Course teached as: B000314 - SOCIOLOGIA DELLA LEADERSHIP Second Cycle Degree in SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Curriculum SOCIETA' CONTEMPORANEA, MUTAMENTO E GLOBALIZZAZIONE
Teaching Language
Italian
Course Content
The course deals with the theoretical and empirical aspects of political leadership, with particular regard to the Italian case from a comparative perspective.
* Donatella Campus, Lo stile del leader, il Mulino, 2016 [available at http://www.darwinbooks.it/doi/10.978.8815/326522]
* Luca Verzichelli, Vivere di politica. Come (non) cambiano le carriere politiche in Italia, il Mulino, 2010.
* Giacomo Sani, Partecipazione politica, in: Enciclopedia delle scienze sociali, vol. VI, 1996, pp. 502-8. [available at http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/partecipazione-politica_(Enciclopedia-delle-scienze-sociali)/]
* Luciano Cavalli, Carisma, in: Enciclopedia delle scienze sociali, vol. I, 1991, pp. 674-83. [available at http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/carisma_(Enciclopedia-delle-scienze-sociali)/]
* Luciano Cavalli, Leadership, in: Enciclopedia delle scienze sociali, vol. V, 1996, pp. 200-16. [available at http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/leadership_(Enciclopedia-delle-scienze-sociali)/]
* Francesco Raniolo, Miti e realtà del Cartel Party. Le trasformazioni dei partiti alla fine del ventesimo secolo, in: Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica, 3/2000, pp. 553-81. [available at https://rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1426/1672]
Learning Objectives
Understanding of the phenomenon of leadership and political leadership in all its aspects; ability to establish linkages between the concept of political leadership and other concepts of sociology, and political sociology in particular; better understanding of contemporary social and political dynamics; acquire a conceptual framework within which to interpet the most recent and important developments in political leadership, political power, political careers, political parties and election campaigns; refine methodological abilities in the study of political phenomena.
Prerequisites
It is advisable to have passed the examinations in Political Sociology, and/or Political Science
Teaching Methods
Lectures; seminars; work in small groups; reading newspapers in class
Further information
Nothing
Type of Assessment
END OF COURSE EXAMINATION FOR 6 CREDITS
The final examination consists of an oral examination intended to assess effective understanding of the topics addressed by the course, not the ability to recite them from memory. Evaluated positively will therefore be the ability to argue, to link different topics, to actualize themes critically.
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END OF COURSE EXAMINATION FOR 9 CREDITS
The examination is identical with the above-described one for 6 credits. In addition, for a further 3 credits, students attending the course can prepare a presentation on the figure of a political leader. Those unable to attend can, on prior agreement with the lecturer, compile a report on a political leader.
Course program
The course centres on the theme of political leadership. The first part reviews the key concepts of the discipline, presenting theoretical and definitional aspects. Starting from Weber’s theory, it describes the traditions of study on the subject and discusses some concepts typically connected with the analysis of political leadership, principally the personalization of politics and political charisma. Besides the party-political and institutional contexts in which leadership is usually ‘located’ and studied, it will also be analysed in the specific context of social and political movements.
The second part of the course addresses themes specific to political sociology, knowledge of which is essential for better contextualization and deeper understanding of the phenomenon of political leadership in contemporary democracies. More specifically, the second part illustrates the effects of ongoing changes in political parties, political participation, voting behaviour, political attitudes, the features of the political class, and political careers, on political leadership as a whole. Treatment of each of these topics will be accompanied by the presentation and discussion of the most current and relevant empirical research on the Italian context from a comparative perspective.
The third module, addressed only to students attending the Course of Studies in Sociology and Social Research (9 credits), will consist mainly of seminars and will be devoted to the biographies of political leaders. After certain methodological aspects of the study of political leadership and the biographies of political leaders have been clarified, the students will be invited to choose some political leaders on whom to conduct detailed analysis by means of groupwork inside and outside the class.