Pol 203 Contemporary Political Theories
Contemporary Political Theories
Class hours: 42
Credits (ECTS): 6
LM-SP – Specializations in Governance of Commons and in Fraternity in the Res Publica
Year: 1st
Terms: 3rd–4th
Course held in Italian
The course offers a critical introduction to the theory of democracy in the twenthy century. It engages with the subject along two lines. The first is a historical reconstruction of the principal concepts: liberty and equality (Kelsen and Dahl); power and conflict (Weber, Lukes, Foucault); elite e oligarchies (Le Bon, Sighele, Mosca, Pareto, Michels, Wright Mills); fair and social justice (Rawls, Nozick, Sandel); the discursive theory (Habermas). The second consists of an analysis of the current challenges of democracy and the perspective of a cosmopolitan democracy.
Bibliographical references:
- KELSEN H., Vom Wesen und Wert der Demokratie, J.C.B Mohr, Tübingen, 1929; eng.: The Essence and Value of Democracy, Rowman & Littlefield, 2013; tr.it., Essenza e valore della democrazia, in H. Kelsen, La democrazia, il Mulino, Bologna, 2010.
- DAHL R.A., On Political Equality, Yale University Press, New Haven, 2006; tr. it., Sull’uguaglianza politica, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2007.
- LUKES S., Power. A Radical View, Palgrave, London, 2005; tr.it., Potere. Una visione radicale, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2007.
- ARCHIBUGI D., The Global Commonwealth of Citizens. Toward cosmopolitan Democracy, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2015; tr.it., Cittadini del mondo. Verso una democrazia cosmopolitica, il Saggiatore, Milano, 2008.

Professor Alberto Lo Presti
Before applying to Sophia
CHOOSING A DEGREE
First of all, explore the courses of the various Master’s and Doctoral Degree programmes offered by Sophia University Institute [continue]
ADMISSIONS
Once a possible study path at Sophia has been identified, verify the application requirements and begin the enrolment process to receive feedback [continue]
ACADEMIC FEES
Verify the academic fees to register for courses [continue]
FINANCIAL AID
Together with the Foundation “For Sophia”, the University provides financial aid and merit-based scholarships [continue]
Academic life
The Sophia University Institute is a centre for academic formation and research, where there is interaction between life and thought, as well as among the different cultures and disciplines, in a context with a strong relational structure. It is not a university in the classical sense of adjacent departments, but rather as a laboratory for interdisciplinary and intercultural experimentation. It thus provides a leading-edge experience on the frontier of excellence at the service of humanity and cultural development.

OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR
The Registrar’s Office provides administrative services for enrolment, course registration and certification of academic records [continue]
ORIENTATION AND MENTORING
New students are welcomed in a familiar and stimulating environment, accompanied step by step by the staff and tutors of the academic community
[continue]
CAMPUS LIVING
Sophia is an academic community that combines life and study with students from all over the world, so students are offered the possibility of living on campus to share their experience with others [continue]
AFTER SOPHIA
Sophia offers an extraordinary education and life experience that has already proven its worth in the professional and academic careers of former students [continue]