ATS3276 - Modern Italian political thought - 2019

The unit surveys Italian political thought & practice from the Renaissance to the New Millennium. It aims to give students a clear understanding of modern & contemporary Italian political ideas, culture and institutions. It begins by examining Italian political thinkers, diplomats, and activists' seminal contribution to Renaissance, Enlightenment and Modern political theories and movements. It then shows how Italian political thinkers shaped the competing ideologies at the heart of twentieth century Europe's crises & revolutions: Liberalism, Marxism and Fascism. It will focus on one of Prato's most famous citizens, political theorist, diplomat, journalist, novelist and director Curzio Malaparte, whose life and work is a microcosm of these ideological disputes. It takes students to the present day by studying the rise and fall of Italy's First Republic (1948-1992) and its consensus democracy; the birth of the Second Republic (1992-), with its hopes for rebuilding Italian democratic institutions and civic culture in the context of endemic political corruption; and the recent emergence of Italian populist, anti-European Union movements.

Upon successful completion of the unit, students should be able to

1. analyse the contribution of Italian political thought to the formation and development of modern political ideologies;
2. explain the architecture of post-war Italy's First Republic, and the emergence and development of Italy's Second Republic;
3. discuss the recent emergence of Italian populist movements and parties and their relationship to Italian democracy, political parties and the European Union;
4. undertake research analysis of a major Italian contribution to contemporary theories of power and democracy, utilising primary and secondary texts and contemporary case studies.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

International relations

Politics