Learning objectives
Expected learning outcomes: critical knowledge of the disciplinary main notions and aspects. Knowledge and comprehension: oriented towards a critical analysis of the information discussed in class; contextualization of the discussed topics within the interdisciplinary field of social sciences and understanding of the interdisciplinary crossings. Ability to apply knowledge and comprehension: authonomous and critical use of the research instruments and of the geographical, geopolitical and geo-economic notions discussed in class and explained in the texts. Authonomy in judgment: this is the overall main objective of the course, with a particular reference to the acquisition of a critical consciousness of the spatial and territorial aspects related to politicsa and economics. Communicative abilities: acquisition of a critical, though not necessarily technical, language, which allows to distinguish and discuss the characteristics of geopolitcial and geo-economic phenomena beyond the simplifications and the generalizations produced by mediascapes. Learning capacity: proportional to individual abilities.
Prerequisites
None
Course unit content
The course aims at offering a basic knowledge of the geopolitical assets of the contemporary era. Considering that a basic knowledge of the geopolitical coordinates of the world is fundamental in order to offer sound and documented journalistic information, the course wants to offer an illustration of the main concepts and instruments that belong to the following disciplines: political geography, economic geography, geopolitics. A particular focus will be devoted to the cartographic language through a critical reading of its codes.
Full programme
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Bibliography
It is important to remember that the exam must be prepared by fully reading the textbooks indicated here below, and not summaries prepared by others.
1) Claudio Cerreti, Matteo Marconi, Paolo Sellari, Spazi e poteri. Geografia politica, geografia economica, geopolitica, Milan, Laterza, 2019
2) One text among the following ones:
- Dino Gavinelli, Matteo Bolocan Goldstein, editors, Regioni e regionalizzazione. Lo spazio-mondo in divenire, Milan-Turin, Pearson, 2022
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- Dino Gavinelli, Matteo Bolocan Goldstein, a cura di, Regioni e regionalizzazione. Lo spazio-mondo in divenire, Milan-Turin, Pearson, 2022
- Giuseppe Bettoni, Africa. Politica, democrazia e migrazioni, Turin, UTET, 2023
- Italo Talia. Identità e geopolitica dell'Europa. Il 'quarto lato' del triangolo Russia, Stati Uniti, Cina,
Naples, Guida, 2021
- Barbara Loyer, Geopolitica. Metodi e concetti, Turin, UTET, 2021
Teaching methods
Lectures will present the general interpretative critical coordinates of geographical studies, through both quantitative and qualitative data and approaches.
Class discussion will be stimulated by the proposition of questions aimed at sharing personal opinions and knowledge related to specific topics. This will allow to develop critical attitudes and the authonomy of judgement.
In the presentation of both quantitative and qualitative data, the teacher will use Power Point presentations, movie and documentary screenings, visits to specialized web sites, and examples of computer cartography.
Assessment methods and criteria
The final exam will be a oral one. During the exam we will test:
- the ability to illustrate in a clear way, with a proper language, the main critical and contextual notions discussed in class and explained in the written texts; a specific importance will be given to logical and communicative abilities
- the knowledge of the geo-historical contexts of the phenomena that were analysed and discussed in class (through questions during the student's presentation)
The pass/fail divide is defined by the presence of both these parameters:
a. demonstration of having carefully read the textbooks
b. development of a critical research itinerary on the discussed topics, with the related ability in creating and proposing personal contributions and critiques
The exam will also involve the writing of a short paper, following the directions provided at the entry ""Other information" on this web page
Other information
To complete the exam, the student has to prepare a short paper (8,000 to 12,000 characters spaces included) related to a literary work, a musical piece, a photograph (or a portfolio of photographs), a movie related to the topics discussed in class and/or in the texts for the exam. The paper will approach a geographical reading of this artistic expression (inspiration linked to specific places, depiction of landscapes, role of the artistic representations in territorial images, typologies of human landscapes, relationship between political and economic phenomena etc.). The paper has to be written following the usual rules of academic writing: endnotes (or footnotes), reference bibliography (only the titles that are used in the preparation of the text), quotes in brackets when directly taken from other sources, clear indication of every source used in the preparation of the text. Every use of texts by other authors taken from printed or online sources and not adequately quoted will be considered plagiarism, and will involve a lower grade. The paper will have to be sent by email to the teacher (davide.papotti@unipr.it) at leats ten days before the date scheduled for the exam. Please include your name, last name and student ID number in the text, and name the file as follows: Name_Lastname_Relazione_Globalizzazioneegeopolitica_academicyear
