The course aims at reconstructing the phenomenon of Euro-skepticism within Europe, in an historical perspective, from the phase of the European construction until nowadays. In more precise terms, it is intended to identify the different factors which contribute to build the European Union and,  at the same time, to contrast it, in the domains of the economy and of the market, as well as on those of politics and of the policies. On the domain of the ambivalence between the National States and the Union.

In the second place, the course intends to define and deepen the knowledge of the main types and examples of social and political actors who voice feelings of detachment and opposition towards the European Union.

Moreover and particularly, the course will develop the main and different experiences of populism, which find in the anti-European feeling one of their main, and common, elements. A peculiar attention will be dedicated to the Italian case and on the French context, also in a comparative perspective.

For this purpose, we can identify three main themes of the university course.

The first concerns the different cases of populism and their relationship with democracy.

The second one analyses the relationship between European integration and opposition towards the European Union, from the after-war period until today.

The third one takes into exam and deepens the knowledge of some experiences of Euro-skepticism within Europe: the leaders, the movements, the parties, as well as the social orientations which show detachment vis-à-vis the European construction. The focus is anyway on the comparison between Italy and France.

The course will deal with these themes and perspectives through different approaches: some of them are oriented towards the context’s and the political actors’ analysis; while others are more devoted to the investigation of citizens’ orientations ad opinions. The course will take advantage of the collaboration by professor Fabio Turato. Besides, it includes seminars involving scholars and protagonists of this domain.

1.     Introduction to the concept and to the evolution of the representative democracy;

2.     People, populism and populists;

3.     Leaders, parties, non-parties and anti-parties;

4.     Hyper-democracy and anti-politics;

5.     European construction and Euro-skepticism;

6.     Euro-skepticism, anti-European feelings within the public opinion and the political élite;

7.     Analysis of the Italian case and of the main European cases;

8.     In-depth analysis and comparison between Italian and French populism.

No bridging courses are needed.

Knowledge and understanding. The course is aimed at proposing the knowledge and the analysis of the political and social effects brought about by the building of the European Union. In particular, through the emerging of contrasting trends. With respect to the social orientation: the spreading of Euro-skeptical and anti-European feelings. From the political point of view: the affirmation of parties and movements which voice and propagate the anti-European feeling as a basis for their identity and political offer. In particular, the main populist actors and leaders will be taken into analysis. Even before, we will pay our attention to the definition, or better to the multiple definitions of “populism”. For this purpose, meetings and debates with scholars and experts on this theme are planned: researchers, university professors, journalists, pollsters will be involved.

Applying knowledge and understanding. Students will have to acquire the basic competences about the main perspectives and meanings of populism and of the Euro-skeptical feeling. Moreover they are expected to reach knowledge and competence on the differences between the diverse national cases on this issue. The course will adopt different methods of educational work in order to attain these objectives, such as: frontal lectures on basic topics, in-depth analysis through seminars and experiments with colleagues and experts of public opinion surveys and with experts of political, social and historical research, both Italians and foreigners.

Making judgments. Students at the end of the course are expected to show their capacity to put in relation concepts, methods, techniques of analysis of the Euro-skeptical phenomenon. They will have to prove their ability to form their own opinion about it. For this purpose seminars with authors and political observers will be organized, in order to compare and critically assess theories and interpretations of this phenomenon.

Communication skills. Students are expected to dispose, at the end of the course, of adequate skills in the use of the scientific language and in the presentation, as well as in the discussion, of survey’s results, in the occasion of seminars. To this end, classroom-taught lessons will be held, together with seminars and group works, which will allow students to experiment and improve their communication skills on these topics.

Learning skills. Students will have to develop adequate competences in the understanding of the language as well as in the approaches to the different aspects of the Euro-skeptical phenomenon, in direct relationship with other scientific and analytical perspectives: the political, the historical, the communication one. This, in order to improve their capacity to interact and to react within the university context, and beyond: in the media “consumption”, in the analysis and evaluation of events, in the relationship with politics and with everyday life.

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

Materials concerning the results of compared political surveys and in-depth analysis of national cases will be projected.

Teaching

Lectures and discussion about possible written elaborates produced by the students.

Attendance

Recording of students’ attendance to the lectures is not requested.

Course books

·  Diamanti I. e Lazar M., Popolocrazia. In nome del popolo sovrano, Bari-Roma, Laterza, 2017 (In corso di pubblicazione) in case this book will not be published in time for the examination date studenta could be use the following one: Diamanti I., Democrazia ibrida, Roma, Laterza-Gr.Espresso

·  Pasquinucci D. e Verzichelli L.,  Contro l’Europa? ,  Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016 (pp. 7-70 e 139-247). 

Un testo a scelta fra:
- Giovannini E., Europa anno zero, Venezia, Marsilio, 2015,
- Turato, F. Capipopolo. Leader e leadership del populismo europeo, Roma, Castelvecchi Editore, 2018.

Assessment

Students can choose between two different exam methods:

1) oral examination. This is recommended to students who do not attend lectures or participate only occasionally.

2) Written examination at the end of the course. Available for students who regularly participate to the lectures, seminars and practice classroom exercises. The date will be agreed with the students attending the lectures.

Both for the written exam and the oral one, main evaluation criteria are:

• Students’ capacity to clearly define the main theories and concepts of the discipline;
• The degree of articulation of their answers and arguments;
• Their capacity of critically assessing the concepts and of analyzing socio-political facts and events through the theoretical instruments proposed in the course.

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.

Teaching

Studying the three text books as indicated below.

Attendance

Recording of students’ attendance to the lectures is not provided.

Course books

·  Diamanti I. e Lazar M., Popolocrazia. In nome del popolo sovrano, Bari-Roma, Laterza, 2017 (In corso di pubblicazione) in case this book will not be published in time for the examination date studenta could be use the following one: Diamanti I., Democrazia ibrida, Roma, Laterza-Gr.Espresso

·  Pasquinucci D. e Verzichelli L.,  Contro l’Europa? ,  Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016 (pp. 7-70 e 139-247). 

Un testo a scelta fra:
- Giovannini E., Europa anno zero, Venezia, Marsilio, 2015,
- Turato, F. Capipopolo. Leader e leadership del populismo europeo, Roma, Castelvecchi Editore, 2018.

Assessment

 Oral examination at the end of the course according to the university calendar.

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.

This is a "supported course". Students are able to request to sit the final exam in English or French with an alternative bibliography.