Historical Foundations of the Legal System is a formative course that provides students with a deeper understanding of legal concepts through their historical analysis within the framework of various and successive political models. These concepts, originally derived from Western legal tradition, were reinterpreted by the Enlightenment and the liberal revolution, and today (after the crisis of the liberal system and the triumph of the constitutional and democratic state) carry a new significance. Only through an awareness of this historical depth can students fully comprehend and assess the instruments they will use in a globalized and unstable legal order. Throughout the course, through the study of the evolution of the normative system, certain institutions, and legal-political doctrine, students will be able to discover the social value of law, develop critical thinking, enhance their capacity for synthesis, and ultimately equip themselves with interpretive tools that will allow them to be active participants in their professional future, rather than mere accumulators of data.

MEDIEVAL PERIOD (5th Century - 15th Century): High Middle Ages: The medieval social, political, and legal order. Late Middle Ages (12th-15th centuries): The overcoming of the feudal model and common law. MODERN PERIOD (15th Century - 17th Century): The sovereign monarch and the humanist revision of the ius commune. 18th Century: Power as jurisdiction and the "administrative monarchy." The Age of Revolutions (18th Century): French and American revolutions. CONTEMPORARY PERIOD (19th-20th Century): Liberal state and liberal codes. The crisis of the liberal system. Dictatorial regimes. The "Constitutional State" and the democratic Constitution.

The teaching is structured around ten topics, which can be downloaded from 'Aula Global.' The course follows a continuous assessment model and is organized through lectures and seminars. In the lecture, students receive guidance on the content (fundamental concepts, issues) and the working materials. In seminars, once the personal work has been completed, students, through group work, discuss the readings related to the topic and debate various issues concerning the content of the subject. To assess the students, several individual essays will be required throughout the course, covering the different topics explained and debated in the group sessions. The essay serves to evaluate the student's individual work and how they relate the course content to the readings and historical texts uploaded on Aula Global. It is essential to include references and use the bibliography (readings and texts) available on Aula Global. The use of generative AI is NOT permitted for this activity. Additionally, student attendance and participation in the course are recorded by the instructor and taken into account for the final grade. A minimum attendance of 75% of the sessions (including both lectures and seminars) is required to receive a final grade through continuous assessment (and avoid taking the final exam).