Summer 2014 Philosophy of Italian Culture Discussion Questions

Class Dates

Wednesday May 21, 2014

• How would you characterize Italy in the first half of the 19th Century and what circumstances and events were particularly determining for its future?
• What were the major objectives of Italian patriots in this period? Why?
• What role did Garibaldi, Mazzini, Cavour and Vittorio Emanuele II play in the unification? Who would have been most and least satisfied with the outcome?
• What seem to have been some limits of the unification?

Thursday May 22, 2014

1. Why does Mazzini argue for "duties before rights"? What is the historical context for this argument?
2. How does Mazzini connect eschatology (God's plan) to politics?
3. What is Liberty for Mazzini and what is the legitimate role of government in social life?

Monday May 26, 2014

1. What was the societal structure in a fascist state?
2. In the fascist state, what determines the value of a man and a woman? What historical context/events explain this?
3. In what way did the fascist state act a parental figure?
4. What was the main problem(s) for the Turin Communists?

Tuesday May 27, 2014

1. Cultural variation has been looked down upon, and the root of wars. What reasons for and against cultural variation help define the major conflicts seen.

2. How did popular novels seem to have an effect of the overall popular culture and the attitudes of Italian citizens.

Monday June 2, 2014

Holiday

Tuesday June 24, 2014

Holiday