Corso di laurea magistrale in Scienze delle religioni

This course aims to provide students with a foundational understanding of contemporary philosophy of religion, approached through an interdisciplinary lens that engages the broader field of the humanities. Special emphasis will be placed on the relationship between ancient and late antique philosophy and key developments in 20th-century philosophy of religion (Foucault).

The course is designed to cultivate critical and reflective thinking while promoting the development of personal insight and academic competence in contemporary religious thought. Students will be encouraged to engage deeply with primary texts and philosophical language, enhancing their ability to interpret, analyze, and contextualize complex theoretical material.

Knowledge and understanding

At the end of this course the student will have to know:

- the theoretical foundations of contemporary philosophy of religion;

- the key authors in the history of the philosophy of religion in the 20th century who dealt with the relationship between morality and religion

Apply knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course, students should be able to apply the knowledge acquired to contexts and examples other than the ones examined in class

Autonomy of judgement

At the end of this course the student will have to know:

- to conduct critical analysis of the texts discussed during the lectures

- to apply the theoretical tools provided in the lecture to historical-religious contexts different from those described in the texts in the syllabus

Communication skills

- At the end of this course, students should be able to argue the application of heuristic tools developed at a theoretical level to different historical-religious contexts than those presented during the lectures.

Learning skills

At the end of this course the student will have to know:

- to carry out a critical analysis of the texts analysed in class.

- to apply the concepts learned to different historical-religious contexts.

Michel Foucault and Christianity: The Confessions of the Flesh

Between 1979 and 1984, Michel Foucault gradually shifted the focus of his analysis from power structures to practices of subjectivation, as is evident in his lectures at the Collège de France, as well as in the publication of both minor texts (such as Technologies of the Self) and volumes 2 and 3 of his History of Sexuality. This course will examine the fourth volume of that work—The Confessions of the Flesh—which was published posthumously in 2018. Attention will be given both to the text as a whole and to the historical contexts and authors it engages with, particularly in relation to late antique Christianity. The course will also consider other contemporary and related Foucault texts, with the aim of offering a comprehensive understanding of Foucault’s final interpretation of Christianity.

Lectures in presence (for a total of 36 hours/6 CFU).

Assessment of learning will be based on a final written exam lasting 90 minutes. The exam will consist of 11 open-ended questions (maximum 15 lines per answer), each graded from 0 to 3 points. The maximum total score is 33 points, which allows for the award of cum laude (honours). The final grade will be expressed on a 30-point scale, in line with the Italian university grading system. The exam will take place in person.

Preparation will be assessed taking into account these elements:

- The ability to adequately set up the discourse on the specific topic under discussion;

- The ability to set up independently the discourse;

- the argumentative and expressive ability;

- the ability to understand the relationships and connections between the different themes, authors and topics of the course.

The attainment of an organic vision of the topics addressed in the lessons, together with good critical ability, mastery of expression and specific language, will be assessed with very good or excellent marks (28-30 cum laude); the predominantly mnemonic or not well matured acquisition of the contents and linguistic and logical skills that are not always adequate will be assessed with marks ranging from fair (21-24) to good (25-27); a minimum level of knowledge of the course content, combined with inadequate formative gaps or inadequate linguistic and logical skills, will lead to an assessment of sufficiency (18-20); the absence of a minimum level of knowledge of the course content, combined with inadequate linguistic and logical skills and inadequate formative gaps, will lead to an assessment of insufficiency (<18/30).

The Assessment of learning could also be held in English.

For students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) or disabilities, please review the support procedures and accommodations provided by the University, particularly the necessary procedures for exam support.

Supplementary readings and materials will be made available by the instructor on Moodle. Where explicitly indicated, these materials will form an integral and compulsory part of the examination syllabus.