Crisis and Conflict: on the Genesis of Italian Theory (original) (raw)

On Contemporary French and Italian Political Philosophy: An Interview with Roberto Esposito

Minnesota Review, 2010

You are currently completing a book on Italian philosophy. Generally, how do you judge the relation between French and Italian thought? In your opinion, under what conditions is it possible to refer to an "Italian philosophy" without giving in to the demon of the history of philosophy and the tyranny of liberal political philosophy? Esposito I consider it possible and useful to speak in national, philosophical terms only if one inscribes such a question within the dialectic introduced by Deleuze between territorialization and deterritorialization. Here, Italian philosophy can be considered territorial but not national, since the birth of the nation-state occurs much later than the complete unfolding of Italian philosophy. The difference with French philosophy lies precisely in the centrality of the category of "life," which Italian philosophy registered right from the start. Campbell and Luisetti Does there exist in your opinion a "thing" or a category that, unlike in French thought, Italian philosophy is able to think or to furnish the conditions for thinking? What explains the current success of Italian thought in constructing the terms of the debate that runs from biotechnology to human rights? Esposito While French philosophy beginning with Descartes privileged the dimension of consciousness or the interior dialogue, as in Pascal, Italian philosophy in its origins-with Machiavelli, Bruno, Campanella, and Vico, up to Croce and Gramsciconcentrated on the category of life in its complex relation with the dimensions of history and politics. Without imagining linear paths or improbable precursors, I believe that this originary element has influenced the current Italian elaboration of the categories of "bio-history" and "bio-politics," which were of course influenced by Nietzsche and then Foucault. Yet the fact remains that before the Italian interpretations, Foucault's extraordinary research into biopolitics remained effectively inactive for the better part of twenty years. Why, in order to become a theme of global importance, did biopolitics have to pass through Italy? It is beginning with this

Forty years of Italian Political Science

The volume isn’t just an historical “summa” about the Italian experiences, by constrast it hopefully represents starting point for theoretical, methodological and fact-finding developements. This result is achieved by a historical and concettual dissertation of the discipline which, since its foundation, had to face three main challenges: the antiempirical culture, the so-thought “secondary” reputation of Politics and the accademic resistance. However, despite these difficulties, as the authors underline, the Italian Political Science was successful in its instituzionalization and integration with the other Social Sciences.

The Italian "Difference". Philosophy between Old and New Tendencies in Contemporary Italy

Phenomenology and Mind, 2017

Back in vogue today is the tendency of Italian philosophy toward reflection on itself that has always characterized an important part of our historiographical tradition. The present essay firstly analyzes the various interpretative positions in respect to the legitimacy, the risks, and the benefits of such a discourse, which intends to distinguish the different traditions of thought by resorting to a criterion of territorial or national kind. Secondly, the essay examines diverse paradigms that identify – in “precursory genius”; in ethical and civil vocation; and in “living thought” – the distinctive hallmark of the Italian philosophical tradition from the Renaissance to today.

Italian Studies, Italian Theory and the politics of trans-lation

2016

Italian Theory has emerged as the result of the search for new conceptual frameworks in the face of a series of international political events concerning not only the proliferation of states of exception but also of new forms of politicization of life related to biomedical science and the biosecurization of spaces. In this essay, I consider how Italian Theory has come into existence in Western academia and beyond through its productive travels among area studies, the humanities, and the social sciences. In particular, I reflect on how US-based Italian Studies—joining forces with scholars in other fields on the two sides of the Atlantic—engage in practices of trans-lation that fundamentally contribute to the “packing” of contemporary Italian political philosophy as “Italian Theory”. Such practices have significantly impacted on Human Geography and the social sciences in general, and influenced how highly theoretical work originated outside the Anglophone “academic core” is (re)produced, legitimated, and circulated internationally.

Culture and Politics in the Age of Globalization: Some Suggestions from Two Italian Philosophers

Glocalism, 2018

Over the past few decades, the global phenomenology of political power has changed. Unlike what happened in the past, increasingly the practical applications of scientific discoveries are no longer immediately or exclusively used by the legally formalized political power. They are consumed and disseminated throughout civil society escaping from the old logic of the legitimate power or judicial power and generating a new political power, which could be defined as “glocal”. All these new dynamics can be better understood through the lenses offered by past philosophical dialogues on the same topics and in this case we can enrich our perspective from a discussion, which was developed in mid-twentieth century Italy. In 1950, the formal establishment of the Société Européenne de Culture took place in Venice with the hope of building a bridge between West and East political Europe. Through constant reflection on the general development of European society, this cultural institution tried to focus on priorities regarding theory and practice, in order to foster cultural positions that could take ethical-political responsibilities regarding understanding, collaboration and peace. This commitment was theoretically founded on the concept of “politics of culture”, formulated by Umberto Campagnolo and expressed in a session of the General Assembly in November 1951 and later in January of 1952, Norberto Bobbio gave notice of it in the “Rivista di Filosofia” (“Journal of Philosophy”), sharing the principles expressed by Campagnolo. The theoretical dialogue between the two philosophers intensified at the beginning of the 60s, when it became clear that the common civil commitment sprang from a different conception of philosophy and politics.

Italian Reactionary Thought and Critical Theory

2015

who provided priceless commentary at different stages of this work. A special mention goes to Francesco Antonacci for the help provided with last-minute consultations of secondary sources. Finally, special thanks also to the students of my Italian literature courses at Colorado College for vibrant discussions on this and several other topics.