Abstract

The aim of this essay is to understand how the concepts of right and left continue to be relevant in defining the relationship between citizens and politics, in shaping belonging and being cardinal points from which to observe and interpret the world. In the face of lines of thought which, in a context marked by anti-politics and populism, tend to consider the left-right ideological axis a tool of the past. We argued on the meaning of the right and the left starting from a research handed out over a thousand of students enrolled at the University of Urbino. Subjects who represent a particular component of the population, those who have no experience with the «Prima Repubblica», but certainly capable of expressing reflections, ideas and political readings attributable to the left-right dichotomy. What is proposed is, therefore, a case study whose results, although limited and not generalizable, appear particularly useful in providing indications and trends with respect to the topic set. According to the left-right dichotomy data collected allow us to investigate on aspects that concern politics and society as well as the daily life activities of each individual: relationship with politics, knowledge of its institutions and of its actors, participation, trust, values and, therefore, ideas and opinions. They allow us also to highlight inclinations, positions and thoughts which are believed to continue to attribute meaning to the old ideological tool.