Logica e polemica. La scienza politica di Giovanni Sartori

This paper explores the enduring relevance of Giovanni Sartori’s intellectual legacy, marking the centenary of his birth with a critical analysis of his main contributions to political science. Sartori’s distinctive methodology, centered on polemical reasoning and empirical rigor, sought to challenge conventional wisdom and advance innovative frameworks for understanding political phenomena. In postwar Italy, his academic and intellectual endeavor marked a decisive break from the then-dominant idealist philosophy of Benedetto Croce and eventually led to the founding of a new discipline in the Italian context (i.e., political science) solidly grounded on logic and oriented toward ‘application’ of his knowledge. By juxtaposing Sartori’s ideas with contemporary challenges, the article emphasizes his enduring relevance and the potential for his theories to guide future scholarly and practical endeavors.