This course is based on a systematic analysis of the classic works and theories of antique, modern and contemporary political philosophy, through a gender perspective; i.e. those works and theories in which great thinkers have revealed their thoughts regarding the political and social life of women. The aim of the course is to fill a gap in our knowledge about the history of political thought and to comprehend the assumptions behind deeply rooted modes of thought that continue to affect women’s lives in significant ways.
teacher profile teaching materials
Introduction and description of the course.
Methodology. Gender as a category of historical analysis.
Week 2
Ancient Greece: the Greek tradition of misogyny. Plato and Aristotle. The Aristotelian legacy. Queens philosophers in Plato’s Republic.
Week 3
Women in medieval thought.
The Church Fathers: St. Augustine
St. Thomas Aquinas: Women’s place in nature
Week 4
Femininity and masculinity in early modern European thought. Deconstructing gender in Machiavelli. Defending masculinity against Fortuna.
Week 5
Natural rights against natural authority
Thomas Hobbes against the Aristotelian model
John Locke against patriarchy. The sexual contract.
Week 6
The State of nature and reconstructing a masculinized republic: Rousseau.
Rousseau and the domestication of women.
Week 7
Vindicating the Rights of Women: Mary Wollstonecraft
Liberal Feminism: John Stuart Mill
Week 8
Constructing liberal feminism in the US: The 19th century women’s rights movement. The social roots of the American women’s rights movement. Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Week 9
Contemporary feminist perspectives on patriarchy. Virginia Woolf e Simone de Beauvoir. Equality and difference.
Week 10
The debate on multiculturalism. In class debate.
REQUIRED READINGS:
The required readings can be found on Moodle, in our library or on the University Discovery web page.
- Joan Scott, Gender: a Useful Category of Historical Analysis, in , 1, V, 1986, pp. 1053 – 1075
- Wendy Brown, Where is the Sex in Political Theory? In , 7, no. 1 1987
- Karen Offen, Defining Feminism: a Comparative Historical Approach, in , vol. 14, n. 11, 1988, pp. 119-157
- Susan Moller Okin, Plato and the Greek Tradition of Misogyny, in Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, Princeton University Press, 1992,
- Susan Moller Okin, Philosopher Queens and Private Wives, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Female Nature and Social Structure, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Woman’s Place and Nature in a Functionalist World, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Diana Coole, Women in Medieval Thought: Transitions from Antiquity to the Renaissance, in Women in Political Theory, Lynne Rienner Publisher, 1993
- Zillah Eisenstein, The Historical Continuity of Patriarchy, from The Radical
Future of Liberal Feminism, Northeastern University Press, 1993, Chapter 2
- Joan Kelly, Did Women Have a Renaissance?, from Joan Kelly, Women, History and Theory, University of Chicago Press, 1984, ch. 7
- Ian Maclean, The Renaissance Notion of Women, in , vol. 34, n. 2, Summer 1981, pp. 211-213
- Hanna Pitkin, Fortune is a Woman. Gender and Politics in the Thought of Niccolò Machiavelli, University of California Press, 1984, chapters 2,3,4,5,6
- Diana Coole, Women in Political Theory, chapter 4
- Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press, 1988, chapters 1, 4, 6
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapters 5, 6, 7
- Else Wiestad, Empowerment Inside Patriarchy: Rousseau and the Masculine Construction of Femininity, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
- Penny Weiss and Ann Harper, Rousseau Political Defense of Sex-Roled Family, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
- Mary Wollstonecraft, excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp. 40-85
- John Stuart Mill, excerpt from The Sujection of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp.196-238
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapter 9
- Alice Rossi, Introduction: Social Roots of the Woman’s Movement in America, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 241- 281
- From Abolition to Sex Equality: Sarah Grimké (1792-1837) and Angelina Grimké (1805-1879), in The Feminist Papers, pp. 306-322
- Alice Rossi, Along the Suffrage Trail, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 407-412
- Excerpt from the History of Woman Suffrage, in The Feminist Papers, Seneca Falls Convention, pp. 413-421
- Akron Convention and Sojourner Truth, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 426-29
- Kathryn Kish Sklar, Women’s Rights Emerges within the Antislavery Movement, 1830-1870, Bedford, 2000
- Virginia Woolf, excerpt from A Room of One’s Own, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 627-652
- Simone de Beauvoir, excerpt from The Second Sex, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 674-705
- Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?, edited by Susan Moller Okin, Princeton University Press, 1999
RECOMMENDED READINGS:
- Susan Moller Okin, Justice, Gender, and the Family, Basic Books, 1989
This course is taught in English.
Introduction and description of the course.
Methodology.
- Joan Scott, Gender: a Useful Category of Historical Analysis, in , 1, V, 1986, pp. 1053 – 1075
- Wendy Brown, Where is the Sex in Political Theory? In , 7, no. 1 1987
- Karen Offen, Defining Feminism: a Comparative Historical Approach, in , vol. 14, n. 11, 1988, pp. 119-157
Week 2
Ancient Greece: Plato and Aristotle.
- Susan Moller Okin, Plato and the Greek Tradition of Misogyny, in Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, Princeton University Press, 1992,
- Susan Moller Okin, Philosopher Queens and Private Wives, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Female Nature and Social Structure, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Woman’s Place and Nature in a Functionalist World, in Women in Western Political Thought
Week 3
Women in medieval thought.
The Church Fathers: St. Augustine
St. Thomas Aquinas: Women’s place in nature
- Diana Coole, Women in Medieval Thought: Transitions from Antiquity to the Renaissance, in Women in Political Theory, Lynne Rienner Publisher, 1993
- Zillah Eisenstein, The Historical Continuity of Patriarchy, from The Radical
Future of Liberal Feminism, Northeastern University Press, 1993, Chapter 2
Week 4
Femininity and masculinity in early modern European thought. Deconstructing gender in Machiavelli
- Joan Kelly, Did Women Have a Renaissance?, from Joan Kelly, Women, History and Theory, University of Chicago Press, 1984, ch. 7
- Ian Maclean, The Renaissance Notion of Women, in , vol. 34, n. 2, Summer 1981, pp. 211-213
- Hanna Pitkin, Fortune is a Woman. Gender and Politics in the Thought of Niccolò Machiavelli, University of California Press, 1984, chapters 2,3,4,5,6
Week 5
Natural rights against natural authority
Thomas Hobbes against the Aristotelian model
John Locke against patriarchy
- Diana Coole, Women in Political Theory, chapter 4
- Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press, 1988, chapters 1, 4, 6
Week 6
The State of Nature and Reconstructing a Masculinized Republic: Rousseau
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapters 5, 6, 7
- Else Wiestad, Empowerment Inside Patriarchy: Rousseau and the Masculine Construction of Femininity, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
- Penny Weiss and Ann Harper, Rousseau Political Defense of Sex-Roled Family, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
Week 7
Vindicating the Rights of Women: Mary Wollstonecraft
Liberal Feminism: John Stuart Mill
- Mary Wollstonecraft, excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp. 40-85
- John Stuart Mill, excerpt from The Sujection of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp.196-238
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapter 9
Week 8
Constructing Liberal Feminism in the US: The 19th Century Women’s Rights Movement
- Alice Rossi, Introduction: Social Roots of the Woman’s Movement in America, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 241- 281
- From Abolition to Sex Equality: Sarah Grimké (1792-1837) and Angelina Grimké (1805-1879), in The Feminist Papers, pp. 306-322
- Alice Rossi, Along the Suffrage Trail, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 407-412
- Excerpt from the History of Woman Suffrage, in The Feminist Papers, Seneca Falls Convention, pp. 413-421
- Akron Convention and Sojourner Truth, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 426-29
Week 9
Contemporary feminist perspectives on patriarchy.
- Virginia Woolf, excerpt from A Room of One’s Own, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 627-652
- Simone de Beauvoir, excerpt from The Second Sex, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 674-705
Programme
Week 1Introduction and description of the course.
Methodology. Gender as a category of historical analysis.
Week 2
Ancient Greece: the Greek tradition of misogyny. Plato and Aristotle. The Aristotelian legacy. Queens philosophers in Plato’s Republic.
Week 3
Women in medieval thought.
The Church Fathers: St. Augustine
St. Thomas Aquinas: Women’s place in nature
Week 4
Femininity and masculinity in early modern European thought. Deconstructing gender in Machiavelli. Defending masculinity against Fortuna.
Week 5
Natural rights against natural authority
Thomas Hobbes against the Aristotelian model
John Locke against patriarchy. The sexual contract.
Week 6
The State of nature and reconstructing a masculinized republic: Rousseau.
Rousseau and the domestication of women.
Week 7
Vindicating the Rights of Women: Mary Wollstonecraft
Liberal Feminism: John Stuart Mill
Week 8
Constructing liberal feminism in the US: The 19th century women’s rights movement. The social roots of the American women’s rights movement. Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Week 9
Contemporary feminist perspectives on patriarchy. Virginia Woolf e Simone de Beauvoir. Equality and difference.
Week 10
The debate on multiculturalism. In class debate.
REQUIRED READINGS:
The required readings can be found on Moodle, in our library or on the University Discovery web page.
- Joan Scott, Gender: a Useful Category of Historical Analysis, in , 1, V, 1986, pp. 1053 – 1075
- Wendy Brown, Where is the Sex in Political Theory? In , 7, no. 1 1987
- Karen Offen, Defining Feminism: a Comparative Historical Approach, in , vol. 14, n. 11, 1988, pp. 119-157
- Susan Moller Okin, Plato and the Greek Tradition of Misogyny, in Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, Princeton University Press, 1992,
- Susan Moller Okin, Philosopher Queens and Private Wives, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Female Nature and Social Structure, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Woman’s Place and Nature in a Functionalist World, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Diana Coole, Women in Medieval Thought: Transitions from Antiquity to the Renaissance, in Women in Political Theory, Lynne Rienner Publisher, 1993
- Zillah Eisenstein, The Historical Continuity of Patriarchy, from The Radical
Future of Liberal Feminism, Northeastern University Press, 1993, Chapter 2
- Joan Kelly, Did Women Have a Renaissance?, from Joan Kelly, Women, History and Theory, University of Chicago Press, 1984, ch. 7
- Ian Maclean, The Renaissance Notion of Women, in , vol. 34, n. 2, Summer 1981, pp. 211-213
- Hanna Pitkin, Fortune is a Woman. Gender and Politics in the Thought of Niccolò Machiavelli, University of California Press, 1984, chapters 2,3,4,5,6
- Diana Coole, Women in Political Theory, chapter 4
- Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press, 1988, chapters 1, 4, 6
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapters 5, 6, 7
- Else Wiestad, Empowerment Inside Patriarchy: Rousseau and the Masculine Construction of Femininity, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
- Penny Weiss and Ann Harper, Rousseau Political Defense of Sex-Roled Family, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
- Mary Wollstonecraft, excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp. 40-85
- John Stuart Mill, excerpt from The Sujection of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp.196-238
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapter 9
- Alice Rossi, Introduction: Social Roots of the Woman’s Movement in America, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 241- 281
- From Abolition to Sex Equality: Sarah Grimké (1792-1837) and Angelina Grimké (1805-1879), in The Feminist Papers, pp. 306-322
- Alice Rossi, Along the Suffrage Trail, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 407-412
- Excerpt from the History of Woman Suffrage, in The Feminist Papers, Seneca Falls Convention, pp. 413-421
- Akron Convention and Sojourner Truth, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 426-29
- Kathryn Kish Sklar, Women’s Rights Emerges within the Antislavery Movement, 1830-1870, Bedford, 2000
- Virginia Woolf, excerpt from A Room of One’s Own, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 627-652
- Simone de Beauvoir, excerpt from The Second Sex, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 674-705
- Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?, edited by Susan Moller Okin, Princeton University Press, 1999
RECOMMENDED READINGS:
- Susan Moller Okin, Justice, Gender, and the Family, Basic Books, 1989
This course is taught in English.
Core Documentation
Week 1Introduction and description of the course.
Methodology.
- Joan Scott, Gender: a Useful Category of Historical Analysis, in , 1, V, 1986, pp. 1053 – 1075
- Wendy Brown, Where is the Sex in Political Theory? In , 7, no. 1 1987
- Karen Offen, Defining Feminism: a Comparative Historical Approach, in , vol. 14, n. 11, 1988, pp. 119-157
Week 2
Ancient Greece: Plato and Aristotle.
- Susan Moller Okin, Plato and the Greek Tradition of Misogyny, in Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, Princeton University Press, 1992,
- Susan Moller Okin, Philosopher Queens and Private Wives, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Female Nature and Social Structure, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Woman’s Place and Nature in a Functionalist World, in Women in Western Political Thought
Week 3
Women in medieval thought.
The Church Fathers: St. Augustine
St. Thomas Aquinas: Women’s place in nature
- Diana Coole, Women in Medieval Thought: Transitions from Antiquity to the Renaissance, in Women in Political Theory, Lynne Rienner Publisher, 1993
- Zillah Eisenstein, The Historical Continuity of Patriarchy, from The Radical
Future of Liberal Feminism, Northeastern University Press, 1993, Chapter 2
Week 4
Femininity and masculinity in early modern European thought. Deconstructing gender in Machiavelli
- Joan Kelly, Did Women Have a Renaissance?, from Joan Kelly, Women, History and Theory, University of Chicago Press, 1984, ch. 7
- Ian Maclean, The Renaissance Notion of Women, in , vol. 34, n. 2, Summer 1981, pp. 211-213
- Hanna Pitkin, Fortune is a Woman. Gender and Politics in the Thought of Niccolò Machiavelli, University of California Press, 1984, chapters 2,3,4,5,6
Week 5
Natural rights against natural authority
Thomas Hobbes against the Aristotelian model
John Locke against patriarchy
- Diana Coole, Women in Political Theory, chapter 4
- Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press, 1988, chapters 1, 4, 6
Week 6
The State of Nature and Reconstructing a Masculinized Republic: Rousseau
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapters 5, 6, 7
- Else Wiestad, Empowerment Inside Patriarchy: Rousseau and the Masculine Construction of Femininity, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
- Penny Weiss and Ann Harper, Rousseau Political Defense of Sex-Roled Family, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
Week 7
Vindicating the Rights of Women: Mary Wollstonecraft
Liberal Feminism: John Stuart Mill
- Mary Wollstonecraft, excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp. 40-85
- John Stuart Mill, excerpt from The Sujection of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp.196-238
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapter 9
Week 8
Constructing Liberal Feminism in the US: The 19th Century Women’s Rights Movement
- Alice Rossi, Introduction: Social Roots of the Woman’s Movement in America, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 241- 281
- From Abolition to Sex Equality: Sarah Grimké (1792-1837) and Angelina Grimké (1805-1879), in The Feminist Papers, pp. 306-322
- Alice Rossi, Along the Suffrage Trail, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 407-412
- Excerpt from the History of Woman Suffrage, in The Feminist Papers, Seneca Falls Convention, pp. 413-421
- Akron Convention and Sojourner Truth, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 426-29
Week 9
Contemporary feminist perspectives on patriarchy.
- Virginia Woolf, excerpt from A Room of One’s Own, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 627-652
- Simone de Beauvoir, excerpt from The Second Sex, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 674-705
Reference Bibliography
- Susan Moller Okin, Justice, Gender, and the Family, Basic Books, 1989 - Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?, edited by Susan Moller Okin, Princeton University Press, 1999 - Kathryn Kish Sklar, Women’s Rights Emerges within the Antislavery Movement, 1830-1870, Bedford, 2000Type of delivery of the course
The course is articulated into lectures, projections, critical in class discussions of the assigned readings, library works.Attendance
Attendance is mandatory for all classes. If a student misses more than three classes, 2 percentage points will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student’s absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies.Type of evaluation
Attendance and participation (20%); in class presentation or papers (30%); mid-term (25%) final examination (25%)