Political science and international relations

MARIA CRISTINA MARCHETTI

The course aims to offer students the knowledge of the general concepts and fundamental themes of political sociology in order to contribute to a solid formation in the field of political disciplines.
The course also aims to stimulate the ability to apply this knowledge to the analysis of contemporary political events, comparing the sociological perspective with that of other disciplines.
Communication skills and the ability to elaborate analysis and judgments on the issues addressed will also be stimulated, encouraging active participation in open discussions and meetings with external guests.
Through these opportunities for comparison the course aims to offer theoretical and empirical tools for the analysis of political phenomena, encouraging interest in politics, also in view of the acquisition of greater awareness of the processes underway in contemporary societies.

The student must demonstrate that he/she has acquired the cultural, theoretical and methodological knowledge and skills required by the discipline's training course.
He/She must also demonstrate the expected transversal skills, such as judgment, communication skills, learning ability.

It would be better to have taken the General Sociology exam first

Syllabus
The course will focus on the theoretical and methodological aspects of the sociology of power. In particular it will focus on the following topics:

- The dimensions of power
- Georg Simmel: domination as a relationship of interaction
- Max Weber: the charisma of the leader
- Guglielmo Ferrero: the spiral of fear and the legitimacy of power
- Hannah Arendt: totalitarian power
- Michel Foucault, genealogy, disciplinary power
- Antonio Gramsci: the construction of consensus between hegemony and ideology
- Steven Lukes: the third dimension of power
- Heinrich Popitz: the violence

Communication and Power
- Theories of mass communications: traditional media and digital media
- The challenge of AI

Testi d'esame:

- M. C. Marchetti (a cura di), Le dimensioni del potere, Roma, Bulzoni, 2018.
- M. C. Marchetti, "Violenza e consenso: il lato oscuro del potere", 2025 (dispensa distribuita durante il corso).
- S. Bentivegna, G. Boccia Artieri, Le teorie delle comunicazioni di massa e la sfida digitale, Bari, Laterza, 2019 (capitoli: 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 12).

Bibliografia generale di riferimento:

- E. Canetti, Massa e Potere, Milano Adelphi, 1981.
- M. Castells, Comunicazione e Potere, Milano, Edizione Bocconi, 2017
- M. Weber, La politica come professione, Roma, Armando, 1997.
- G. Simmel, Il dominio, Roma, Bulzoni, 2017.
- W. Quattrociocchi, A. Vicini, Polarizzazioni. Informazioni, opinioni e altri demoni dell'infosfera, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2023.

The course includes lectures, aimed at providing the basic knowledge of the fundamental themes of political sociology and thematic in-depth seminars with external guests, through which to exercise the ability to analyze contemporary political and social phenomena.

Attendance is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended for taking the intermediate tests, which may cover topics discussed in class.

The exam includes two intermediate tests, reserved for those attending the course, with 30 multiple choice questions, which will take place approximately in the middle and at the end of the course. The average of the two exam results will give rise to a final grade which, if deemed acceptable, can be recorded in any of the exam sessions of the academic year.
If the candidate has not achieved a passing grade or is not satisfied with the grade achieved, he/she will be able to take the oral exam.

The oral exam is scheduled for all those who have not taken the intermediate tests, according to the official exam calendar and following the published program.

Thirty multiple choice questions relating to the topics covered in class.