Programma

This first-semester course explores the historical construction of the myth of hegemonic masculinity in the ancient world and its persistence across different epochs. Particular attention will be given to the role of religions, public authorities, and the sciences in shaping a system sustained by the ideal of virility.
The course adopts a historical-cultural approach, combined with legal reflection, as essential to understanding gender-based violence. Such violence is rooted in a reified vision of “nature” that denies human complexity and, in line with totalitarian ideologies, treats the sexes as immutable essences—thus naturalizing the hierarchy between man and woman (between man and the “subhuman”) as if it were necessary and inevitable.
The course will be structured around the six dimensions of female subordination identified by French philosopher Olivia Gazalé:
1. Confiscated kinship
2. Appropriation of women
3. Demonization of the female sex
4. Justification of violence based on female guilt
5. Female inferiority as legitimation of exclusion
6. Division of space and sexual division of labor.

Testi Adottati

Attending students: the final oral examination will focus on the topics covered in class, explored in greater depth through the essays uploaded by the instructor in the course materials section of the e-learning page.
For non-attending students, the oral examination will focus on the following texts:
● Eva Cantarella, L'ambiguo malanno. Condizione e immagine della donna nell'antichità greca e romana, Milano: Feltrinelli, 2010.
● Marco Cavina, Nozze di sangue. Storia della violenza coniugale, Bari: Laterza, 2011.
● Simona Feci, Laura Schettini (a cura di), La violenza contro le donne nella storia. Contesti, linguaggi, politiche del diritto (secoli XV-XXI), Roma: Viella, 2017.

Modalità Frequenza

Attendance is not mandatory. It is nonetheless strongly recommended, as active participation in lectures contributes to the final grade and grants access to the simplified examination path reserved for attending students, as an alternative to the oral examination on the three volumes required of non-attending students. To be considered an attending student for assessment purposes, attendance of at least 80% of the lectures delivered is recommended.

Modalità Valutazione

Language of the oral exam: Italian. The course assessment consists of an oral examination, designed to verify the acquisition of basic knowledge concerning the historical-legal foundations of gender-based violence, with particular attention to the normative framework underpinning women’s legal minority. As an alternative, students may opt for a written research paper (minimum 36,000 / maximum 60,000 characters, including spaces, bibliography excluded) on a topic covered in the course, to be agreed upon with the Professor. The paper must be entirely original. The use of AI tools is not permitted, except for data processing, statistical analysis, or the creation of graphs. The Professor employs plagiarism-detection software. Final grades are expressed on a 30-point scale (out of 30). 18–20: sufficient but minimal and non-in-depth knowledge of the subject. 21–25: fair / more than sufficient knowledge of the contents. 26–29: good / very good knowledge of the subject’s structures, with evidence of critical ability. 30–30 cum laude: excellent / outstanding knowledge of the subject, combined with excellent analytical, critical, and synthetic skills. Exam Requirements: 1. Course materials indicated by the Professor. 2. Lecture notes (slides are not provided). Active participation is an integral part of the assessment. The final grade will take into account: 1. regular attendance, 2. performance during lectures, 3. contributions to class discussion, 4. the outcome of the oral exam or written paper.