00463 - Political and Economic Geography

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide the students with the geographical instruments useful to understand the complexity of political and economic world dynamics, with specific regard to the globalization of economic activities, the emerging countries, the underdevelopment and the North-South divide, the impact of environmental problems, the strategies of sustainable development.

Course contents

This course of Political and Economic Geography is for students of the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures.With the analysis of cases of study and with reference to the main territorial models and geographical theories, students will be able todescribe and understand the social and cultural dynamics that are specific of some world macro-regions. Present economic globalization, new economic areas, the imbalance between the North and the South, environmental problems, and sustainable policies are the main topics of this course.

The course will be divided in5 parts:

1. Human Geography
2. Urban Geography and World Cities
3. Resources, Wars, and contended Territories
4. Underdevelopment and Emerging Countries
5. Tourism, culture and territorial promotion

All these parts will go into the following themes:

Themes of Human, Political and Economic Geography. The economic globalization; the world system;the environmental issues, the relationship between environment and economy, the sustainable development; world population;the agricultural spaces; the territorial organization of the industry; the tertiary activities; the urban development; geopolitical issues of economy and culture, language policies. Tourism as a driver for the sustainable development.

The emerging countries. The economic problems of the Third World countries. The emerging countries and the new markets. The case study of China: economic reforms and international integration; social and environmental implications of development; the presence of China in Africa.

NB = Erasmus and Overseas studentscan plan with the teacher a specific international bibliography

Readings/Bibliography

Program for students who frequent thelessons:

1. Gamberoni E., Pistocchi F., Africa occidentale. Ritratto di un'Africa che cambia, Bologna, Pàtron, 2013
2. Lessons' notes
3. A choice between:

• personal research on a topic
• one book among list "3" of the program for students who don't frequent the lessons

Program for students who don't frequentthe lessons:

1. Gamberoni E., Pistocchi F., Africa occidentale. Ritratto di un'Africa che cambia, Bologna, Pàtron, 2013
2. Cencini C., Dagradi P., Compendio di geografia umana, Bologna, Pàtron, 2003 (NO: par. 4 chapter 2; NO chapter6); or Dematteis G., Lanza C., Vanolo A., Geografia dell'economia mondiale, Torino, Utet, 2010 (YES: chapter. 3, chapt. 4, par. 5.8, par. 6.4; par. 7.5, chapt. 8, chapt. 10, chapt. 11, chapt. 12, chapt. 13, chapt. 14)
3. One book among:

• Rondinone E., India: una geografia politica, Roma, Carocci, 2008
• Isenburg T., Brasile: una geografia politica, Roma, Carocci, 2006
• Goldstein A., BRIC. Brasile, Russia, India, Cina alla guida dell'economia globale, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2011
• Hui W., Il nuovo ordine cinese. Società, politica ed economia in transizione, Roma, Manifestolibri, 2006
• Chiarlone S., Amighini A., L'economia della Cina. Dalla pianificazione al mercato, Roma, Carocci, 2007
• Brighi C., Panozzo I., Sala M., Safari cinese: petrolio, risorse, mercati. La Cina conquista l'Africa, Milano, O Barra O, 2007
• Masto R., Buongiorno Africa. Tra capitali cinesi e nuova società civile, Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 2011
• Ferrari A., Africa gialla. L'invasione economica cinese nel continente africano, Torino, Utet, 2008
• Pistocchi F., Voci nell'Harmattan. Geografie ed esperienze di viaggio in Sierra Leone, Cesena, Il Ponte Vecchio, 2010
• Ramazzotti S., Vado verso il Capo. 13.000km attraverso l'Africa, Milano, Feltrinelli, 8^edizione, 2013
• Banerjee A. V., Duflo E., L'economia dei poveri. Capire la vera natura della povertà per combatterla, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2011
• Squarcini F., Topografie della santità. Studi sulle simbolizzazioni religiose dei confini e sulla geografia politica delle tradizioni religiose, Firenze, Società Editrice Fiorentina, 2007

Teaching methods

Oral lessons, possibly integrated by seminaries held by geographers or specialists. Some lessons could be in English.

Course timetable (second semester): monday, tuesday, wednesday 3.30 - 5pm.

Assessment methods

The examination consists of an oral test.

Teaching tools

Lessons will be supported by PowerPoint presentations and the use of geographic and thematic maps. The presentations will be available at the web page: http://campus.cib.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Filippo Pistocchi