Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
The History of Political Ideas
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
By appointment via email.
Introduction
Located in the last year of the degree, this subject is proposed as a theoretical exercise with empirical-practical repercussions that allows us to think and rethink some of the ideas that have founded the modern construction of political societies as we know them today.
Conceived in seminar format, the subject is presented like this, as an advanced course on political and social issues that mark the contemporary world based on its historical foundation and its practical development in Western societies.
Some of the ideas that will be worked on are, among others, the relation between symbolism and politics, the question of power, theopolitics or developments related to biopolitics and psychopolitics. And more specifically ideas such as political messianism, feminism, populism, or even the pandemic. All these reflections will be approached from authors and texts that constitute unavoidable references of each one of the questions raised.
Pre-course requirements
No prerequisites are required to take the subject, despite not being in any case a preparatory course. It will be assumed that the student is able to work on texts of a certain conceptual complexity, to present them in a group and to discuss their contents.
Objectives
Through the analysis of different authors and texts, the course aims to open students to reflections of a social and political nature that are crucial to understanding the historical development of political ideas present in our days. In the same way, the subject wants to offer a vision, as exhaustive as possible, of these political problems, showing the responses that their main promoters have given, as well as the debates that these have raised in the academic and social context.
Starting from this conceptual basis, students should be able to form a critical, coherent and well-founded opinion of the questions raised.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN02 - Students will be able to identify models and policies specific to different cultures and migratory groups, as well as their historical context.
- CN03 - Students will be able to establish relationships between the concepts of heritage, territory and cultural identity.
- CP05 - Students will be able to analyse socio-cultural, historical and artistic structures, from a respect for the fundamental rights of equality between men and women, using language that avoids androcentricity and stereotypes.
- HB01 - Students will be able to reflect on issues of a cultural, social, scientific or ethical nature by interpreting relevant data.
- HB04 - Students will be able to develop the capacity for analysis, synthesis and critical thinking.
- HB05 - Students will be able to problem solve based on reasoned judgements.
- HB07 - Students will be able to demonstrate a commitment to ethics, society, and protecting the environment when carrying out research projects and activities related to the field of study.
- HB11 - Students will be able to critically analyse cultural and artistic representations, based on an understanding of their historical context, in order to develop an intercultural perspective and a deeper understanding of the contemporary world.
- HB16 - Students will be able to interpret spaces, territories and landscapes that are either real or represented.
- HB20 - Students will be able to use sources of information in an international context.
Learning outcomes of the subject
1. Acquire key concepts from each of the subjects
2. Know and select specific documentation of the subjects
3. Applies theoretical knowledge in analysis and debates of face-to-face activities and in autonomous work
4. Solve practical cases
5. Practice individual and group work strategies
6. Learn to contextualize social and political phenomena
7. Relate concepts of the different subjects worked in a transversal way
8. Learn to diagnose problems in the intellectual, social and political fields
9. Read and analyze essays on current topics
10. Establishes valid approaches to systematize data and / or scattered information.
11. Applies / transfers theoretical and / or abstract concepts from each of the subjects to real situations
Syllabus
1. On the nature of politics. From the models of natural sociability to the contractualist doctrines of modernity.
2. Liberalism and socialism.
3. Democracy.
4. Theopolitics and political messianism.
5. Political power.
6. From biopolitics to psychopolitics.
7. Post-foundational political thought.
8. Populism.
9. Feminism.
10. Ecology and politics
11. Pandemic
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The teaching-learning methodology combines master classes, discussions, presentations by the students, research of information and writing individual essays.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The evaluation system will consist fundamentally of a written exam based on the theoretical-practical topics worked throughout the course (40%) and on the oral presentation and defence of an individual project which will mainly consist of the analysis and oral presentation of texts worked on individually and that will have been previously assigned by the teacher (30%). This weekly work is mandatory to pass the course. The percentage corresponding to each of the elements to be evaluated will be the following:
Final written exam 40%
Individual and oral project 30%
Class attendance and active participation 30%
In the final exam and individual project the orthographic rules of the faculty will be applied, by which each spelling mistake involves the loss of 0.1 points.
Bibliography and resources
GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOBBIO, N. Teoría general de la política. Madrid: Trotta, 2003.
LESNOFF, M. La filosofía política del siglo XX. Madrid: Akal, 2011.
MELLÓN, J.A. TORRENS, X. (Ed.) Ideologías y movimientos políticos contemporáneos. Madrid: Tecnos, 2006.
PETRUCCIANI, S. Modelos de filosofía política. Madrid: Amorrortu, 2008.
QUESADA, F. (ed.) Ciudad y ciudadanía. Madrid: Trotta, 2008.
SARTORI, G. Elementos de teoría política. Madrid: Alianza, 2005.
SABINE, G. Historia de la teoria política. México: FCE, 2017.
TOUCHARD. J. Historia de las ideas políticas. Madrid: Tecnos, 2006.
VALLESPÍN, F. (ed.) Historia de la Teoría Política. Vol.6. Madrid: Alianza, 1990.
WOLFF, J. Filosofía política. Una introducción. Madrid: Ariel, 2001.
SPECIFIC BIBLIOGRAPHY
AGAMBEN, G. El reino y la gloria. Buenos Aires: Adriana Hidalgo, 2008.
AGAMBEN, G. Homo Sacer. Valencia: Pre-textos, 1998.
ARENDT, H. La condición humana. Barcelona: Paidós, 1998.
ARENDT, H. Los orígenes del totalitarismo. Madrid: Alianza, 2006.
ARENDT, H. ¿Qué es la política? Barcelona: Paidós, 1998.
BERGER, P, LUCKMANN, T. La construcción social de la realidad. Buenos Aires: Amorrortu, 2008.
CASSIRER, E. El mito del Estado. México: FCE 2004.
CHUL-HAN, B. Psicopolítica, Barcelona: Herder 2014.
CRUZ PRADOS, A. Filosofía política. Navarra, Eunsa, 2009.
DUCH, LL. Religión y política, Barcelona: Fragmenta, 2014.
ESPOSITO, R. Comunidad, inmunidad y biopolítica. Barcelona: Herder, 2009.
FOUCAULT, M. Nacimiento de la biopolítica. Madrid: Akal, 2009.
FOUCAULT, M. Seguridad, territorio, población. Madrid: Akal, 2008.
GRAY, J. Liberalismo. Madrid: Alianza, 1986.
KYMLICKA, W. Ciudadanía multicultural. Barcelona: Paidós, 1995.
LEFORT, C. La incertidumbre democrática. Barcelona: Anthropos, 2004.
MARCHARD, O. El pensamiento político posfundacional. Buenos Aires: FCE, 2009.
RANCIERE, J. El desacuerdo. Política y filosofía. Buenos aires: Nueva visión, 1996.
SARTORI, G. La democracia en treinta lecciones. Madrid: Taurus, 2009.
SCHMITT, C. Catolicismo romano y forma política, Madrid: Tecnos 2011.
SCRUTON, R. Pensadores de la nueva izquierda. Madrid: Rialp, 2017.
STRAUSS, L. ¿Qué es filosofía política? y otros ensayos. Madrid: Alianza, 2014.
TAYLOR, CH. El Multiculturalismo y la política del reconocimiento. México, FCE, 2009.
WEBER, M. El político y el científico. Madrid: Alianza, 2005.