The main purpose of this course is to introduce students to the main paradigms of contemporary political philosophy. Students are going to reflect critically on those concepts, learning to argue for and against. Moreover, students learn to think through crucial political issues of our time, both at the domestic and global level.

Knowledge and understanding: - Comprehension of major contemporary philosophical texts. - In-depth knowledge of the main political theories. - Understanding the foundations of political debates. - Forming an opinion and taking a stance on questions of justice. Applying knowledge and understanding: - Apply theories to real world politics and case studies. - Learn to organize philosophical presentations in group work. - Learn to do philosophy and write philosophical essays. Knowledge and understanding: - Comprehension of major contemporary philosophical texts. - In-depth knowledge of the main political theories. - Understanding the foundations of political debates. - Forming an opinion and taking a stance on questions of justice. Applying knowledge and understanding: - Apply theories to real world politics and case studies. - Learn to organize philosophical presentations in group work. - Learn to do philosophy and write philosophical essays. Making judgments: - The course is organized in a discursive manner, asking students at each step to provide their critical thoughts. - The course always provides argumentation for and against, helping students to form their opinions. - The course seeks to engage students in discussions among themselves, contributing to critical thinking among peers. Communication skills: - Communicate in an effective and comprehensible manner complex philosophical concepts. - Students learn to use simple language to address complex philosophical questions. - Students learn to present a thesis and arguments in favor it. Learning skills: - Students learn to become able and effective critical thinkers, developing the skill of continuous questioning. - Students are stimulated to be curious and engage in in-depth analyses of problems. - Students learn to organize their thoughts, distinguish between a problem, thesis and argument, becoming able speakers and writers.

The course will introduce students to the main issues of contemporary political thought: democracy, utilitarianism, republicanism, feminism, global justice, multiculturalism, postcolonialism, Rawls, Habermas, Foucault, Sen, Marx and comparative political thought.

Sebastiano Maffettone, Politics (forthcoming) For other mandatory readings see references in the syllabus. Assigned readings, which are not available online at LUISS library, will be provided on the platform LUISS Learn.

- lectures - seminars - flipped classroom - student presentations - team works - cases studies - invited speakers

TBA

The topic preferred by the student on a list on available topics discussed during the course

Yes, central topics revolve around democracy, justice and strong institutions; feminism and gender equality; global justice, poverty and responsible consumption; multiculturalism and reduction of inequalities, other issues central for sustainable societies and communities in accordance with the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)