of History of Contemporary Philosophy for 12 CREDITS. The programme for students who have to take the exam of History of Contemporary Philosophy for 6 CREDITS or 3 CREDITS is available at the didactic office at the Department of Philosophy (via Zamboni, 38), 3rd floor.

Readings/Bibliography

1. Michel Foucault's works

Bisogna difendere la società, a cura di Mauro Bertani e Alessandro Fontana, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1998 (or other editions).

Discipline, poteri, verità. Detti e scritti 1970-1984, a cura di Mauro Bertani e Valeria Zini, Genova, Marietti, 2008.

2. Critical works.

Paul Veyne, Foucault. Il pensiero e l'uomo, Milano, Garzanti, 2010

Alberto Burgio, Nonostante Auschwitz. Il "ritorno" del razzismo in Europa, Roma, Deriveapprodi, 2010.

3. Institutional part.

For the exam's preparation it is necessary to study the main philosophers and the most important philosophical movements in the History of Contemporary Philosophy, studying on an handbook (see also the paragraph “Verifica” of this programme). Students can use the handbook they prefer, being aware that all the authors included in the list above have to be studied. They can also integrate their own handbook with others of the kind or philosophical enciclopaedias. For those who haven't any, we suggest:

Giuseppe Cambiano, Massimo Mori, Storia e antologia della filosofia, Laterza, Roma, 1993 e seguenti, vol 3

Fabio Cioffi et al., Il testo filosofico, Milano, Mondadori, 1992 e seguenti, vol. 3.2

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons and discussions with the students.

Assessment methods

The oral exam will be focused on three parts:

1. The history of contemporary philosophy (Twentieth Century) on the base of a good handbook, with specific attentions to these authors and philosophical movements: Psychoanalysis: Freud and Jung; Sorel, Dilthey, Simmel, Weber, Pragmatism and Neo-pragmatism: Peirce, Dewey and Quine, Italian Idealism: Croce and Gentile, Phenomenology: Husserl and Merleau-Ponty, Existentialism: Heidegger, Jaspers and Sartre, Hermeneutics: Gadamer, Schmitt and Kelsen, Critical theory: Adorno, Horkheimer and Marcuse, Walter Benjamin, Wittgenstein, Neopositivism and Karl Popper, Deleuze, Althusser, Foucault, Derrida, Lévinas, Habermas, Rawls;

2.The comment of Foucault's works listed in the programme (see. "Texts", point 1), focusing on those parts analyzed and discussed in the second part of the course;

3 . The studies quoted at "Texts", point 2 at the present programme.

Teaching tools

During the lessons a selection of passages from Bisogna difendere la societàand Discipline poteri, verità by Michel Foucault will be read and analysed. Students are recommended to bring those works when they come to classes.

A seminar hold by Dott. Leonelli on Foucault and Marx will march side by side with the course of History of Contemporary Philosophy. The lessons will begin on 18th november 2010 and will be every thursday 11a.m.-13 p.m., aula D  via Centotrecento 18 (For further informations rmleonelli@gmail.com). 

 

Office hours

See the website of Alberto Burgio