Learning objectives
Acquire a deep knowledge of the origins and the historical development of the western political thought conerning internatinal relations.
- This class will help the students to understand the main themes and authors of the western political thought in relation to the historical contexts.
- Pupils are expected to be able to analyze and interpret past and present international political scenarios.
- Students are supposed to elaborate an independent critical textual analysis, and to associate different authors and their political thoughts.
- By analyzing the main authors’ thoughts, students will be able to elaborate clearly and correctly synthetic ideas on the main questions related to modern and contemporary international relations.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The course will focus on an analysis of the origin and development of the main concepts in the ancient and modern Western political thought concerning international relations, by the study of the most significant authors.
Full programme
The origins of the political thought in the ancient Greece and in Rome: Tucidide and Polibio; modern political thought: Machiavelli, Erasmo, Vitoria, Grozio; Hobbes; Revolution and Europe: Kant; the contemporary thought: Norman Angell Edward H. Carr, Hans Morgenthau, Reinhold Niebuhr, Raymond Aron, Inis Claude, Hedley Bull, Kenneth Waltz, Hedley Bull e Adam Watson, George Liska, Samuel P. Huntington, Alexander Wendt, Bruce Russett e John Oneal. Origin and development of the idea of nation.
Bibliography
- F. Andreatta (a cura di), Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, Il Mulino, Bologna 2011.
- M. Wight, Le tre tradizioni, Il Ponte editrice, 2011;
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons, during which will be analyzed parts of the main classic texts of the political thought.
Assessment methods and criteria
Written exam with open-ended questions on the main arguments.
Other information
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