Acquiring knowledge of a modern classic of human thought and reinterpreting it through contemporary interpretations, with particular emphasis to the practical-ethical imports of the arguments debated.

We will lucidly and rationally reflect on the nature of suffering and on its action on the body and soul of the convicted. We will do so through three different steps: i) by invoking the foucaultian analysis of the mechanisms of power; ii) by radically putting into doubt the traditional concepts of subjectivity and of social norms; iii) by a documented study of the history and birth of the prison system with an explicit reference to Cesare Beccaria’s Dei delitti e delle pene. Moreover, Michel Foucault’s illustration of the “panopticon model” and his study of the characteristics of the disciplinary power, will allow us to highlight the normalizing and controlling effects prisons have. Finally, by reading an epistolary exchange between a philosopher specialized in moral philosophy and a convicted person, we will be able to produce a critical analysis on a topic that in undoubtedly actual and interesting.

Knowledge and understanding:

The graduates must be able to: comprehend and illustrate elementary and intermediate philosophical material; deal with classical problems from history of philosophy and logic; use bibliographical and informational instruments that are relevant to the subject; know the problems of the subject.

Applying knowledge and understanding:

The graduates must be able to professionally debate and use the knowledge in adequate situations, such as teaching and doing research.

Making judgements:

The graduates must be able to demonstrate judging autonomy when valuating data and when applying theoretical elements in real situations. In order to achieve this, appropriate attendance to seminars is required. When assessing students' preparation, the ability to reinterpret personally the material given will be held in high regard.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Ph.D Monia Andreani will organize seminars on Human Rights, which will provide useful in-depth analysis of the arguments developed during the course. It is also expected an active collaboration with both the permanent seminar "Spinoza e il pensiero filosofico moderno" and the course in History of Philosophy (professor Cristina Santinelli).

 

Teaching

Lectures and seminars (see above).

Attendance

It is required a regular attendance to the course (equal to AT LEAST 2/3 of the lectures). If the student does not attend to the course, he must refer, for the course material, to the "NO attendance" section.  

Course books

·  C. Beccaria, Dei delitti e delle pene, Feltrinelli Milano 2015

·  M. Foucault, Sorvegliare e punire. Nascita della prigione, tr. it. Einaudi, Torino 1976, 2014r (Paris 19751).

·  C. Musumeci, G. Ferraro, L’assassino dei sogni. Lettere tra un filosofo e un ergastolano, Stampa Alternativa, Arti Grafiche La Moderna (RM), 2014.

Further references will be provided during the course.   

Assessment

Oral exam. Optional essay which has to be agreed upon with the lecturer in advance.  

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Attendance

It is required that the student makes contact with the lecturer AT LEAST two months in advance.  

Course books

Following their interests, NON-PARTICIPANTING STUDENTS will ADD to the course books ONE of the following texts:

·  N. Bobbio, L’età dei diritti, Einaudi,Torino 1990.

·  S. Catucci, Introduzione a Foucault, Laterza, Bari 2000.

·  G. Deleuze, Foucault, Cronopio, Napoli 2008 (Paris 19861).

Assessment

Oral exam. Optional essay which has to be agreed upon with the lecturer in advance.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

The lecturer is at disposal for every student during the indicated office hours. You can make contact with the lecturer for every clarification, information and further bibliographical indications concerning the course, especially for non-participating students.