88094 - Political Theories Of Peace And War

Learning outcomes

The course will focus on the political, military and economic reflections on peace and war of some of the most important thinkers of modernity. At the end of the course students will also know the most important “isms” of contemporary and modern political debate on peace and war.

Course contents

The course is divided into two parts.  The first part of the course (of approximately thirty hours) will focus on the themes of war and peace within the history of modern and contemporary political thought. It will analyze the main political traditions that: i) have dealt with the themes inherent to peace and war; ii) have investigated the causes of peace and war; iii) have delved into the relations between war and the construction of political institutions; and iv) have delved into the intercurrent relations between peace/war and political regimes (with particular attention to the relationship between liberal and democratic political regimes and war, especially in eras characterized by revolutionary events: from the American Revolution to the French Revolution, from national revolutions to the Bolshevik Revolution). The second part of the course will deal specifically with some important internationalist works.Texts that will be covered monographically will be communicated by the lecturer during the course.

Readings/Bibliography

STUDENTS ATTENDING THE COURSE

COMPULSORY TEXTS
- Lecture notes
- R. Aron, Teoria dell'azione politica, Marsilio 2023;

- F. Raschi, Un liberalismo (quasi) introvabile, Le Monnier-Mondadori, 2025;

- Carl Schmitt, Il nomos della terra, Adelphi 1991 (104-140; 163-206; 287-305; 335-355; 429-431);

- Carl Schmitt, Le categorie de 'il politico', Mulino, 1970 (2014) (solo 'Il concetto di politico', pp. 101-166);

- R. Aron, Pace e guerra tra le nazioni, Mondadori, 1970 (124-157; 187-219; 659-693);

Further bibliographic information will be communicated closer to the lessons.

Non-attending students should add the text:

P.P. Portinaro, Il realismo politico, Morcelliana, 2023.

Teaching methods

The teaching consists of 20 lectures of two hours each and is conducted mostly by face-to-face teaching (aimed at providing students with the conceptual tools to investigate and critically understand the relationship between peace and war in Western political thought). In the last lessons, students are expected to actively participate in reading the works indicated by the lecturer in class (including through individual or group presentations).

Assessment methods

In-class exam. The exam is aimed at assessing the student’s level of knowledge of some of the most important topics addressed by the course, as well as her/his ability to critically analyse and verbally articulate them and her/his level of understanding of the texts.The ability of the student to achieve a coherent and comprehensive understanding of the topics addressed by the course, to critically assess them and to use an appropriate language will be evaluated with the highest grades.Any shortcomings in one or more of these aspects will determine a grading grade, up to and including a negative grade if insufficient preparation and educational gaps are found.

 

Teaching tools

Reading of texts in class and Power Point presentations

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Raschi